ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3672, 29 July 1924, Page 50

ATHLETICS.

By

Amateur.

August 2. —Otago Cross Country Championship (Wingatui). August 9.—Mile Race at Wingatui. August 16.—New Zealand Cross Country Championship (Wellington). On the evening of August 2 a social evening and reunion to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of harriers in Dunedin, will be held in Kroon’s Hall. The arrangements are in the hands of the Social Committee of the Centre. It is hoped to have many of the pioneers of the harrier movement in Dunedin present (Mir A. T. MTndoe, 43 Loyalty street, South Dunedin, is secretary, and those in distant parts wishing to send a message should communicate with him). The New Zealand Cross-Country Championship to be run at Wellington oh August 16 will be over the Miramar course. Otago, this year, will be able to send up a strong team. Wellington, the present holders, are stated to be comparatively weak this year. Everybody hopes that Otago will bring back the championship to Dunedin. On August. 9, arrangements having been made with the Otago Rugby Union, a mile race will be staged at Carisbrook during the interval. This race will be a fitting finish to the training of the Otago team and will also let. the public see who are to represent the province in the New Zealand contest, and it can be safely stated that a record entry will be received and a good race result. Argus in the Referee comments on the Olympic results:—Carr’s partial breakdown doubtless accounted for his inability to reach the final of the 100 metres, and he was indeed game to start against medical advice. There is probably no disappointment over the defeat of Dr R. J. Honner (in the 400 metres hurdles) and R. D. Norman, J. 11. Newman, and M. V. Boyd (in the 800 metres), because no one gave them any particular chance—no chance at all in the cases of Norman. Newman, and Boyd. Norman is at his best as a- quarter-miler; Newman (like Carr) ran against doctor’s advice, and. furthermore, is more of a niiler; whilst Boyd is at his best- over distances beyond the half-mile —from a mile to three miles. A remarkable thing to me is that there i* no mention of the names of the redoubtable South African sprinters. The victories of J. Myrra (javelin) and Willie Bitola (1000 metres) were generally anticipated. Ritola’s 30min 23 l-ssec for six miles 376.23 yards was a fine performance; but Myrra’s 206 ft 6in with the javelin is not extraordinary—for Myrra. The performances by Taylor (hurdles), Le Gendre (running broad jump), and Osborne (running high jump) are wonderfully fine. Only last May 31 H. Riley (Illinois A.C.) covered 400 metres over hurdles in 52 l-10sec —a world’s record —and now Taylor does 52 2-ssec. Le Gendre, it is mentioned, was only an eleventh-hour selection. The Americans were relying on De Hart Hubbard. H. M. Osborne is a noted high jumper, with many figures to his credit. The forward position of A. E. Porritt ... ('so mo mofres ,"s indeed pleasing. The Rhodes scholar from Wanganui is an exOtago University sprinter anti Rugger exponent, now at Magdalen College. Oxford. He was third to M M. Kirksev and E. W. Carr in the N ew Zealand 100 yards championship last year, and second (for Oxford) to C -R. X Harrison (Cambridge) in the inter-university meeting at London last. March. Porritt has evidently improved considerably. At the opening session of the International A.A. Federation last week-end in Paris, Messrs O. G. H. Merrett (N.SI.W.) and B. J. Parkinson (Vic.) represented the A.A. Union of Australia and New Zealand. The American representatives strongly supported a motion for a film to be taken of the finish of each race, and suggested that the result should not he announced till the film was developed. The French delegates dissented on the ground that the public would not tolerate the delay. Women athletes requested The in-

elusion of women’s events. The question was raised whether it w’ould not be better that such contests should be held in private. Discussion on both proposals was adjourned. The first inter-university sports of the South African universities took place at Capetown on May 31, six universities participating. The weather was dull and cool, with the tracks on the heavy side. Final points were scored: Capetown U., 25 points, lj Witwatersrand U., 19 points, 2; Pretoria U., 9j points, 3. Amongst the outstanding performances were: —100 yards won by Eddy (Capetown) in 10 l-ssec; mile run by Brink (Witwatersrand) in 4min 31 4-ssec; running broad jump, by Priest (Capetown), at 22ft ljiu ; putting 161 b shot, by Van Woudenburg (Transvaal), at 40ft lOin; 880 yards by Richardson in 2min 2sec; 220 yards by Eddy (Capetown) in 22 3-ssec; running high jump, by Stott (Witwatersrand), at 6ft; 440 yards by De Villiers (Pretoria) in 51 3-ssec; and two miles run, in which Suzman and Brink (both of Witwatersrand) ran side by 6ide and finished together in lOmin 16 2-ssec. In the 120 yards hurdles all competitors knocked down three flights and all were disqualified. WONDERFUL PERFORMANCES. At the inter-collegiate track and field championships—the forty-eighth annual meet —at the Harvard Stadium, Cambridge, on May 31, Yale won with a score of 28 points, Pennsylvania being second with 27, nnd Stanford third with 24i. The performances all round were of a high standard, and in some cases remarkable. Amongst the results were: 100 yards: Hill (Penn.), lOsec. 220yds: Hill (Penn.), 21 9-10 sec. 440 yards: Helffrich (Penn. State), 50 l-10sec. 880 yards: Watters (Harvard), lmin 55 4-ssec. Mile: Enck (Penn. State), 4min 23 4-ssec. Two miles: Booth (John Hopkins), 9min 36sec. Running high jump: Flahive (Boston College), 6ft 2§in. Four others did 6ft Ogin. 120 yards hurdles: Moore (Penn. State), 15 l-ssec. Throwing the javelin: Gibson (Princeton), 192 ft lgin. Other figures ranged from 186 ft 9jin down to 178 ft Oiin by the sixth man. Pole vault: Owens (Penn.) 12ft lOiin. Four others did 12ft or better. Discus throw: Harlranft (Stanford), 158 ft Sin. Two others threw well over 154 ft. The most notable contests were in the running broad jump and shot putt, and I give the placing® in full: —Running broad jump: Comins (Yale), 24ft Bin, 1; Rose (Penn.), 24ft 3 11-l6in. 2; Boren (California), 24ft l|in, 3. Putting 161 b shot: ITartranft (Stanford), 48ft sJin, 1; Hills (Princeton), 49ft siin, 2; Houser (Southern Cal.), 43ft 9|in, 3. Several others beat 46ft. WILL, CHARI.ES PADDOCK COME? The Victorian A.A.A. is endeavouring to bring about a visit next season by two noted athletes—Olympic winners, if possible —and the names mentioned were those of C. W. Paddock, the American sprinter, and Paavo Nurmi, the Finnish middledistance runner. It was cabled from London on Friday that Paddock has discussed tile proposal in Paris with Mr O. G. TI. Merrett, and is anxious to make the trip “about next July.” Paddock stated Loren Murchison, the American sprint champion, and two others, were prepared to accompany him. Firstlv, I may say that “about, July’ would be of no use to the various States except in the case of Queensland, and, secondly, the consent of the A.A.U. of the U.S.A. would have to be obtained before any Americans could make the trip.