ATHLETICS

Otago Witness, Issue 3993, 23 September 1930, Page 52

ATHLETICS

OLYMPIC GAMES.

NEXT SERIES AT LOS ANGELES. WELLINGTON, September 15. Official advice that the next Olympic Games to be held at Los Angeles in 1932 are to be commenced on July 30 and to be concluded on August 14 is given in a statement by the Organising Committee. The programme will consist of 135 distinct events, including athletics, gymnastics, boxing, wrestling, fencing, rowing, swimming, equestrian sports, a modern pentathlon, road cycling, weight-lifting, yachting, polo, field hockey, water polo, shooting at 50 metres and Olympic fine arts.

At the Berlin meeting of the International Olympic Committee the Organising Committee made its report, which showed that nearly all the facilities were already available for the celebration of the tenth series of games. The greatly reduced costs for the participating nations shown in the report had resulted in enthusiastic responses from the European committees and assurances of fully representative teams from the Olympic countries. In Olympic Park in Los Angeles are the Olympic Stadium, the fencing pavilion, the Olympic fine arts museum, and an excellent exercising field. The Olympic swimming stadium will be built there. Close by are 15 training fields for visiting teams. Near Olympic Park are the Olympic auditorium for the wresting, boxing, and weight-lifting events, polo fields, the equestrian field, the yachting course, the rowing stadium, and the cycling and marathon courses. Representatives of the Organising Committee who attended the Olympic Congress in Berlin are enthusiastic over the reception of their report and plans, and predict an overwhelming success for the games at Los Angeles. MEETING OF OTAGO CENTRE. A meeting of the Otago Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association was held on Tuesday evening in the Y.M.C.A. buildings. The president (Mr E. L. Macassey) occupied the chair. The chairman congratulated the Otago team on winning the New Zealand crosscountry championship at Wellington. The runners put up an excellent performance, and showed that Otago runners were still to be reckoned with. The Otago Centre was indebted to Mr J. W. Holley for the able manner in which he had managed and looked after the members of the team.

The New Zealand Council advised that J. G. Leckie’s performance in throwing the hammer, 151 ft 6in, at the Tokomairiro Amateur Athletic and Harrier Club’s meeting, held on February 15, had been recognised as the best throw by a New Zealander in the Dominion.— The chairman said it was very pleasing to know that Leckie’s record had been recognised. It was a remarkable throw. —lt was decided to forward a letter to Mr Leckie complimenting him on his performance. A letter was received from the New Zealand Council in reference to the visit of the American athletes, Messrs G. Simpson and G. Bullwinkle, to the Dominion early next year. A change had been made in the itinerary of the athletes.—lt was decided to agree to the new date on which the men would appear in Dunedin.

The selection of a programme for the sports meeting to be held on the Caledonian Ground on Labour Day was left in the hands of the Sports Committee. A letter was received from the secretary of the Otago Amateur Cycling Club, in which it was suggested that a cycling committee of the centre should be formed to consider all matters in connection with cycling and submit decisions for approval to a sub-committee consisting of delegates elected by the various cycling clubs. It was also suggested that as the New Zealand Road Cycling Championship race was listed to take place very late in the year, the Otago cycling representatives should be sent to Canterbury to compete in the Canterbury 100 miles championship cycle race, to be held on September 27.— After some discussion it was decided to agree to the Otago cyclists competing in the race, that the Selection Committee should meet on Thursday evening, and that the centre should grant £lO towards the expenses of the riders selected.

A letter was received from the representative of the centre at Invercargill which stated that a number of records had been established at the secondary schools’ championship meeting at Invercargill on March 8. In the 220 yards events the runners had been favoured by a following wind, but in the hurdle events the wind was of no assistance. The times for the 220 yards events should not be accepted as records, but the times recorded for the hurdles, mile relay, high jump, long jump (senior and junior) should stand.—lt was decided that the 120 yards hurdles (K. Uttley 16 2-ssec), one mile relay race (3min 59 2-ssec), high jump (W. Hamilton, sft), long jump (R. G. Jolly, 20ft 10jin), junior long jump (H. H. Edie, 17ft sin), 100 yards (K. Uttley, 10 4-ssec), 100 yards junior race (A. B. Botting, 11 2-ssec) should be approved as records. A letter was received from A.'C. E. Wills, of Heriot, asking to be reinstated —lt was decided to write to Mr Wills asking him to furnish additional information on the matter.

The secretary of the Otago Amateur Cycling Club advised that Mr A. Ockwell had been selected to represent the Invercargill Cycling Club, on the centre executive.

Mr J. W. Holley presented a report on the Harrier Conference held recently at Wellington, and was thanked for the information supplied.