ATHLETICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23931, 5 October 1939, Page 5

ATHLETICS

By Amateur FIXTURES October 17.—Annual meeting of Otago Centre December 2.—Otago Marathon Championship, at Mosgiel. FINAL CLUB FIXTURES Sports Meetings Concluded With the conclusion of most of the clubs' sports meetings last Saturday, the winter athletic season has practically finished, and preparations are being made for the commencement of summer training and coaching. The annual meeting of the Otago Centre will be held on October 17, and every, thing, despite the war, points towards a successful season. Sidey Cup Contest Last Saturday the Caversham Harriers successfully withstood the challenge from the Civil Service Club for the Sidey Cup. After being equal at the completion of the first 10 events, Caversham competitors forged ahead to win comfortably by 69 points to 54. The capable manner in which the meeting was conducted was shown by the fact that all 13 events were concluded in an hour and a-half. In the 100 Yards W Morrison ran well to win by half a yard from L. Dickel, with I. George a foot back, beating A. Caddie by inches. The 220 Yards was a triumph for Civil Service. R Burns won easily from his clubmate, M. Collins, with H. Meredith third. R. McLachlan's defeat in the 440 Yards was attributed to the fact j that he helped his club-mate, L. Bradshaw. and was content to finish behind him. R. McCausland ran gamely for third. R. Morrison ran a great race in the 880 Yards to head off the promising Civil Service junior, C. Walker, and N. Coutts. The Mile was an interesting race to watch. G. L. Austin made most of the pace, but could not withstand Geddes's strong finish, while W McKinnon and C. McGregor had a :great tussle for third place. All four competitors ran inside 4min 50sec. The Colts' Relay was the race of the afternoon. Caversham led by two yards at the second change, but C. Middlemiss gained a three-yard lead on the third leg. J. McGregor made up the leeway early and led till 20 yards off the tape, when G. Nelson wore him down to win by a foot, thus gaining the major points for Civil Service. The Hammer Ihrowing was of a high standard. J. Anderson's 108 ft BJin was a great effort, while R. Wilsons 88ft lOin was the best performance ever put up by a Caversham competitor. G. McKay showed distinct promise in this event and is advised to compete during the summer. L. K. Donovan showed promise with a throw of 80ft Hin in the Discus, and G. Hebbard's 71ft edged M. McKinnon out of second place. J. Flockton has the makings of a good jumper, and his 37ft sin was nearly three feet better than the second competitor, J. Emmerson, who easily accounted for T. Richards and C. Greaney, the Civil Service pair. J. Guthrie was not extended to beat RWhittleston in the High Jump with a leap of 4ft 7in. S. Lenz was unfortunate in injuring himself with his first jump. R. Emmerson's three jumps in the Broad Jump were all over 18ft, and L. Hebbard's 16ft 7in was over a foot better than those of the Civil Service pair, H. Nelson and L. R. McMillan. The Shot Putt was of a poor standard, the Caversham pah, A. Rackley and G. Sadler, just beating K. Baird. The meeting all round was highly successful and it is hoped that it will become an annual event. Next Saturday the Caversham Club will conduct a coaching afternoon al Forbury Park at 2.30. This will conclude the harrier season and all winter members are reminded that it is an ''attendance" Saturday. Summer members,and intending summer members are requested to attend. The annual dance and presentation of prizes will be held in the Tea Kiosk on. October 14. Anglican Club The Anglican Club's final fixture of the year, the second sports meeting, was held last Saturday under ideal conditions. This week the honours were well divided, and credit must go to the handicapper, L. Logan, for his good work in both meetings. J. Caradus turned on some good performances to win the 100 Yards and to record second place in the Broad Jump. His activities in the coming summer season will be watched with interest. W. Donovan maintained his winning way. collecting the 440 Yards from the 10 yards mark. He was about 10 yards ahead of the next man, W. Norman, who had no difficulty in winning the Broad Jump. It was very pleasing to see one of the " older brigade," C. Elliott, win the Hammer Throw, and this, along with his other field performances, would make him a valuable man in the coming track 'and field season. Perhaps the most popular win of the day was that of Mann in the Consolation Mile. Mann, who has been most unfortunate this season with injuries, came to light with a good run to head off L. Logan, who found nis handicapping too severe on himself. M. Murray was in good form with the hammer, having the best throw of 95 feet, a very good effort for so early in the season. F. Dunn also displayed good form in this event. Three consistent performers throughout the meeting were K. Payne, F. Mitchell and C. Crawford, who had good performances to their credit in every Members will regret to learn that as a result of an accident last week G. Cooper has been laid up in hospital and the best wishes for a quick recovery are extended to him. There only remains one more function for the winter members—the annual windup and dance to be held at the Otago Rowing Club's pavilion on October 25, and all ex-members and sister clubs are invited to attend. Triangular Meeting The triangular sports meetir.g held last Saturday resulted in the Leith Club's taking the shield after a very hard struggle with Mornington and St. Kilda First and second places in the 100 Yards were filled by S Smith and B A Timms respectively. Smith was slow to start, but once on the way he "ate" up the ground with his long, l werful stride. A bright future in athletics is predicted for him Timms ran a good race, and, as usual, started well S. B Avent was a certain winner oi the 220 Yards Race after 50 yards had been run. He started well, and opened up a gap of about four yards before the others were under way. This advantage was held to the tape, despite the attempts by the other competitors to reduce the gap A. L. Murray was placed second in the 440 Yards, and ran a good race against stronger opposition. In the 880 Yards Leith scored another victory with J. Stephenson leading all the way to win comfortably. B. A. Timms, who won the Broad Jump, turned in two very good jumps to take the event. His take-off was excellent. S. B. Avent gave a good performance in the Hop. Step, and Jump. By winning this event, together with the 220 Yards Avent was the most successful Leith competitor, and should do well durin° the coming track season. F. Hodge took third place, also showing good form. In the High Jump, S Smith improved on his previous performances, and was placed third. C. Blackledge who was

third in the Shot Putt, produced some good efforts considering that this was his first attempt at this branch of the sport. From the, Leith Club's, point of view the meeting was very successful, and with the new members showing such good form, it is to be hoped that present conditions will not pre-' vent them competing on the track during the summer season. There should be no doubt that Leith will be well represented and successful in interclub events. AUSTIN IN WORLD CLASS A Correspondent's Opinion "While idly browsing through some athletic records the other day in the Health and Strength Annual, 1939," writes a correspondent, " I noticed that the world's record for 15 miles is given as 79min 48.6 sec. This was established by a Finn in 1937. " Now, George Austin's figures in the Modified Marathon this year were 80min Usee, a difference of some 22sec. But there was an extra distance run which may have been as much as a mile and a-half, and this would make the distance covered 15J miles. It seems, therefore, that Austin was very close to record figures if he did not actually better them, and that was on a road that did not provide, in some places, at least, an ideal running surface. A head wind was noticeable over, the last four or five miles from the time the tar-sealed road was reached. "Whitaker's Almanac for this year gives the record-as 79min 4sec, which makes a considerable difference. Up to 1934, the record wa. 80min 4 2-ssec, standing to the credit of an Englishman. I think some effort should be made to measure the course accurately as this may well show that Austin is in the very first flight of distance runners." The suggestion that the course should be measured seems an excellent one, although, of course, it is most unlikely that anything could b* done about having the performance recognised as a record even if it were one. Austin certainly ran a great race and his time does show that he approaches. world class in lon*, distance events. The present record for 15 miles is 79min •4sec, established by E. Tamila, of Finland, in 1937. It seems a pity that the course could not be accurately measured for it would show how Austin's performance compares with those of the world's best. It is doubtful, however, if the distance covered was more than 15 miles, but even then Austin's time shows that he is capable of holding, his own with the'world's leading distance men. It is to be hoped that the Caversham veteran will not have all the luck against him when he makes his attempts on the 10 miles and 20 miles records this summer. Certainly, he is capable of recording brilliant time. A DOUBLE TRAGEDY Deaths of the Lumley Sisters Otago athletes learned with great regret of the fatal motoring accident that resulted in the deaths of Misses Doreen and Bernice Lumley, two of Auckland's leading women athletes. It was a great tragedy and the sympathy of all athletes will go to the relatives of the two girls. Miss Doreen Lumley was the better known athlete, and she had had a brilliant career on the track. A member of the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club, she first attracted attention by running second to Miss Ida Campbell in the women's 50 Yards and 100 Yards Auckland provincial championships three years ago, when she also finished second in the New Zealand 100 Yards event. Upon the retirement of Miss Campbell, Miss Lumley won the title and held it for the past two seasons. Miss Lumley represented New Zealand at the British Empire Games in Sydney last year, being accompanied by her sister on the trip. She ran third in her heat and unplaced in the final of the-100 Yards. On March 11 of this year; won the Auckland provincial title, beating the British Empire Games champion, Miss Decima Norman, of Australia, at Carlaw Park in Usee, time which equalled the world's record. This performance was passed by the New Zealand Council as a Dominion record and forwarded to the International Athletic Federation for recognition. At the same meeting Miss Lumley won the 75 Yards, her sister being third. She finished second to Miss Norman in the 220 Yards. A fortnight later Miss Lumley won the New Zealand 75 Yards championship at Carlaw Park, but was beaten by Miss Norman in both the 100 Yards and 220 Yards, finishing second in the former event and third in the furlong. Had the Olympic Games been proceeded with next year Miss Lumley would no doubt have been a New Zealand representative, provided, of course, she was able to reproduce her form in any trials that might have been held. Of unassuming nature, the Lumley twins had been popular figures at all amateur athletic championship meetings in Auckland.