CHAMPION FOOTRACING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7967, 25 November 1911, Page 19

CHAMPION FOOTRACING.

A ; crowd of 7090 people assembled round the Exhibition ovai at Melbourne on the evening of the 13th iust. to witness a series Of matches for the-worlds sprint championship, between Jack Donaldson ana Arthur- B. Postle. Ihe races were over distances of 100 yards, ol> yards, and HU yards, for .£IOO a-side and. a purse of 42u0, the winner to take AdoO, and the lose ASO. The two men were vastly different in build. Donaldson is , tHb : light, ■ nervy type of runner;..-while Pestle is a more powerful man, —with broad shoulders and muscular arms. There was great cheering when they came out on tho track and took their places at the start for the 100 yards event. When the pistol went Postle was faster olf tho mark, and at 50 yards he held a lead of half a yard, but Donaldson from that, point seemed to-move faster at every stride. He overhauled Pestle at- about SO yards, and-then!.drew.-, ‘hway and won' by 6in. Tho official time was 9 3-osec, hut private watches- made it lOseo. Tho track was not fast, and there was a slight wind blowing against the runners. . , , ■ Postle and Donaldson had never met over SO yards until that night, though Donaldson had won matches at 50 yards, '6O yards, and 70 yards. Considerable interest therefore attached to' tho Taco pvor'the short distance. From an cveii start-Postle straightened first, and established a pronounced lead. Prom the 50 yards post Donaldson gained on him, but Postle reached tho tape a foot ahead. Tho official -watches made the time 7 4-ssec, which would he a now world s record for the distance. Private watches, however, made tho time'B 1-lOsec. With one victory to- the credit of each man tho 110 yards race became the de-, citling. event. Postle broke away once, 'but Donaldson set like a rook. ■. YYhen the pistol went, Postle appeared to move first and at the half-way mark he was a yard to the good. Ho was Fiill ahead '2O yards from tho post, but Donaldson, with an almost incredible burst of speed, seemed to Sly over tho ground, and broke tho tape tin . ahead, of his opponent. The time, according to the official watches, was 10 4-osec, hut again- private watches differed, making tho time Msec dead.