PROFESSIONAL ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, 1 June 1910, Page 62

PROFESSIONAL ATHLETICS.

By Sport. Particulars are now to hand concerning l the short sprint races between Postle and Donaldson at the Johannesburg Stadium on April 2. A writer in the Star comments thusly: —lt was a series of races in which the two best men in the world were running for the honour of victory. Postle sacrificed a great chance of success by running all out in the 75yds test. Ho won the 50yds all the way from the 10yds mark by about a foot. In the second race, the 75yds test, his best policy was to have reserved himself for the third test, instead of which he ran his rival to r at finish, being only beaten by about >amo distance as he had beaten Dona.tiion in the first test. His running in this second test proved conclusively that he had a big chance of winning the- 65yds, the last of the three races, for at 70yds he was just a shade in front of his great rival. The raco actually reproduced the form shown in the world's sprint championship, in which Postle also led at the 70yds mark, but when it came to the 65yds race Postle appeared to have lost 'his dash. At 50yds he was a shade in front, but wa.s labouring, and at 60yds he seemed to have nothing left, whilst Donaldson, who gathered speed every yard, then drew level and won. It is true he only won by inches, but once ho had drawn level the race was never in doubt. He was running on whilst his rival was failing. The times for each of the three races wero good, but wore not equal to the records for these distances held by Pestle, unless Mr John Macnamara's time for the 50yds of ssec dead is accepted. The official time was given at sssec, whereas the world's record for the distance held by Postle is 5 l-ssec. In his training spins I believe Donaldson had been clocked to do ssec for the distance, but on his public performances one can only accept the official times. At the same time, I am of opinion that had Postle reserved his powers for the third race a-fter winning the first he must have succeeded in winning the rubber. Undoubtedly (remarks a Christohurch writer) the bringing to New Zealand of some professional athletes of marked'ability would be better than raising money to send W. F. Trembath to the Old Country. Ef a few high-class performers were brought from Australia to compete at the New Zealand Athletio Union's next championships much additional interest would be given to the sport. Some of the executive of the New Zealand Athletic Union are favourable to this being done, and it is probable that in the near future inquiries will be made to ascertain if certain men could come. A crcss-country match was held in Paris recently between Louis Bouchard, Emile Millet, Eugene Neva, of Bugourd, France, and Aldridge and Gardiner, of England. Tne distance was ten miles, and Bouchard won from Millot by 15 yards, with Nevu third, and Aldridge next. Bouchard had previously won an indoor Marathon at the Agricultural Hall, London, creating a record for the 26 miles 385 yards of 2hr 36min 18sec. He made records from 21 miles, beatinsr the previous times of Len Hurst, Hayes, Longboat", and St. Yves. Bouchard is a very lig-ht man, weighi.nsf but Bsfc 71b, and standing sft 4iin. He is 25 years of a<re, and started 'unnin«r as an amateur in 1901. In 1905 he won the cross-country championship of Paris, and two years later carried off the national cross-country championship. In 1909 he won the cross-country international, representing the championship of the world and beating a field of 71 runners, including Aldridge, Gardiner, St. Yves, and Nevu

The- only surplked ladies' choir in England is attached to the Basildon Parish Church, and the rector acts as conductor. The choir is composed exclusively of ladies, *'ho wear college caps as well as eur-