ATHLETICS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15063, 9 February 1911, Page 10

ATHLETICS.

Bt Amateur.

Tho one incident stirring in amateur athletics in Dunedin is tlie forthcoming meeting of the Dunedin Amateur Athletio Club, which is set down, to take place on tho Caledonian Ground on Saturday, February 18. All the arrangements are well in hand, and the committee is working hard to niako the meeting- tho success it deserves to be. Amateur athletics in Dunedin aro only at a low ebb so far as actual star performers aro concerned, but the sport itself is in a healthy condition, and who knows but. what tho D.A.A.C. meeting will not unearth some athletes worthy of championship hoiw.vs. This is a consummation, in view of (he approaching New Zealand championships to bo hold at Christchurch on March 4, devoutly to bo wished. The Dunedin meeting, in tho absence of provincial championships, so often advocated, will serve as a. "try out" for performers for tho team to represent Otago at tho classic gathering in Christehureh.

With commcntlablo enterprise the committee of tho Dunedin Amateur Athletio Club has hcon endeavouring to eficuro tho presence- of such well-known champions as Miles Dickson, of Canterbury, who won tho Throo-miln Now Zealand Championship at Dunedin in 1309; of Opio, aiso of Canterbury, who has put up such fino performances, in sprint, races during tho past few weeks, and who is a certainty, bar accidents, to win tho sprinls nt tho Now Zealand championships next month. The efforts of the committeo have succeeded, Dickson, and Opio both having advised tho authorities that they, will bo competitors at tho forthcoming D.A.A.C. mooting, Tho 1909 dislnnco champion will compete- in the onomile and three-mile events, in the latter of which he will be opposed by the present New Zealand champion, Bcnteon, of the Carer-sham. Harriers. Opio will run. in

the 100 yards, 220 yards, and probably tho quarter, which will give the public an opportunity of seeing how far the opinions of tins undoubtedly fine runner are justified m relation 10 the sprint events at (lie New /calami championship meeting in Umstehurcli next month. Nor is the D.A.A.C. satisfied with tho presence of the two Canterbury champions alone, for tho club has secured a promise from tho erstwhile Otago chamyion G. P Kccidell, now of Southland, to como up and compete at the mooting. Kcddcll, who has come out of his retirement, and is training hard with a view to qualifying for the Southland team at the New Zealand championships, will probably be seen out in the 100 yards, 120 yards hurdles, and the broad jump, for which ho holds the iNew Zealand record. , The following ha.ve been chosen to go into training with a view to representing tho Canterbury Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association in tho Now Zealand championships to bo held at LanSol l, m \ or k . Maroh *:-10Ms and' 220vds-R O. Opie, W. L. Patcwon, F. and Taylor; 440yds—E. F. Wright, •i r. Pa i ors ,° n '. antl R - 0. Opie; halfw!cT E v F ; V* J - H - AM ™. u. 0. L. bmith; one mile—K. J. Steele, , J >, L JM' 1 ' M - Dickon, J. H. Aitken w t s • Wlree mil( Dickson, \\. J. L. Smith, E. J. Steele, and C. Pugh;hurdles-! 1 . Cook, TV. L. Patcrson, iJ' £ ag ° ; J "S n Jump-C. L. Orbell and V. Robinson; polo jump—G. Batstone; shot and hammer—W. de Tliier long jump-C. L. Orbell; waiks-P. h! Stubberfield, A. P. Stiioberfiold, and It. Twyjieham. It is open for any competitor to challenge any of those selected for a position in the team.

Tho notification that Hector Burk, the ex-Otago half pnd mile champion, has started training, has been received with infinite pleasure, and tiio fact that ho intends competing at the Dunedin amateur meeting proves how serious ho is over the business. Everyone would bo glad to hear of the ex-champion striking form, and demonstrating that a dean-living athleto can come back," despite the assuranco of one James Jeffries.

A younger brother, too, of the erstwhile Otago champion, who threatens to emulate the deeds of Hector Burk of 1905-06, is coming out, 'and will make his appearance at tho D.A.A.C. meeting. Another erstwhile Otago champion who has filled in an entry form for the D.A.A.C. meeting on tho 18th inst. is M'Laehlan, who is at present at Oamaru. Ho has entered for the high jump, pole vault, and hop-sfep-and-jump. Commenting on the lack of enterprise of tho Canterbury Centre in view of tho New Zealand championship meeting, "Mercury" says:—"This lassitude is the moro unaccountable because of the fact that tho Cmristchurch body has only to make an energetic movo to get its best team in action fit and w-ell to have an excellent chance of wresting the championship shield from Wellington. With Woodgcr absent, Opie must win the two Bhort sprints. C. L. Orbell lias only to got into reasonable form to have- tho high jump at his mercy, Milos_ Dickson has no very serious opposition in tho three-mile run. The same can safely bo said of De ThicSr in the shotputting event, and St. Aubyn Murray, although at present resident in Gisborne, is still eligible to represent his old centre m the hurdles. This is a splendid nucleus to build up a team on, and, in addition, Opie must have an excellent chance in the quarter-mile flat, while Stubberfield is moro than likely to score points in both walks." To all of which, save for tho remarkable' statement that "Miles Dickson will have no very serious opposition in the three-mile run," I agree. Has "Mercury".- overlooked the possible presence of the present champion, Beatson, of Otago, in the distance race? I don't say Beatson will defeat Dickson if that runner is in anything like form, but the-champion of 1910 cannot be regarded as not serious opposition.—-Amateur.

From tho North Island, where they do such wonderful things and put up such phenomenal times, comes the latest star sprinter—ono Berry, who is seriously credited with doing 9 4-sscc for tho 100 yards at a. recent meeting at Masterton. The report says he beat the pistol by two yards, and probably it was mOTC. At tho Wellington provincial championship Berry, with the best of tho start, was beaten by R, Opie by three yards in 10 1-Sseo. Ho is now said to have improved possibly seven and certainly livo yards on that performance, which was put up on tho 14th of last month. With all due respect to tho timekeepers, I agree with a Wellington critic and take leave to doubt that 9 4-ssoc A. F. Duffey holds tho English record of 9 4-s<*>e, while the Auslr.iln.sian record, also of 9 4-sscc, is shared by W. T. Macpherson and J. 11. Hempton.