ATHLETICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23054, 3 December 1936, Page 5

ATHLETICS

By Amateur * FIXTURES December 12.—Centre’s first scratch meeting, at the Caledonian Ground. December 29.—Tokanui Caledonian Society’s sports carnival. January I.—Alexandra Amateur Athletic Club’s New Year meeting. January 2.—Amateur meeting, at Clyde. February 27.—Otago Championships, at Caledonian Ground. . March 12 and 13.—New Zealand track and field championships at Auckland. CIVIL SERVICE NOTES The adverse weather conditions which have affected the commencement of the evening meetings has proved, in many ways, a disguised blessing for Civil Service athletes. The late start made by so many of the club members has now given them an opportunity of getting in training for this month’s fixtures.

It is unfortunate that R. Barnett, who gave promise of being a useful sprinter this summer, will not be available over the major part of the season, his business duties taking him out of town.

G Brander, whose running in the club sports encouraged him to take >p the track, has been consistent in training, and he only needs to reproduce club form to win success. L. Ramsay has been concentrating on jogging practice for some weeks, and he should prove a useful member over the middle distances. A new member on transfer trom Wellington, J. Gilchrist, has aspirations for the hop, step and long jumps. He will be ready to compete at the first afternoon meeting to be staged. With examinations over. I. Herbison, N. Griffen, G. Harris. L. Reeves, and S. Longworth will .concentrate on sprints. D. M’Kellar is not showing his earlier keenness in track competition. The M’Lachlan brothers, John and Robert, are hard workers and they should be valuable members at future meetings. The past hard winter season has had its effect on S. Asher, who is usually one of the first to race : nto form at the early meetings. The track captain (A. R. Geddes) is out again after his successful winter season, and he should realise his opportunity for the national three-mile title to be run at Auckland early in the new year. The club captain (J. L. W Gerken) has taken some time to rid himself of the effects of football, but he is still as keen as ever to tackle any competition. The M’Kinnon brothers have been indulging in jogging and the work of the summer season should have a noticeable effect next winter. The half-miler, R. Whittleston, is another late starter and, with C. A. Broad, he should be amongst the placed men in this event. OTAGO CENTRE’S MEETING The evening meeting staged by the Otago Centre on Monday last was not so successful as might otherwise have been expected. The sodden nature of the track and the keen wind was responsible to a large extent for this, and was also the reason why a large number of athletes who visited the Caledonian Ground did not compete. In the events staged it was only to be expected that no fast limes were recorded, but the general standard throughout was particularly good. Once again there was a poor attendance of the public, but given a fine evening the Otago Centre may yet attract good attendances to its evening meetings. EVENING MEETING Sou’ westers and gum boots would have been more suited than athletic costumes to the weather conditions prevailing for the meeting held at the Caledonian Ground on Monday evening It was doubtful whether the centre was wise in holding the meeting at all, but in view of the uncertain nature of the weather in the afternoon and the previous postponements it could not be blamed for deciding to carry on with the fixture when there seemed to be an opportunity. Although the meeting Was not a huge success, it is surprising that it attracted as many competitors as it did when the arctic weather is taken into consideration. At the same time it illustrates a difficulty with which the centre has to contend. Members of the various athletic clubs are naturally anxious to have a few runs in competition now that the season is fairly well under way. and the centre is just as anxious to provide opportunities for competition. As far as Monday night was concerned, the centre certainly did its part, even if the athletes did not take advantage of it. and credit is due to those officials who braved the rigours of the storm for the benefit of the competitors who did arrive. . . All the same, one is inclined to be a little on the side of the competitpr who ran in the 220 Yards Handicap m his sweat suit —and his hat. CANTERBURY ACTIVITIES Athletes had to contend with a high south-west wind and a cold atmosphere at the opening of the Canterbury Amateur Athletic Centre’s interclub competition on the south ground at Lancaster Park on Saturday (reports the Christchurch Press). Fields were reasonably good for opening day. but only occasionally was any good racing seen. Few competitors were ready to be drawn into keen competition. and times accordingly were slow.

The only notable performances were seen in the hurdle races. The sprint event was won by C. R. Bradwell (Technical), who has struck very early form and did well to record 16sec. He ran into the wind on a track that is slightly downhill. Later he ran the 220 Yards Hurdles in 27 2-ssec. E. P. Newburgh (Canterbury) covered the same distance in similar time. A. C. K. Ford, the secondary schools’ mile champion, was credited with 4min 48 3-ssec for a well-judged mile. His brother, H. D. Ford, was second. In the One Mile Walk. F. W. Dukes (Sydenham) met keen opposition in L.” Brown (University) and C. S. Ell (Old Boys), who was a champion walker and record-breaker some years ago at the Boys’ High School, returned to his old event after competing for some seasons as a long-distance runner. Dukes was in good form and led the field home in 7min 47sec. Brown was a close second, and Ell, who had not gone so far with his training, was third.

Nine teams competed. Technical again fielded the strongest side and scored 130 points, to win the second section easily from Presbyterian. Old Boys beat Canterbury in the first section. Points were:—

Section 1:—Old Boys 100. Canterbury 81. Sydenham 25, Rangiora 1. Section 2: —Technical 130, Presbyterian 44, University 23. Civil Service 23. Sumner 21. HAPPENINGS IN SOUTHLAND The amateur athletic season in Invercargill is now under way (writes “ Spike ” in the Southland Times) It has not made an auspicious beginning. Competitors generally appear strangely apathetic this season. The Southland Amateur Athletic Association's first meeting received very poor support from athletes and the entries for the second evening meeting last week were far from big. And at neither meeting was there more than a handful of spectators. For this latter deficiency the association is alone to blame. The meeting was advertised—but the advertisement appeared nearly a week before the meeting. On the day of the fixture the public received no reminder that a sports meeting was to be held that night. This modesty concerning its activities sits uneasily on a body that badly needs public support. The standard of performances at the evening meeting was surprisingly high for so early in the season. Perhaps the most pleasing feature of the meeting was the marked progress shown by competitors in the field events. In the Discus Throw, especially, the standard was very high. The best throw was that of D. Crawford, who recorded 98ft. This performance equals the previous best by a Southland com-

petitor, and is the best put up on Rugby Park for the past three seasons. A stalwart member of the city police force. Crawford has an ideal build for this event. When he has remedied a few crudities in style he should gain more than a provincial reputation as a discus thrower. Crawford also won the Shot Putt, but his performance in this event was only fair. He should be capable of a much better putt than 31ft Sin. With proper coaching he will prove a redoubtable competitor at the provincial championship meeting. J. Louden, who turned out at the last minute to take part in the discus event, also gave a fine performance. His 96ft 4Jin was outstanding, when it is taken into consideration that he had done no training. The other feature of the meeting was the work of the handicapper, Mr E Moyle. In almost every race the finishes were close. Mr Moyle was diffident about accepting the position for another season, but he has shown that he is the man best fitted for the job. Gordon Henderson should be one of the best, if not the best, of Southland s sprinters this season. Although he has not yet begun serious training, he won the 100 Yards in convincing manner. Paul M’Lauchlan appeared in a new role, that of a shot putter. He is a fine runner. Later in the evening he ran a smart quarter-mile under the watchful eye of his new trainer, Mr T. Donaldson. He is running better than ever. His actipn is smoother, and he does not run “ into the ground ’ as he used to. With his new coach he should make great progress. Some promising young runners were seen in action. D. Jenkin showed out as a half-miler, and W. Miller was prominent in the sprints. Under proper coaching they should, in a few years, develop into champions. FOR ALL ATHLETES No sound athlete who is reasonably well trained need fear that participation in athletics will affect adversely either his longevity or his health (writes Captain F. A. M. Webster in his book. “ Why? The Science of Athletics”). It is only the veterans and the untrained competitors who are asking for trouble. lam strongly of opinion that the governing body of athletics should make it a hard and fast rule that no veterans’ races should be run in connection with any sports meetings held under A.A.A. laws.