PEDESTRIANISM

NZ Truth, Issue 103, 8 June 1907, Page 3

PEDESTRIANISM

THE DAY-M'UCHLAN MATCHES, Was It a Pot-up Job? Thie ill-odour iwhicli surr<su©d€d English rutwtarf Day's matches with Postle on "the other side"- has followed' "him to this country, an-d the New Zealand Athletic Union has decided to make • immediate inqluiry into his matches wieh N the Zealander McLaohlan, at Dunediii, wb'.ch were witnesse-d hy three or four thousand people.; The distances were 200 yds, 3OOyds, arad 440 yds, aflnd, m view of recent developments, the follOWing description of the quarter-mile, from the Otago Daily .Times; is^ decidedly interesting:— Thirid I , Distance, 440 yds- . (England) ... ,-• 1 M'Laohlan (New Zealand) ... w." 2 M'Laohlan won the toss for place, and secured inside running, aM was first awuy on tifoe sounding of the pistol. Passing the ipress box, 20 yards from the start, Day was on even tarms, and appeared to attempt to grasp the- inside, and some jostling ensued, McLachlan's arm being distinctly observable against Day's body. At the bottom corner the competitors distinctly slowed down, and rounding \ the bend, the New. Zea-land-er appeared ' to advantage. At the tramway turn 'jostling was again evid|ant. M'L&ohlam.- led into the straight on the railway- side, the pace being quite satisfactory. No sooner, how-, ever, was the back stretch reached' than th-e campe'titors slowed down. Suddenly Day shot; ahead, and very speadily .established a five yard lead. Rounding the railway turn the visit-, or had a lead which presaged victory, and, roundilng th© top turn, the lead was well, maimtained. M'Daohlan, however, here came with great pace, and when the straight was entered, although Day had a clear lead, the 1 New Zealander seamed to be paining fast. Once fairly- in the straight, the contestants settled down to the _ raoe home, and, altbou,eh ,-M'Lach'lan appeared to lay himself out to the utmost, he was not able to get on ' oven teems -with Day, who breasted the tape fully a yard m advance, thus winning the race m 53 2-ssec.