ATHLETIC NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19351, 11 December 1924, Page 4

ATHLETIC NOTES

By A materia

Next Saturday there will be a sports meeting at Balclutha. Quite a. number of local athletes will be going down to compete, arid a successful afternoon’s sport seems assured. Tho presence of the Dunedin athletes should make all the differnce, and will help the eport on a lot in South Otago. Priestly, the Wellington crack miler and New Zealand University mile champion, is showing impressive form over that distance in Wellington this season. Wellington enthusiasts will not hear of his defeat in the New Zealand championships to be hold at Auckland in Febrduary, 1925. The mile championship promises to be a fine contest with Priestly, Rose, Dufresne, and E. Brown (Otago) among the competitors. Dave Brown, of Wellington, the New Zealand champion shot-putter, was operated on for appendicitis recently, so that means that he will be unable to compete at the Now Zealand championships at Auckland. Tho Rhodes Scholarship for Victoria has been awarded to J. C. Eccles, who is completing his final term of medicine. At the last Australian inter-University championships, held at Sydney University Oval on May 28, Eccles tied with Roy Herbison in tho pole valut, each clearing 10ft 9in. The new president of the Cambridge University A.C. is D. G. A. Lowe, who won the 800 metres event at the last Olympic Games. He will be supported by W, S. Bristowe, last year’s president. When Newton was running his 51 miles from Newton to Brighton he was feeling a bit “off” at one stage of the journey and slackened right down for a refresher —and a strange one at that. He asked for cold water with lemon juice, plenty of sugar, and a toaspoonful of salt. This swallowed ho was off again as fresh as new paint. The following is taken from the San Francosco Examiner, and indicates that America is in for a brilliant season;— “Although plans for the indoor track and field season are still in the formative stage, prospects points to an unjusually brilliant programme with international competition that will bring, many Olympic stars into the limelight. Outstanding in interest is tho expected invasion of Paavo Nurmi, the great Finnish runner add hero of four Olympic triumphs, and the probability that ho will match strides with his rival countryman Willie Ritola,’ Joie Ray, the farmer American mile champion, and Ray Baker, present national mile title holder. Nurmi has informed friends that he will arrive in America in the latter part of December to prepare for an indoor campaign, but as yet he has not formally entered into any meets. The Millrose A.A. is seeking the famous Finn’s participation in its twoday carnival at Madison Square Garden on January 27 and 28. Ritola, who retimed several days ago to this country, where ho hold numerous records and titles before going back to his native land in the Olympics, is said to anticipate an active indoor season, although it is understood he plans to go back to Finland later in the winter to make his permanent home there. Ritola, however, probably would welcome a chance to meet Nurmi on the, boards. They were keen rivals at tho last Olympic Games last summer, and Ritola, with the benefit of greater experience at indoor running, would make it interesting for his record-breaking countryman. Many track followers also are of the opinion that Ray, in spite of his disappointing showing outdoors this year, particularly at the Olympics, where, he was not in the best condition, will stage a remarkable comeback indoors. The little Illinois A.C. star has hung up many of his best performances on the boards, and would have an additional incentive in the prospect of again facing Nurmi, who has outclassed the American in tho last two Olympic meets.” I am in receipt of a complete list of the athletic records of tho Southland Boys’ High School. The 100 yards record lies to the credit of A. Harrington (1922), who put up 10 l-ssec. Tho turlong record stands at 23sec, which time was recorded by T. Baird in 1908. The high jump, record was broken this year by O. Rout, who cleared sft 4iin. This is great jumping for a school boy. The broad jump figures are good—namely, 22ft—by N. Millard in 1908. In the junior events (under 15) the records are all first class. The outstanding ones are S. Reid’s llseo for the 100yds. A. Kingsland’s 25seo for the 220yds and T. Macdonald’s 2min 25sec for the half mile.

The above figures compare more than favourably with the records of the local High School. It seems a pity that there is no inter-High School athletic matches, and one can imagine that such events would arouse great interest in junior athletics, and would be condusive to • first-class performances. The following are the Southland High School records: Senior. 100yds—10 l-ssoo, A. T. Harrington (1922). 220yds—23sec, T. Baird (1908). 440yds—55sec, R. L. Christie (1909). Half-mile—2min 19 4-ssec, I. Manson (1924). One-mile—4min 56sec, T. Baird (1909). High Jump—sft 4iin, C. Rout (1924). Long Jump—22ft, N. Millard (1914). Junior. 100yds—llseo, S. Reid (1906). 220yds—25sec, A. Kingsland (1917). 440yds—64sec, T. Macdonald (1924). 880yde—2min 25sec, T. Macdonald (1924). High Jump—4ft 9in, M. M’Curdy (1923). Long Jump—l7ft lOin, J. Forde (1914).

ATHLETES AT OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE. These two universities have some of the world’s top-notchers in their athletic clubs. The meeting of these two universities every year produces a greet struggle between teams of outstanding athletes. Harold Abrahams, the 1924 Olympic (Games 100 metres champion, has now finished his university life, and will appear no more in these contests. In 1923 he won no fewer than three events, and there is little likelihood of anyone approaching his record for some time.

Arthur Porritt, of Oxford, is now the outstanding man in the sprint event, and his consistently good form seems .to indicate that ho will turn the tables on Harvison next year. D. M. Johnson and W. E. Stevenson, both of Oxford, are quarter-milers of class. Stevenson has run the distance in 48 3-ssoc, while Johnson has lately beaten him twice under 50sec. Lowe, the now Cambridge president, is a great runner, and out on his own over 880 yards. Indeed, ho won tho 800 metres at the Olympic Games, triumphing over brilliant opposition. He has a beautiful style, and is the ideal hall-miler. Mountain, Stallard. and MTnnes are middle-distance men far above the ordinary. Ste-Ilard’s gallant 1500 metros race at tho 1924 Olympic Games will never be forgotten. Perhaps the finest all-round performer is S. H. Thomson, of Oxford. He was formerly of the Princeton University (U.S.A.). He is good for 15 3-ssec over the 120 yards hurdles, and can putt the shot over 42ft. His polo vaulting is also first-class. ■ L. *F. Roberts, C. T. Van Geysel, and R. J. Dickinson are all capable of beating 6ft for tho high jump.