SEARCHLIGHT ON SPORT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19881, 7 March 1939, Page 10

SEARCHLIGHT ON SPORT

(By “Four-Forty”)

Amateur Athletics The major trophy of the Gisborne Amateur Athletic and Harrier Club was competed for at the floodlight sports meeting held on the Childers road reserve last Wednesday evening. Despite the threatening weather there was a good aittendanc to see the Black and White Cup race over 150yds. Carroll Wins The finalists in the Black and White Cup, after two heats bad been run in 15 1-s'sec. and 15sec. respectively, were: B. Quinn 6yds, J. Hayes 9yds, R. McGregor 9yds, J. A’Deane 12yds, and 3. Carrolli 10yds. Cecil Sebire had run 'into third place in the second heat but did not go to the mark in the final. After a false start caused through using ‘the whistle signal for “get on your mark,” the starter sent the field away. The five runners were bunched 20yds from the finishing line. At that point Carroll gradually drew away to win by a yard 1 from Jack A’Deane and Brian Quinn. The time was an exceptionally faslt one of 14 2-ssec. which would have not given any scratch man a chance of winning. The winner, in his first season in athletics, has shown good form all the season and has seldom been out of a place in the sprints. His asset is Iris determination in finishing on. Jack A’Deane won his heat well but it was noticeable that Carroll was satisfied to qualify only. In the final he ran a good race from the limit mark only to be overtaken over the last stage of Ihe race. He was a late entry. Brian Quinn, who won the Cup last season, made a good effort in the final lo retain the trophy after having won the first heat clearly from J. Hayes and R. McGregor. R. McGregor, only a junior member, spoilt any chance he had In the final by competing in the high jump event just previously. High Jump Record The Hawke’s Bay and' Poverty Bay centre champion, Len Grey, was .successful. in adding Jin. to' his Poverty Bay record of sflt. 10!! in. On this occasion the .standards were in a new i part of the ground and the competitors were able to obtain a longer run up to them than previously. Grey will compete at the national championships at Napier on Friday and Saturday nexil and 'should be a strong contender in the pole vault while lie will keep Hunter and Phillips busy in the high jump. Sutton Surprises In :thc five-mile cycle handicap Stan Parker off scratch attacked the record of 14min. 1 1-5 sec. held by Thor nicy Campbell since 19.11. He rode well for the first half of the journey when he had 1 to overtake the limit men and was well inside seven minutes at this stage. From then on he did not set up pace, expecting probably that the

handicap men would set. it for him but it. was not 'fast enough as lie was beaten into second place in, 14min. 28 1-s.sec. Geo. Sutton, showed a vast improvemenit in this race and, after being caughlt by {the. back-Vnarkers, he accepted the pace that they offered until I the beginning of the last mile when he did more than his share and, being in. front at the bell lap, he maintained the pressure to win bv over a length from Parker. Jack Fergusson, but for swinging very wide entering the straight in tire dash for the line, would have been closer at the finish. Women’s 150yds. It was noticeable that several competitors in the women’s 150yds. were inclined to “run about” over the last 80yds. as they began to tire. Miss Myrtle Lloyd won her heat well and the final was a good race between her and Miss P. Cleary, the second heat winner. These two runners had the race to themselves over the last 15yds., Miss Lloyd winning by a very narrow margin. Miss M. Hepburn ran good races both times and finished stronger in the final than in the heat. 600yds, Handicap Nelson Thompson, off the 45yds. mark, ran his best race for a long time when he won the 000yds. handicap with ease. G. Harris once again showed that he is “at, home” over a distance when he ran second. It was only his good final sprint that defeated K. Fleming, who had run well from the limit mark. 100yds. Junior Tiie winner of the final was T-i. Hall, a former Silvorstream College, Wellington, pupil, who showed by his finishing run that lie had been well coached. P. Scott, who ran second in the first heat to Hall, was runner-up, but lie performed better than in the heat. The one-lap sprint cycle race saw P. Thompson win the final when lie passed R. Jeffs, who had won the first heat easily and was fully expected to win the final in the last 10yds. Colin Parkinson ran a better race in the mile and a half handicap than in the 600yds. He won by a good five yards in 7min. 84 4-ssee., the record for this distance being 7min. 41 3-5 sec., held by “Chappie” Fislten since 1929. Parkinson had nearly seven seconds in which to cover the cxti a 45yds, the handicap off which he

started. One competitor in this race who did really well was Charteris, from Te Karaka, who, on account of an injury to his back, has had to run with harness on: but despite this handicap he shows distinct promise.

Magistrates Ignore Appeal After Prince Alexander Obolensky English Rugby Union international, was fined £2 at Hampstead for speeding, he appealed to the magistrates to keep the news from the press. He wrote to the magistrates:—“lf this is not an unconstitutional request, I ask

that the press be not informed of this shortcoming on my part, as it might cause me more pain, than in my humble opinion, fits the crime.” The appeal was ignored and English papers carried the story of “Obo” being fined. Professional Meeting' The Gisborne Sports Club continued its weekly floodlight meeting on the Victoria Domain on Thursday evening under ideal weather conditions. Challenge Race Since it was announced in these notes that H. J. McLeod had accepted the challenge from Tommy Trengrove to race over one mile, two more runners entered the lists and the race will take place on Thursday evening. They are Martin Leigh, who was a good mile runner a season or two ago, and who this season has shown a return to

that form. The fourth man is a new runner to Gisborne, J. Foster, who has competed with a fair amount of success off small handicaps in the South Island. If the pace is on from the gun, it should be a hard tussle between Trengrove and McLeod. Stan. O’Connor made no race of the 100yds., and was well clear of the fastfinishing E. Lloyd and T. Trengrove when at the tape. He ran with success during the Christmas holidays and it looks as though he is returning to form for Easter. In the senior four-lap cycle race Bill Thompson, a brother of Robbie and Bernie, made his appearance and rode well for two laps while his condition lasted. Despite the fact that he started off 45yds. instead of 65yds., Don Gooch rode a well-judged race to win the four-lap cycle race from W. Goodley, who showed promise by the way he stuck to his task after being passed by Gooch in the last 200yds. The women's 100yds. final was awarded to Miss T. Whitehead, but she did not break the worsted as required, doing so with her hands, and the first rur.ner actually to cross the line was Miss Ada Simpson, who was placed second. This runner ran two good races in her heat and final, showing something like her form of a year or so ago. The winner of the first heat was Miss Hamilton, who ran in bare feet and a “gym” uniform, but despite this handicap she was a close third in the final.

Running strongly throughout the four laps, Martin Leigh had something more in hand when he defeated Tommy Trengrove than the 4yds. that separated them at the finish. Innes Cameron did not show any form at ail and after two and a half laps he withdrew.

On Transfer Wally Higgs, the Old Boys A junior football player and captain of the team for a number of seasons, has been transferred to Wellington. He did not play regularly last season on account of knee trouble, and it is doubtful whether lie will again don a jersey.