(PROFESSIONAL.)

NZ Truth, Issue 81, 5 January 1907, Page 3

(PROFESSIONAL.)

A BIG MATCH.

£500 A-side and the. World's \ ; Championship. ;/ Australja v. England, Postle Downs Day. Sprint running, is booming m the West, -wires Sydney "Truth's" special from Kalgoorlie, and the match between Postle and' Day attracted sports frdnr all parts of Australia. Day had come from England, to test the speed of the fleet-footed young Queenslander, who has smashed records on several occasions.

When the immense crowd of fully 20,{M)0 thronged into the Kalgoorlie Recreation Reserve on the evening of December 5 many were eager "to capture the best view of the men, and m consecjiienee some time was wasted m getting ready. The match was over three distances, the winner of tfwb events to claim' the stakes. The first trial was over a

SEVENTY-FIVE YARD COURSE, and both men broke off the mark: together, Day getting into his running earliest. For a few yards Day was m front, but the Queanslander soon got into his stride, opened out, '.and got up mlO yards. Then, coming down, the track like an arrow from a bow, he flew towards the tape, which he breasted five, yards m front of the Englishman, who- was outclassed over this distance. The . crowd went almost mad, and the clock registered 7 l-sse:c.— 3 yards under evens— a fine

performance for a splendid stake. Immediately Postle 's scrip went up and he was" a strong favorite m

THE THRBE HUNDREDS YARDS contest. At the pistol crack 'both flew off their marks, Postle lengtheniag out and making the pace merry for tire first 130 yards, and gaining a lead of a few yards. Day raced gamely, and the excitement was intense as he gradually reduced the $&p. As the pair turned into the straight the Englishman was close upon the heels of the Queenslaivder, and looked like having a chance. But Postle was full of running, aivd. finishing fast, he flashed through the tape with 3 yards daylight to spare. Time, 30 <L-ssec. The crowd oheered the champion for several m Unites.

Another view is taken by the informant of the Sydney '; Sportsman'' who says the finish of, the 300 yds was very unsatisfactory, and to the few who cheered , the winner, hundreds hooted. It was reported that the time for the 3Ooyds was 3O£sac, and for the 7'syds, 7 l-ssec. Three disinterested and competent watch-hold-: ers made the time for the 75yds as 7 4-ssec, which loqks feasible, when, one takes into consideration the track is down hill, and the 300 yds 33 1-5 see. But 30 4-ssec for the 30Oyds is simply absurd. Why Day himself ad-, mits he could not get through, and not knowing the track allowed Postle to go ahead so that he. Day, could, get sight of. the turn .m the. track leading, to the str-aiglity andy aV.'that' time Postle was fully Byds ahead. Day, then came with a dash and was only beaten by. 3yds.'. Is ..there any man with a knowledge of athletics under heaven, silly enough to . . think that. the distance. under the circumstances, or any other circumstances, could be run by Po'stls m 30 4-ssec:

What professional : pedestrianism. is coming to m New South Wales .may be accurately guaged by the trenchant remarks of "Hazard" m the Sydney "Sportsman," who makes no bones about i,t being rapidly on the down grade of collapse. From information m my possession (says "•Hazard") I am inclined to think that the committees of annual counltry demonstrations will' 1 m the near future wipe out- all cash prizes and confine the athletic events to bonafide amateurs. This is certainly- a move m the right direction and a move I feel sure that will be warmly appreciated "by all lovers of pure sport m the State. i