Bright Prospects For Otago At Athletic Championships

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27013, 23 February 1949, Page 2

Bright Prospects For Otago At Athletic Championships

Sports Commentary

A strong team of 15 athletes from Otago, North Otago, and Southland has been selected to represent the Otago Amateur Athletic Association at the New Zealand junior and women’s championships at New Plymouth. The title fixture will start on Friday of next week and will conclude the next day. There are eight juniors and seven women in the Otago team, and their chances of securing several national championships appear bright. The best prospects seem to be in the women's section, but there are several promising athletes among the juniors who may be capable of winning New Zealand titles.

Miss Shirley Hardman was unlucky not to win the 75 Yards title as well as the 100 Yards event at the championships last year. She should also be a prominent competitor in the Women’s Broad Jump, in which she already has several good performances to her credit. Otago may well win all the places in the Long. Jump, with Miss Rosalind Pierson, of Gore, and Miss Yvette Williams, the present holder, as contenders for the title. Miss Pierson has already jumped 17ft 6in this year, and if she can reproduce that form she may win her first national title. Although Yvette Williams was beaten into third place at the meeting last Saturday, she is capable of better distances. By equalling her New Zealand record of 34ft 3in on Saturday, Miss Williams appears to be certain to win the Shot Putt title, and with keener competition she may increase her record throw. She will not compete in the Discus event, but her team-mate from North Otago, Miss O. Kedzlie, will represent the province. Miss P. Callanan, of Balclutha. is regarded as being likely to win the Women’s 80 Metres Hurdles. Her time on Saturday was only 2-ssec outside Miss N. Gourley’s Dominion record. Miss Callanan took 13sec for her heat, but won the final in 12 2-ssec. Miss V. R. Baird (Dunedin), the present holder of the High Jump title, has been jumping well during the season. She is the third of three national title holders in the Otago team, the others being Misses Shirley Hardman and Yvette Williams. G. Maltby, of the Waikiwi Club, Invercargill, will compete in the Junior Shot Putt and Discus. After only a year’s experience, he has already thrown the discus 122 ft. He attended the athletics school during the holidays, and received great benefit from the instruction. M. Richards, of the Mornington Club, was impressive in the Pole Vault on Saturday, his 10ft leap being a good effort. T. V. Thomson’s 4m in 37 2-Esec was an impressive trial for the national Mile. The Gore junior won the Southland Mile title earlier this year. In the Half-mile Championship, N. T. O. Wilson, of Auckland, who recently broke the record for that distance, will be hard to beat. On Saturday, when competing at the special carnival at Auckland for the Australians, he broke W. H. Nelson’s record for 1360 yards by ssec. The Caversham runner, A. D. Thomson, was impressive in both sprinting events on Saturday, and with stronger opposition at the national meeting he might improve on his time of 10 3-ssec for the 100 Yards. His 23 l-ssec for the 220 Yards was also a good effort Showed Confidence L. Hercus, the only Carisbrook batsman to show confidence against the North-East Valley attack on Saturday, was making his first appearance in senior cricket for some years. He was a member of the Carisbrook senior team before the war, but has since been playing in the Second Grade competition. Eight Carisbrook wickets had fallen for only 77 runs when

Hercus went in to bat on Saturday; but, partnered by T. Hensman and then J. Valentine, he took the score to 174. Hercus began scratchily. but he soon gained confidence and hit freely. His 50 came up in 92 minutes, and when the innings closed he had scored 57 not out. Wind Problem During University’s innings on Saturday the Dunedin bowlers were assisted by the strong prevailing wind, but when University took the field for Dunedin’s first innings the wind was tricky. Hunt, the University captain, had some problems. R. W. Orr was to open with the wind from the pavilion end, but as the field was being placed, the wind changed to the other quarter, so Orr was told to open from the opposite end. D. A. Morrison, the spin bowler, had a difficult time endeavouring to bowl into a head wind, which “ was, then wasn’t.” Teachers in Cricket The University senior cricket team fielded seven teachers in the game against Dunedin last Saturday. They were A. G. Goff, R. T. Hunt, T. F. C. Geary, D. A. Morrison, R. W. Orr, V. A. C. McArley and R. G, Pilling. Although the team performed poorly against Dunedin, individually the teachers have given some good performances during the season. A teachers’ Soccer team played successfully in last year’s inter-house competition, and it appears that it would not be difficult to raise a good teachers’ cricket team in Dunedin. THE BETTING POLL When you cast your vote on March 9 bear in mind that in countries where increased betting facilities have been provided by legislation a social and economic menace has been created. Take South Australia as an example. In 1932-33, prior to the introduction of betting shops, the total racing investment was £2,193,662. Whilst in 1936-37, under the mantle of legality and respectability the alarming figure of £7,685,254 was reached. That is to say, with legalised betting shops gambling trebled itself in four years. Surely this is proof positive that increased facilities will mean more gambling. Another point you should remember is that, even with the legalised betting shop, totalisator office, or agency, the illegal bookmaker will still be active. So we will then have the totalisator, the betting shop, and the bookie all anxious to encourage our menfolk and womenfolk and our youth to invest on racehorses. Yours is a clear-cut responsibility on March 9—keep betting' on the race- ' course where it belongs—-vote AGAINST the proposal. Remember, legalised betting shops have worked unsuccessfully elsewhere. How can they possibly work for the betterment of this country? STRIKE OUT THE TOP LINE. (Inserted by Authority Joint Committee of Churches.) —PBA