ATHLETICS

Otago Witness, Issue 3885, 28 August 1928, Page 32

ATHLETICS

BIG MEETING AT ULSTER. AUSTRALIANS SUCCESSFUL. BELFAST, August 22. Despite the rain, there was an enthusiastic crowd at the Ulster Olympic Games, at which the Australian and the Americans were guests. Whyte (Australia) was again the hero of the day. Starting from scratch in the mile handicape on a sodden grass track he just failed to overhaul the leading pair of Irishmen, who had 90 and 100 yards start respectively. Time, 4min 27sec. Watson (Australia) was beaten by half a yard by Werner (America) in the 120 yards hurdles. Time, 15 3-ssec. Winter won the high jump handicap at sft 7in plus Bin handicap, and he also won the hop, step and jump from scratch with 44ft 2in. Watson, with a handicap of Ift, was third in the long jump, with 19ft 7|in. A combined Australian-American team (Carlton, Werner, Watson and Gibson) won the 800 metres international relay race by 20 yards from the Irish Free State, Ulster being third. The Australian had a most enjoyable day, and returned to Dublin, each carrying hrophies.

MODIFIED MARATHON. 14-MILE RACE WON BY D. THOMPSON. A field of 31 runners faced the starter ® ur k) in the second annual modified marathon road race on Saturday over a 14-mile course to Macandrew Bay and back. • 'tI 1 ’ 8 ’ s . longest harrier race held in Dunedin. The field included practically all the best distance runners in the province, with the exception of Barnes and Morris, who are resting after a strenuous season. The start was from St. Clair end of lor bury Park racecourse the competitors proceeding down Victoria road to Onslow House, and turning into Queen’s drive, until the lower Portobello road was reached, this being followed to Macandrew Bay. The same course was followed 011 | he ~r eturn journey, the finish being at the St. Clair end of the racecourse. The overhead conditions were perfect, with a slight head wind on the outward journey. The limit men, Poulter and Thompson, set out on their long journey shortly after 3 o’clock. Tapp, the scratch man, did not start, and the virtual scratch man, 1* arquaharson, was sent away 19min lOsec after the leaders. The race resolved itself into a duel between the limit men, the back-markers being too severely handicapped to have any chance of winning At Company’s Bay Thomson (20min) and Poulter (20min) were in front, followed by Pledger (19min), half a mile further back being S. C. Gibson (15min 15sec) and Austin (15min ssec). At the halfway mark Thompson and Poulter were still leading, the half journey having taken them 45min. The leaders were 4min clear of S. C. Gibson, Austin, C. H. Gibson Hayward (13min 20sec), Smith (13min 45sec), Harvey (12min 15sec), and Geddes (lOmin 35sec). The back-markers were well back, and Frye had gained a few seconds on Farquharson, the two having a tussle for fastest time. At Johnson’s Jetty Thomson was leading Poulter bv 100 yards, Pledger being 200 yards further back, with C. S. Gibson half a mile further back, followed by Geddes, Austin, Hayward, S. H. Gibson, and Parker, who was running strongly. The first two men were running easily, and at this stage never looked like being headed. Thompson was taking his.time at the finish, and won full of running by 300yds from Poulter, with Geddes 600yds further back, Parker being 200yds away, with the next few close up. The result was as follows:— D. Thompson (Hanover Street Baptist), 20min 1 W. Poulter (Civil Service), 20min .. 2 J. W. Geddes (St. Patrick), lOmin 35sec 3 S. Parker (Leith), 9min ssee .. 4 G. T. Austin (Hanover Street Baptist), 15min ssec 5 A. Kay (Hanover Street Baptist), 6min 50sec 6 H. J. Hayward (Hanover Street Baptist), 13min 20sec 7 J. A. Pledger (Pacific), 19min .. 8 E. J. Johnson (Pacific), 4min 30sec 9 R. C. Manderson (Civil Service), lOmin 35sec .. 10 G. Farquharson (Civil Service), 50sec 11 C. W. Frye (Caversham), Imin 40sec 12 Winner’s time: Ihr 26min 27sec. Fastest times: S. Farquharson (Ihr 14min 39sec). 1; C. W. Frye (Ihr 15min 39sec), 2; E. J. Johnson (Ihr 17min 4see), 3. The points for the Nickel’s Cup resulted:— Hanover Street Baptist « 12 Civil Service .. 23 Pacific 34 The total points, which include the Port-Dunedin road race, are.— Hanover Street Baptist .. 52 Civil Service 64 Pacific .. .. ~ 81 D. Thompson, the winner, is only 18 years of age. This is his first season, his only previous race beinr the Edmond Cup, in which he finished well back. W. Poulter, who finished second, is 35 years of age, and has been running for a number of years, his only previous success being in the club maiden race of li miles two seasons ago. George Farquharson, who put up fastest time, held the cross-country championship i n the East of Scotland two years ago. He. did not strike • form last season, but this year he has been improving with every race. He finished fifth in the Otago cross-country championship, and was the third Otago man home in the recent New Zealand crosscountry championship. ' Last year’s race was won by F. Mount. C. W. Frye (Ihr 15miu 15sec) securing fastest time.