RANDOLPH ROSE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19906, 28 September 1926, Page 5

RANDOLPH ROSE.

RETURN TO DOMINIONBACK TO THE FARM. (Fbom Odb Own Cobeespondent.) WELLINGTON, September 27. Randolph .Rose, the long distance runner, returned to New Zealand to-day ’a somewhat disappointed man. richer in experience but not in honours. His failure to do what was ■ expected of him lay in the lap of the gods. _ and was in no way his own fjiult. He will go back to his farm. Referring to some of the events in which he participated. Rose said that in one case he had 95 opponents, and to clear this field meant an added handicap in a race framed on a 4.20 basis. In France where the heat was terrific he struck something like his true form and succeeded in breaking a French record and beating the holder and champion. Guillemot. At a meeting at Rotterdam he (Rose) was going well in a 5000 metres race when he was forced to give up on account of attack of influenza. This affected him in subsequent races. At Oslo though, he won a 2000 metre stoeplechase. It was then that it was decided to return home without meeting Nurmi. Rose did not compete anywhere on the return joarner. “Wo have the athletes in New Zealand if they only get the style and the way to do things.,” said Rose in answer to a question regarding the standard of athletics in New Zealand as compared with that of other countries. In the event of any being sent overseas in the future he suggested that they should, if possible, travel by boat right to the place of the meeting. One thing which had affected him on the journey to England was the train travelling in-America, the inactivity causing him to put on extra weight. With regard to training he stated (hat in England he bad ' the services of Mussabini for a period. This well-known trainer was chiefly connected with sprinting and ■printers. He' suggested , alterations to k ßose’s style, but thqge did not seem to benefit the runner. “Dr Peltzer. the German champion, put me on the right track so far as running on cinders is concerned,” said Rose. “As you know, I have a forward lean when running on the grass and spring from my toes. Dr Peltzer pointed out to me that I should be more -upright on the cinder track and spring off the flat of the foot. 1 was just getting nicely going when the attack of the influenza came on.” With regard to the suggestion that an English team of athletes be invited to New Zealand, Rose said he did not think that it would meet with much favour from the Home authorities, who were apparently disinclined to encourage touring. Athletics in England were confined too much to the universities, and that was why England ■would never get to the top. Lord Burghley would not have been available for a visit to New Zealand bad he been invited, as he was going to South Africa for a couple of years. “We heard in America that Harold Osborne is being invited to New Zealand,” Rose added. “You could not get a better man. He can do almost anything. Locke is a good man, too.” It was also mentioned by Rose that M’Holm had been able to pick up some good hints, on hammer throwing, mainly from M’Grath, the noted American hammer thrower, and by his recent efforts he appeared likely to regain the championship title in the coming season. Mr M‘Holm, referring to Rose’s collapse, said that at the outset he caught a cold at the English championships. His time for the mile had improved, and the New Zealander was showing better' form. When competing, in a 2000 metres event at Copenhagen Bose was unable to finish, and the German' runner Peltzer won. ‘Tf Randolph had been- able to finish and had beaten Peltzer, it would have been all right, because later Peltzer bettered one of Nurmi’s records at the Belgian championships. When Randolph was in front of the field he simply collapsed and went to pieces.” Mr M'Holm said that he thought New Zealand athletes would stand a good chance in England provided that they had the time to get into form, “Yon must have the time,” said Mr M'Holm, “and '* runner really wants to land]there and train up. A does not necessarily seed to land in condition, but should have the time to set about working up his form. I do not consider there is a great deal of difference between the New Zealand climate and that in the Old Country "*