ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2543, 22 June 1895, Page 2 (Supplement)

ATHLETICS.

Our London correspondent writes: The famous South London Harriers opened their 1895 campaign at the Oval on Saturday, the tit-bit of a moderate programme being a hastily arranged match between Mr E. G. Bredin, of the L.A.C., the English quarter and halt-mile champion, and Mr A. R. Downer, who holds the Scottish championship for 100 yards, 220 yards and quarter mile. The pair agreed to race 300 yards, just to atone to the spectators for the absence of Mr C. A. Bradley, who should have opposed Downer in the 100 yards handicap. From crack of pistol Bredin shot away with a throe yards lead, but with a sprint Downer got up to the L.A.O. champion at the half distance, and a desperate race homo ended in a half-yard victory for the southern crack. Brediu’s time was 39 l-sth sec. Downer had previously won the 100 yards handicap from the 11 yards mark in 9 3-sth sec, so Bradley would hardly have beaten the Scotchman from scratch. Downer indeed seems likely to depose the Huddsrsfisld crack from his sprinting kingship, for Bradley at his verr best has never beaten ten seconds, though he was credited with doing “ a yard inside " when he beat Hempton, the New Zealand flyer, at Tufnell Park in .1892. The S.L.H. bill of fare concluded with a three-mile level race, in which nineteen first-class distance runners took part, including P. E. Bacon, the mile and four-mile champion, Munro, of the Lea Harriers, Sid Thomas, Willera, Martin and Wilkin. Bacon romped home thirty yards ahead of Munro, in 15min 13 2-sth see, whilst Sid Thomas was beaten by fifty yards for third position by Sydenham of the L.A.C. Our London correspondent writes as follows, under date April 26th ; The most noteworthy event in last Saturday's athletics occurred at Stamford Bridge, when F. E. Bacon, proved his right to the Teu-raile Running Championship of England, against a strong opposition, and in spite of an accident at football a few days previous to the race. No less than seventeen competitors toed the mark for the long run, including Watkins (of the Walthamston Harrhrs), Willcrs (the Essex Beagles’ crack), Gatin (of the South London Harriers), Sid. Thomas (the holder). Martin, Munro, and the veteran J. E. Dixon. As soon as iho field had settled down into their places Watkins took the lead and made the running at a fair pace until Bacon weiit past him at the completion of the first mile (sinin) Watkins, however, quickly resumed command, and when the second mile had boon covered (lOmin 53aec) the order ’of going was Watkins, Thomas, Bacon, Munro. These four were in a cluster, and were drawing rapidly away from their competitors. Three miles in 15min 19 1 sth sec saw no material change, bat at the fifth mile (25min 5S 1 sth sec) Bacon went to the front, and with the pace improving Thomas decided to quit. Half-a mile later Munro stopped, and when seven miles bad been negotiated in 36min 36 2 sth sec, Watkins and Bacon were the only men really in it. The former led until the twain wore within 100 yards of the winning post. At this point Bason tried a spurt, but ho was very leg weary, and cduld only creep away from the indomitable Watkins bit by bit, .instead of leaving him hopelessly in the rear in a few strides. Finally Bacon won by half-a-dozen yards 52min 43 4 sth sec. Willers was third, half a-mile behind, and Gavin a fair fourth, their respective times being oomin 28 2-sth sec and 56min 3-sth sec, so both got bronze medals for beating standard time.