ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3197, 23 June 1915, Page 60

ATHLETICS.

NOTES UY 4HATEFR Mr E. Rosevear, president of the Otago Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, has shown mo a gold medal, bearing the inscription, “Won by K. Scott, Goldfields Championship Two-rnile, March 4, 1£97,” which was picked up on the Cromwell Flat. The medal, apart from its intrinsic value, is certain to bo prized by the owner, who will be pleased to hear that it has been found. By applying to the secretary of the Otago . Centre the. medal will bo forwarded. A letter was received the other day from Captain R. Mitchell, the well-known Otago athlete and cx-New Zealand champion, who is attached to General Godley’s staff. He reported “All well,” so that he could not have known at the time of writing that his chum Dick Egglestone was missing. So far as I understand it, Egglestone was in charge of a signalling squad at the Dardanelles. By the way, based on an appreciation in these columns, several Australian papers have made eulogistic references to the Otago and ex-New Zealand sprint champion. The St. Kilda Harrier and A. A. Club has again suffered a severe blow by the death of Sergeant David Munro, who was killed in action at the Dardanelles. He joined the club some three years ago, and in addition to holding office competed in the various races. Munro was a very promising runner, a true sport, and the life of the club, being one of the most sociable members in it. He was one of the first_ to answer the call of the Empire, enlisting when the Otago detachment was encamped at Tahuna Park. His relatives have the club’s sincerest sympathy in their sad bereavement.

The question of the holding of the next Australasian track and field championships, due to take place in Sydney between October and April next, was discussed at a. recent -meeting of the council of the New South Wales A.A.A. The president (Mr R. Coombes) vpioed the opinion that no international or dominion fixtures should be held whilst the war was in progress. The correct procedure would be for the association to request the executive officers of the A.A. Union of Australia and New Zealand to take a mail vote of affiliated associations as to the desirability of holding the next series of games. It was resolved to take a mail vote on the question. A new idea in hurdle racing comes from the United States. The distance is the customary 120 yards, but in place of 10 hurdles, lO yards apart, only five obstacles are used, and these are set 25 yards apart. The best time so far accomplished in an event of the kind is 13 4-sseo by J. G. Loomis, of t Chicago. Some very fine performances were accomplished at the meeting held by the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia recently. In "the Milo Relay Race, for

which teams from Harvard, Pennsylvania, and Missouri competed, J. E.' .Meredith, the UJympic for Pennsylvania, ran toe last quarter-mile in 48 2-5-SCC, winning l by live yards from Bingham, of Harvard, liio tune tor the mile was 3min 18sec, which is 1-ostc better than the world’s record, made in 1911 by the Irish-American A.C. team.

T Richards, of Cornell, wen the Running ilign Jump with a leap of 6ft Sin. “The f °* e 1 au lt (says the New York Sun) biougnt out the greatest collection of men over seen in this country. Two dozen essayed the task and only one failed to clear lift, while the high average merit of tne performers was shown further when 13 men tied for third place at lift 9in.” W. Newsletter, of Pennsylvania, and Foss, of Cornell, tied at 12ft lOin. The 120 Yards Hurdles was run on grass, an unusual procedure in America, where a cinder track is the custom. The well-known hurdler, Kelly, of Southern California, won the final by a yard in 15 3-ssec. The fastest time was made in a semi-final by Ward, of Chicago, who was timed to do 15 2-ssec. The St. Kilda Harrier and Amateur Athletic Club held their I'wo-mile Handicap at Forbury Park on Saturday afternoon. Notwithstanding tho bad weather 13 runners faced the starter. At the end of the first round P. Siedelin had the lead, but was replaced by Rowlands and Crawford. The latter soon retired, and Siedelin was passed by Hastings and Thomas. Rowlands won tho race by about 15 yards, with .Hastings second. Result: Rowlands, 70sec 1 Hastings, Fssec 2 Thomas, 40sec 3 Siedelin, 80sec 4 Time, 13min 22sec.