ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3114, 19 November 1913, Page 55

ATHLETICS.

FIXTURES. November 28.—D.A.A.C. evening meeting. December 20.—American Champions meeting. January 1. —Otago Caledonian Society a meeting. January.—New Zealand Championships probably at Dunedin. January 24 and 26. —Australasian championships at Melbourne. March 23.—Otago Caledonian Society’s meeting.

HOTES BY 4MATEFU Chief interest in the annual meeting of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, to be hold in Wellington this evening, so far as Otago is concerned, is in the allocation of the New Zealand championships. Otago has put in an application, and, as it is this province’s turn to control the classic gathering, no doubt the championships will be allotted to Dunedin with the control of the Otago Centro. The championships will have to be held early in January to enable the. New Zealand team to be chosen for the Australasian meeting in Melbourne on January 24 and

26. Preparations are being made locally for the visit of the American team of athletes which the cable informed us sailed from ’Frisco on Thursday last. A sub-committee of the Otago Centre has been set up to look after trio Americans on their arrival, and to make arrangements for the special meeting at which the Americans will compete. Another sub-committee has been set up to inquire into the American methods of training, and to discover how to run a hundred yards in lOsee. This latter committee will keep in touch with ihc Americans in their training operations, visiting the training shed for that purpose. L-ha.ve no doubt that the Americans will be delighted to impart all they know concerning their training.

An interesting feature of the American team’s visit will bo the illustrated lecture on the subject of “American Athletic Methods,” by the manager of the American team. The Otago Centre lias secured the Burns Hall for the lecture, which is certain to bo largely attended. It is anticipated that more athletes will turn out tins season than heretofore, and that; there will be a veritable boom in amateur athletics when the season is in full swing. There is no lack of outlet for the energies of the athlete, who will find in the series of evening athletic meetings commencing at the end of the present month an appetiser for the more important meetings to follow, of which the American invasion and the New Zealand champion - shins arc of special interest. Several sprinters from the University Club who previously confined themselves to the inter-’Varsity tournaments at Easter and the inter faculty sports, promise to extend their sphere of usefulness by taking po.it in open meetings. There are one or two promising runners in the Otago University Club, and if these come out and train consistently Otago should have a chance of unearthing a champion. In view of the American team’s visit and the New Zealand championships, as many athletes as passible are expected to turn out. To run into fifth place in throe successive New’ Zealand cress-country championships is a unique performance. This belongs to 0. Frye, of the Cavorsham Harriers. who is to have his efforts recognised by tho presentation of a special trophy by the Otago Centre. It is satisfactory to know that th? th,-<i-tened broach between the Victorian Amateur Athletic Association a.nd the New Zealand Council over the question of dates for the Australasian championships has been healed. Tho V.A.A.A. attempted to readjust the dates to suit New Zealand, -out found it impossible, wherefore New Zea-

land, recognising Victoria’s action, has promised to send the best team available to compete at the Australasian championships in Melbourne on Januar\ r 24 and 26. At the same time, Victoria’s action in threatening to withhold its guarantee for the American visit unless New Zealand was represented at the Australasian championships is indefensible. 'lhe attempt to arrange two Saturdays late in Febiuary for the Australasian sports did not succeed. Queensland strongly objected, New South Wales and Tasmania agreed with reluctance, but when it came to obtaining grounds the difficulties became insuperable. Meanwhile Victoria (says " Harrier ”) had cabled to New Zealand i “Cable dates Americans reach'Sydney and depart.” Even yet no knowledge of the duration of the Australian part ot the tour has reached either Sydney or Melbourne, and the answer did not enlighten them much, for it was: “Arrive Sydney January 24. Stay three weeks.” As the boats often arrive late in the afternoon this would only leave apparently January 31 and February 7 for Sydney and Melbourne to share between them, and as Victoria insisted on a minimum of two Saturdays, New South Wales, taking the answer literally, would get nothing! The Victorian committee then cabled : ‘‘ Find cannot alter Australasian January. Require you represented. Cable exact dates Americans available Australia.” That cable was sent on October 29, and no answer of any kind has been received. There this extraordinary matter ends, with the Australian States still in the dark as to everything except that £l5O each is wanted from them by New Zealand.

It is announced that several of the Victorian athletes have started training in view of the Australasian championships at Melbourne in Januray. Amongst others are such well-known performers as J. L Davis, A. D. Ellis, Jj. H. Kelly, “Dad” Whoarloy, Burton Slater, and Watson. Victoria, on on their own turf, will give New Zealand a keen fight for the premiership shield, and I will not be in the least surprised if Now Zealand fails to retain its title.

George Horino, the world’s record high jumper, whom we had hoped to see in New .Zealand with the American team, won the high jump at an Irish Volunteer sports meeting the other day with 6ft Sin, and also won the hop. stop, and jump with 43ft 2in. The claims of 11. Neato, of the Xavier College (Melbourne), who recently won the 100yds of the public schools in 10 l-10sec, after a thrilling race with A. J. Troupe, and a 220yds race in 23sec, are likely to receive eicry consideration by the Victorian selectors for the forthcoming Australasian track and field championships to bo held in Melbourne. With careful training and a little more experience in “ head work,” Neare, it is claimed, should develop into one of the finest sprinters in the State.

The report presented at the annual meeting of the Wellington Centre the other evening stated that there were 19 clubs affiliated to the Wellington Centre, and included a list of winners of the Wellington provincial championships, New Zealand championships, Wellington provincial cross-country championship. New Zealand cross-country championships, and county clubs’ champion ships The New Zealand Athletic Association was congratulated on the work of the council m arranging for a visit from an American team of runners, which should put amateur athletics on a firmer footing throughout the Dominion. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President Mr R. W. M'Villy; vice-presi dents —Messrs ID. A. Dawson, W. S. Corby, and Burnett; hon. secretary. Mr C. T. Young; hon. treasurer, Mr A. O. Kitto; hon. handicappers—Messrs A. C. Kitto, W, H. Thompson, and W. 11. Pollock; hon. starter, Mr T. W. Leslie; lion, auditor, Mr A. Kitching; hon local officer, Mr J. W. Ilcenan ; delegates to tIuN.Z.A.A.A., Messrs F. Larkin and B. A. Guise.

THE AMERICAN ATLETIC TEAM. SAN FRANCISCO, November 13. The All America athletic team has left for Australia and New Zealand. Templeton, the hurdler, was smuggled aboard as the Stanford University students, to whose team he belongs, had arranged to kidnap him and prevent him from leaving. MELBOURNE, November 15. The Board of Control has declined the invitation from Germany to send a team to Olympia Sports in 1916, owing to the visit to be paid to England in that year. LONDON, November 15. A committee of British officers will organise a riding team to compete at the Berlin Olympic Games. The failure at Stockholm is ascribed to individual carelessness concerning the regulations.

THE WORLD’S CHAMPION DISTANCE RUNNER. MANXES K OLEUM AINE X. “It’s harder to learn your language than to win your races an 1 iccords,” said Hannes Kolchmainen,' the world’s greatest runner, to- a reporter for the New York World. Hanncs can speak only a few words of English, but through an interpreter he gave a full description of his athletic career, and laid great stress on the fact that his entire family is made up of champions, and that clean, wholesome living lias been the secret of their success. He has three brothers and one sister, and all of them won fame for their prowess in athletic competitions. His brothers are William, Tatu, and Carl. IDs sister’s name is Mari. William is well known in the United States, having defeated the world’s greatest professional distance runners in many races. Tatu is another champion distance runner. He has won many races in Finland, and holds several European records. Carl is too young to run long distances, but in middle-distance events he has won fame in several European cities. Mari is a champion on skis — can skate like a champion, and can run 100 metres faster than any girl in Finland. Hannes is 25 years old. Willie is 26, Tatu 27. Carl is 19. and Mari 20.

From the time* they wore seven years 01-tl they their athletic careers, not. on the track or field, not in competitions for prizes or fdory. For the' fun of it they took up skiinj?, the national pastime of their country. At this they all quickly won reputations of bein'? the best of their ajre in the vicinity of Kuopio, their native citv. Not content with local fame, they travelled to other towns and cities of their country to try their skill, speed, and en-

duranco against the From each journey they returned victorious. It was while training for the winter sports that they learned they coold run fast and far. They had read of great runners in other countries, and studied the times made by the different champions. Then they ran and timed themselves. So -good were their trials that they decided to try their hands at the running game. But there were no athletic meets in their town. Skiing, skating, and sleighing were the only sports in their city. But they knew their ability, and were bent upon displaying it. With this object in view they began saving their money to carry them to other parts of Europe. By 1907 Hannos, Tatu, and William had saved enough money to carry them to an athletic moot 200 miles away. The feature event was a Marathon race. Without any special preparation and with only enough money to pay their railroad fare one way, they set out for the games. For the Marathon race 102 prominent European distance runners had entered. They entered, too. They knew nothing about the intricate points of the game. They had no special stylo. But they knew they could run 20 miles, and they started with the pack. They just ran and ran. and when the distance had been covered there was only one man in front of them. Willie took second prize, Hannos third, and Tatu fourth. With their little silver prizes, worth about 50 cents, pinned to their breasts, they • started to walk the 200 miles back to their homes. But before they had reached the outskirts of the town they were halted. Someone had learned of their plight, and public subscription was taken up. People who saw their plucky races contributed- and enough was raised to pay their faro back to Kuopio. . The following year they all trained hard, but failed to get into the team to represent their country at the Olympic Games. Two years later Willie came to the t nited States. When be arrived he was considered a fourth-rate runner. He had plenty of endurance, but that was all. Then Lawson Robertson, the famous coach of the Irish-Amorican Athletic Club, took hold of him. Robertson changed the Finn’s style completely, and in less than a year developed him into one of the best professional distance runners in the world. Before he had time to win great fame here William sailed for homo. He wanted to train his brothers and show thorn what he had learned in America.

In two months William developed Haimes into such a great runner that Mamies went to the Olympic Games and won every distance race on the programme in record time.

After the Olympic Games they came to America. For months after his arrival Hanncs did no training. He ran a few races, and his natural ability to run carried him to many victories.

In February be began to show his best form, with the result that ho has established new- records for throe miles up to 10 miles. His five-mile record is his best. Ho travelled that distance in Madison Square Garden in 24min 29 l-ssoc, the fastest time ever recorded for a five-mile race. And he did this a few hours after he had smashed the three-mile indoor mark at the Thirteenth Regiment Armoury. Hannes gives a lot of credit for his success to his brother W’illic for coaching him, but he places the lion’s share of credit to hs clean living. He does not smoke or drink; lie exercises regularly and much. Ho believes in eight hours’ sleep, with plenty of rest besides. He and all the family are vegetarians, but only he and William adhere to vegetarian diet religiously. r latu. Carl, and Mari eat moat onoo in a while. Hannes and Willie always believed in the vegetarian diet, but it was not until throe years ago that they refrained from all meat. Asked why he did this. Hanncs said that meat would make him too heavy, and if he were too heavy ho could not run as fast. He also believes that vegetable food gives him more stamina than meat. He explained that vegetarians are always hungry, with the result that when they utilise plenty of energy in a long race their craving for food is less than that of a person who eats meat and is seldom hungry. Hannes attends a night school regularly, as ho is determined to learn the English language thoroughly. The little champion says he likes America ami all American things and people. He objects to only one thing. That is to the officials allowing people to smoke during a race. He says that the smoke in Madison Square Garden, and the Thirteenth Regiment Armoury, wlren he raced at those places, prevented him from running faster.

Hannos is the tallest of the family. He weighs 1351 b. and is sft Tin in height. William is sft 6in; Tatu, sft Sin; Car!, sf( 4in; and Mari is also sft 4in. Hamits says that Jean Bonin, of Franco, and Abel Kiviat, of the Irish-American Athletic Club, have proved his worthiest opponents.