ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2975, 22 March 1911, Page 61

ATHLETICS.

FIXTUEES. Inter-'Varsity Athletic Championships.— Easter, at Auckland. Australasian Championship Meeting.—Probably January (1912). NOTES BI AMATEUR. Gerald Keddell, the erstwhile Otago athlete, now claims a uniguo distinction in the amateur athletio world. He holds the Australasian record for the 120 Yards Hurdles, the New Zealand record for the Broad Jump, is present champion of New Zealand and Australasia of the 120 Yards and 440 Yards Hurdles and New Zealand champion of the Broad Jump. Keddell celebrated his twentysixth birthday on Saturday by establishing a new record for Australasia over the 120 Yards Hurdles at the New Zealand championship meeting. By tile way, I notice that the records for the 120 Yards Hurdles in the programme issued by the Canterbury Centre in connection with the New Zealand Cbampioinship meeting are incorrect. For instance, th(9 programme states, that the world's record, is Kraenzlein and Shaw's 15 l-ssec, whereas the world's record is 15sec, jointly held by A. B. Shaw and F. C. Smithson, the latter the winner of the 120 Yards Hurdles at the last Olympio Games. Moreover, George Smith is credited in the programme with holding the Australasian and New Zealand record of 15 l-sseo. This time was always in dispute, but was never accepted by the Australasian Amateur Athletic Union, as it Was done m an exhibition race and not in open competition. The only recognised Australasian and New Zealand record is George. Smith's 15 4-ssec, and it was -this record that .Keddell broke on Saturday when he won the New Zealand Hurdle Championship in 15 3-10 sec. The question has been asked: Why did Keddell not compete in the 100 Yards Championship at the meeting in Christchurch on Saturday?. The explanation is that Keddell was anxious to go for a record' over the 120 yards hurdles, and fearing his running in the 100 yards would jeopardise his chance of accomplishing his object, scratched himself for. the sprint event. Had Keddell run in the 100 Yards Championship, he would probably have finished second to Opie; but the Southlander's time would be more like 10 2-ssec. Keddell has run his hundred in 10 l-sseo, but under exceptional circumstances. He is probably under all circumstances a 10 2-ssec man.

I After Hector Burk's running in the Mile at the Dunedin Amateur Athletic Club's meeting a month ago I ventured to say that the rejuvenated Otago man would set Guy Haskins and other aspirants for New Zealand Mile Championship honours ' some hard thinking at the New Zealand championship meeting. Further, I would not I say that Burk would win the Mile Championship, but with improved form I expected him to make the winner travel like a hunted hare. Ufifortunately for the justification of these prognostications, neither Guy Haskins nor Hector Burk competed in the Mile, otherwise I feel certain that Shrubb's New Zealand record of 4min 22sec, established on Auckland Domain in 1905, would have been equalled if not eclipsed, and that both Burk and Haskins would have been beaten by the young Auckland, athlete, Hill, who, unoxtended and making his own pace all the way, won undistressed and full of running in 4min 25 4-ssec. Had there been any one behind or in front of Hill of the calibre of Haskins or -Burk, new figures ! must have been established, for the youthful Aucklander was by no means all out, ' and under pressure might have taken three I or four seconds off the time. All going I well, what a mile the Australasian cham- ' pionship meeting will produce when held in New Zealand next year, with Hill, Haskins, and Burk, of New Zealand, and the Australian best, including Greg Wheatley, who has a 4min 23sec to his credit, in which time he just defeated Burk on the tape in that memorable mile in Sydney when the Otago crack ran with a spiked foot. Haskins's best time, done in America about fiva years ago, is 4min 20sec. After Hill's unextonded 4min 25 ! 4-ssec on Saturday, one can only imagine ! of how much better time he is capable. At this writing, for the Australasian Mile Championship of 1911, with the cracks named competing, I favour Hill's chances. In connection with the Australasian championships, which the conference of , centres recommended should be held in Dunedin, the Victorian Association, on.a request from the N.Z.A.A.A. for a suitable date, has suggested that the meeting should take place at Christmas, as being the time most convenient for the majority of the Victorian athletes to make the trip to the Dominion/ The New Zealand Amateur Championship meeting was in the nature of a triumph. Never previously in the history of amateur athletics in) the Dominion has such a high standard been reached at a championship meeting. Three New Zealand records were broken, and. standards were eclipsed in 14- out of the 16 championship events. In the shot putting and high lump alone ; did the competitors fail to reach New Zeaj land standards. The meeting revealed I what a powerful team New Zealand will I be able to place In" the field for the big ' Australasian championships which have i been recommended to be held at Dunedin ! early next year, and a possible representai tion at the Olympic Games at Stockholme in November, 1912. In the absenco of | Woodiger (Wellington) and Haskins (Canter- | bury) it was thought that the champion- ; ghips would bo robbed of a great amount ! of interest, but the meeting brought te> light new stars of equal, if not greater, brilliancy than the departed champions. The performance of Opie in the sprints, of Hill in the Mile and. Three-mile Flat , Championships, Keddell in the Hurdles, 1 Kerr in the walks stood out prominently. Not since _ Webster, of New Plymouth, won) the triple crown at the championships at Oarlsbrook in 1903 had the performance of winning the 100yds, 220yds> and 440yds Championships been (repeated till Opie did it to-day lr* times which stamp him as a t champion. In his heat in the 100yds Opie got well away, and won unextenidted in 10 l-Sseo, In the final he rose with the guii, but it was only in the last 50yds that he got a break on the field, and. coming with a great burst of speed at the finish, won easily by thlfee yards in. 10 1-lOsec —the best tlihe for the distance pincG Webster's lOeeo at Dunedin. But it j was in the 220yds Championship that Opie ' showed nis fine sprinting powers and his

rare bulldog 1 finish. He did not get the best of the start in his heat, but he came with such a great burst of speed in the last 70yds that the Now Zealand record of 22 2-ssec standing to the credit of Woodger was shortened by a fifth of a second. The final was a great race. Opie was slow to move in the first 50yds, bur then he came away in most determined fashion, and won by 10yds from Stohr (Taranaki), who effected a surprise by beating Hubbard (Wellington) for second place. When 22seo was hoisted there was a burst of cheering from all parts of the ground. Opie had; for the second time beaten the New Zealand record. It was then reported that the track was 2in short, which would have pre- s vented Opie's performance being accepted as a New Zealand record, but after the meeting the track was remeasured, and all doubt as to the bona fides of the record was the steel measure showing the track to be 14in over-the distance. At the championships last year Woodger (Wellington) ran the 220yds in 21 4-ssec, but the record was not accepted owing to a, wind assisting the runners. Harding (Wellington} was most fancied for the 440yds Championship, but Opie ran another great race, beating Harding by three yards in 50 4-sseo, breaking the standard, and getting within two-fifths of a second of Webster's New Zealand record. Opie received a great ovation, and was carried shoulder high. A new star of great promise was discovered in. the young Auckland athlete, Hill, who won the Mile and Three-mile Championships in such, style and form as to warrant the assertion that in another year he will be a worthy New Zealand 1 representative for the Olympic Games. Hill is youthful, and lacking in experience, but he is a natural runner, with a better style and less waste of energy than Hector Burkt (Otago), and with an infinitely stronger finish than Dickson (Canterbury). It was a treat to see Hill run his mile >n faster trme than any New Zealander has yet put up at a championshp meeting. Hill made his own pace all the way, creating a performance of greater merit than the splendid time indicates. Ths Aucklander was full of running, andcam« away with a great sprint from the turn into the straight, winning by 30 yards. Hill afterwards measured strides with Dickson and Beatson (Otago) in the Threemile, but no brie was prepared to see such a remarkable display of pace and finish as was furnished by the young Aucklander. The race was practically between Hill and Dickson, with all the honours going to the former. It was said that Hill could not last the distance, but such was his form that he cracked on speed, and, sprinting in the last 200yds, made the pace so hot that Dickson could not follow. Hill ran in alone in faster time than has ever been done in a New Zealand championship before, and only 4 2-ssec outside of Simpson's Australasian recordi of 14min 49sec. Keddell established fresh records withe 120yds Hurdles. He won hisi heat easily in 16 l-ssec and in the final he flew . over the hurdles like a bird, and breasted the tape when the second man was rising on the last hurdle. Again it was reported that & bungle had been made in measuring the distance, but a remeasurement showed it to. be three inches over. Everything else being in order, Kedde'll sliou!d < get his New Zealand record. After getting badly away in the Quarter-mile Hurdles, antl looking hopelessly out of it, Keddell defeated Hamilton (Canterbury), and broko the New Zealand standard. •■ Keddell %von three championships for Southland, annexing the Broad Jump with 21ft 3|in. Although, not jumping ' up to his old form he is still the best in New Zealand. In the One Mile and, Three Mile Walks Kerr (Wellington) won both events easily in fast time, and in a style beyond criticism. What is claimed as a New Zealand record was the performance of Bissett (Wellington) in throwing the hammer. Tho New Zealand record of 136 ft 4iin standing to the credit of Madill (Auckland) was done from a 9ft circle. The present New Zealand circle is 7ft, and with the smaller compass to work on Bissett claims that his throw of 123 ft 2in is a Dominion, record'. In the Half-mile. Championship Harding (Wellington) looked out of it until 100yds from the tape, when he camo with a fine sprint and won within threefifths of a second of Burk's New Zealand record. Had Burk competed it is unlikely that he would have won. L. M'Kay, the ex-Otago footballer, broke the standard in both the Pole Vault and the HopStep and Jump Championship. Tho latter ©vent has just been added to tho list of championships. Wellington brought down a very strong side, and easily retained the Shield, securing six championships and eight seconds. The home team usually has the advantage, but the new method of awarding points for first and second only prevents swamping the field. The team originally selected to represent Otago was not strong, but when Burk dropped out, and F. M. Reid was unable to compete owing to an injury received in jumping at Ashburton on Friday, the email band of Otago athletes looked weak indeed. Mitchell jumped really well, though he was fortunate in not having to tie with the second man, Robinson (Canterbury), who in the jump off s for second place did the same performance as won for the Otago man the championship. Mitchell got third in the Broad Jump, with 19ft liin, and A. S. Reid secured second in tha Shot, with 36ft 4in. Egglestone ran very well in the sprints after getting badly away. In the heats of the 100yds and 220yds he was just beaten for a place. For a young runner who has only taken to sprinting during the last- six months he shows much promise. Carline represented Otago in the walks. _ but although his style was beyond suspicion he lacked the pace. Beatson was a poor third in the Three Mile Flat. The management left room for great improvement. There were too many officials on the ground and too few who knew how to go about their duties. Mr Ellis (Wellington), who was secured at the last moment to act as judge of the walking events, was one of the judges at the Olympic games at Athens some years ago, and was presented with a medal. He was greatly pleased with the walking of Kerr, who, ' he stated, could not have walked more fairly. Concerning the proposal to send Opie to join Woodger in London for the Festival of Empire sports, a collection was taken up at Lancaster Rark after Opie had created a Now Zealand record for the 220yds, with the result that over £4O was collected. This sum was _ expected to greatly Increased, and with the _ Government subsidy the amount required for Opies expenses is assured. Opie has 1 definitely decided to go, and will leave by

the first available boat. New Zealand will be represented at the Festival of Empire sports by Woodger, Opie, and Haskms (athletics), and Champion (Auckland) n swimming. Haskins will spend five weeks in training in America, and will £"ive m London to undergo a trial with Wheatley (Victoria) to determine which man shall represent Australasia in the half-mile. & similar trial will take place over^ the.mite. Woodger and Opie will be tested for the sprints, the winner of the test races to be selected to represent Australasia. Only one competitor is allowed from Australasia, wherefor the necessity for the test races Woodger and Opie will both compete at %he English Amateur Championships in London in'July, and Woodger will also be a competitor at an athletic festival in Dresden. CONFERENCE ~~ DELEGATES. CHAMPIONSHIP oy AUSTRALASIA. CHRISTCHURCH. March 18. The annual conference of delegates from centres affiliated to the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association was held this morning, when there were present the following delegates:—Otago Centre, Messrs A. R. Barclay, H. Divers, and L. Sanderson ; Southland Centre, Messrs G P. Keddell and C. B. Robertson; Wellington Centre, Messrs W. H. Pollock J. L. Short, and T. W. Leslie; Auckland Centre, Messrs F. L. Murray and D. Hoare; Canterbury Centre, Messrs R. Twyneham, H. S. Williams, and J. H. Aitken. Mr D. Hoare' was voted to the chair and Mr K. Twyneham was appointed secretary. Mr Pollock moved—" That the allocation of the Australasian Championship is entirely a matter for the council. Ihe motion was lost by 7 votes to 5. Subsequently it was agreed that the next Australasian Championship meeting should be held in Duncdin. , ■ X motion by Mr Short that the conference should strongly recommend the fixing of the date of the New Zealand Championship meeting for the month of February was carried unanimously. Mr Keddell moved that the next New Zealand Championship meeting should be held in Southland. The motion was agreed The conference unanimously supported the suggestion from Otago that an athletic calendar should be published in New Zealand. . .. A motion that a new centre of the assotjiation should be established in Westland »as, after discussion, permitted to lapse. A motion moved by Mr Divers that Amateurs should be allowed to compete with professionals at trade picnics and similar gatherings was defeated. It was agreed that a fund should be established to send representatives to the Olympic games and the Festival of Empire and that New 'Zealand should have separate representation from Australia 'n the Olympic games.