"GIVE HIM TIME.”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17078, 6 July 1926, Page 7

"GIVE HIM TIME.”

ROSE’S ENGLISH PERFORMANCES. EX-CHAMPION DETAILS HANDICAPS. (Special <o the Herald.! CHRISTCHURCH, this day. A well-known cx-Xow Zealand champion uinner has written especially for the Sun some reasons for the apparent! failure of Randolf Rose, the New Zealand distance champion, in the English athletic championships. The writer has had some experience of running in the Old Country, and gives some information unknown to the average citizen of this Dominion. He says: “The cabled results of tho English amateur athletic championships bring a feeling of keen disappointment to those who expected great things of our New Zealand champion, Rose. Already one hears tho mail in the street saying that he was over-boosted in this country; that he never was a worldbeater; and that- he is only a good handicap man when in class company. These statements are, of course, sheer nonsense. Rose is undoubtedly tho greatest rimer, up to three miles, that, Australasia, has produced, and he is a real champion. Then why luj.s he not succeeded '! SEVERAL PROBABLE REASONS.

“The reasons are at present purely a matter for conjecture, hut there probably were several. The first, and most important, is that ho is sure to he. affected by that bote noir <ff all travelling athletes—change of climate. Our climate i.s dry, sharp and bracing, while that of England; is dam]), dull and enervating. The effect on ihe newly arrived athlete is extraordinary, for instead of Doing keen for work, and itching to get the shoes on. he finds he is tired and lifeless, and has literally to drive himself out on to the track. Tho duration of this state of affairs varies according to- Ihe constitution of the individual athlete, hut rarely does il pass off under two or three months, and sometimes it takes longer. “It seems fairly obvious from the inconsistency of Rose's performances to dale that the climate has “got, him,” and time alone will smooth this difficulty out of liis path. A change of climate will turn a champion into a hack, but always remember that the champion is still there, arm will sooner or later find form. EFFECT OF CINDERS.

“What effect the cinder tracks have had we cannot toll, We know that Rose is not sound in his legs, and it may bo that he has felt unduly the, effects of running on cinders. The cinders are very fast, perhaps Q seconds in a quarter faster than grass, hut- they are also very hard on the legs to those unused to them. Cinders often bring a sore surprise. Pains develop which may last for quite a long time and are quitesufficient to prevent a man reaching his iop form. This may seem a small thing, but- it- is another difficulty, and a lot of little ones soon combine- io make one large insurmountable one. “Above all it must ho remembered tlmfc Rose has been in Britain not more than a. few weeks, and it is early vob' to dub him a- failure. Give him a little) longer, and one feels that he will still do things that will make (lie athletic) world sit- up and rub its eyes.”