ATHLETICS.

Southland Times, Issue 19658, 7 October 1922, Page 12 (Supplement)

ATHLETICS.

Ry O.M. The keen interest displayed at the annual meeting of the Southland Centre of Ihe New Zealand A*tbletic and Cycling union at the Balfour Town Hall on Tuesday augurs well for the success of the sport in Southland during the forthcoming season. Last season witnessed a remarkable revival of public interest and it became apparent towards the close of the season that it only required efficient organisation to restore the sport to something approaching pre-war standard. The present headquarters of the centre are not so handily situated as they might be. under more favourable circumstances, but the work ol Ihe Centre has been very capably handled by those at the. head of affairs in the Balfour District and the substantial credit balance in hand is a matter for congratulation. There is every possibility of the scope of the Centre’s work extending in the near future and a sound financial position is essential to success. With so many flourishing societies in the country centres, it is still a matter for regret- that the capital town of the province has so far not been represented in the forward movement; particularly as two of the best runners in New Zealand are located at Invercargill in W. F. Trembatb, New Zealand champion over three distances, and E. Cook, international soccer representative and N.Z. (Sheffield winner, besides a number of other good athletes. However, it is understood that the present state of affairs is likely to be remedied before long. The amateur .'-ide of the sport managed to get going again in Invercargill last season and a number of very promising comI>etitors were brought to light. No doubt, a further effort to put amateur athletics on a sound footing will be made this season. The advent of a new society is always welcome, a remark which Is prompted by the receipt of a programme for the Orepuki Athletic Society's sports on the 23rd of this month. Labour Day. This young society is starting out well, a judiciously arranged programme catering for runners, bushmen, jumpers and dancers, while the sum of £BO will be disbursed in prize money. The “star” items are a Sheffield handicap which carries £lO in prize money, with a handsome gold medal valued at £5 to be added to rhe winner’s share of £6, and the 15 under hand chop which is worth £7 in cash to the winner with a gold medal as well. Besides these events, there is a 12 inch standing block handicap with £7 to be distributed to the successful competitors. also an 18 inch double handed sawing handicap carrying similar prize money. The mile handicap is worth £4 to the winner, or a total of £7 for the first three runners, which prize money amounting to £6 has been awarded for both the flying handicap and the quarter mile run. Various minor events bring the prize money up to £BO and as the programme states that the tracks are in first class order, the meeting should be well patronised by athletes from all parts of the province. The Society has spared no pains to make the gathering an enjoyable one and special trains will be run, while various means have been adopted to provide for the comfort and pleasure of spectators. The Society has got together a capable band of local officials to run the gathering, while the success of the bushcraft section of the programme may almost he said to be assured with two such capable and enthusiastic officials as Me.ssrs T. O’Byrne and M. Dowling at the head of affairs. Eentries close with Mr D. Barclay, % Orepuki Post Office at 7 p.m. on Monday next. Writing from Sydney, Mr F. Mussen, Sporting Editor of the Southland Times, mentions that he ran across an old time Southland athlete in the person of D Fale, who was a successful competitor in the days when the Southland Caledonian Society was a power in the land. Those who saw the Springbok athletic team in New Zealand last year will remember a beautifully proportioned young runner named H. P. Kinsman, who certainly looked to be “the good*?.” Owing to sickness and injury, however, he did not play a very prominent part on the tour, the position of honour being occupied by J. K. Ayres-Oosterlaak, who put up record time ou the tour for the furlong. The results of the championship meeting held al Ladysmith, South Africa, recently are now to hand and it is interesting to note that Kinsman decisively defeated his team mates, Oosterlaak and Bukes, in the 220 yards championship. In places, the track was submerged by water and the runners had difficulty in retaining their footing, so that Kinsman’s performance in beating Oosterlaak by three yards in 22 3-ssec. was

a very good one. The half mile at the same meeting was won rather easily by D. Leathern from Johnston and Oldfield (holder of the championship), while the exWellingtonian E. G. Sutherland acconiplisbed a remarkable all round performance.. He won the high jump, pole vault, broad jump, and 75 yards hurdles handicap and was second in the shot putting competition. The relay race was won by the Ladysmith teaiii which consisted of two Leatherns and two Kinsmans.

In the South African amateur athletic team that visited New Zealand last summer was a beautifully built young runner named Kinsman. The sprinter from Natal looked to be “the goods,” but injuries and illness kept him off the tracks a good deal, the place of honour being filled by J. K. Ayres Oosterlaak. Now, however, Kinsman has beaten Ooosterlaak for the 220yds championship of Natal. Writing on August 11, a South African scribe says:—“When Howard P. Kinsman. Was selected to go to Australia to compete there, it was suggested that the tour would ruin his chances for the 1924 Olympiad. All will remember the great runs put up by Kinsman in Australia, but those were overshadowed by his brilliant victory in the 220 yards championship held at Ladysmith on Monday last. The track was practically under water, but, despite this, Kinsman won in 22 3-ssec. He dre.z No. 3 position, and Oosterlaak No. 1. Kinsman caught Oosterlaak on the bend entering the straight, and shot away like a catapult. Personally, I have never seen Kinsman put in such a finish. There is no doubt about the time, as there were five watches which clocked either 22 3-5 or 22 2-5. Oosterlaak. the holder of the title, who won so many brilliant races in Australia, stated he had never seen Kinsman in such great form. This surely must discount the suggestion that Kinsman would be spoiled by going to Australia. On the contrary, he has gained a wealth of experience, which must surely stand him in good stead.” At the same meeting, E. G. Sutherland, formerly of Wellington, put up a fine all round performance, which is described in the Rand Daily Mail thus:—For an athlete io win a high jump, long jump, pole vault, hurdle race, and come second in the putting the shot and throwing the cricket ball in one day is a wonderful performance under ordinary conditions, but for it to be done under the sodden conditions prevailing at Ladysmith is remarkable. However, E. G. Sutherland, who came to Africa from New Zealand- lately, registered such a jierforiuance. It is not as though Sutherland bad “nothing to beat.” He was opposed by S. Aitkinson, a South African champion field gamester. The conditions, however, for the field events were so atrocious that the champion could do nothing. His best long jump was under 18 feet. Sutherland is a power-fully-built athlete, and can stand anything. First one event, then another, was tackled by him without effort. His 75 yards in the hurdle race was a good performance. He jumps with the recognised straight leg action. Efforts are being made for him to come to the Transvaal championships. The idea must not be entertained that Sutherland is brilliant in any particular event. It is his all-round ability that is so wonderful.’ The organisation of women athletes on a national basis hits been one of the features of the athletic season in the United States which has just closed. A novel contest between a champion runner and a champion walker was held at Stamford Bridge (England) recently. George Cummings, the world’s champion walker, was given the task of walking once round the baseball “diamond,” each side of which measures 90 feet, while the runner, Albert Tapping, champion sprinter of the American Expeditionary Force was required to cover two circuits. Cummings won easily, his time being 26 l-ssec to Tapping's 32 7 lOsec. The competition resulted from an argument between an Englishman and an American during a baseball match. The Englishman offered to back the walker for £25, and the wager being accepted, the American is now £25 the poorer. At the Natal (South Africa) amateur athletic championship in August. D. Ixsathern, the captain of the Sprinbok athletic team that visited New Zealand last season, won the half mile, winning a well-judged race with his team mate, R. Johnston in second place. A. G. Hill, the mile record-holder of British athletics, is against tape "jumping.” He says:—“l can quote the fate of one man. He was running quite well in his heat of the sprint until he got to within a yard of the tape and then he made an attempt to jump. I know of nothing worse that a sprinter can do. Having made the jump, he pulls himself up dead, and the result is a fall that may have serious results. The unwisdom of jumping is so obvious, one would hardly think it necessary to emphasise it ; yet I have seen many athletes try it repeatedly. Evidently only a very severe lesson will break them of the habit. In theory, a finishing jump is all right; in practice, it is useless. and worse.” Cn the other hand, 1 have a picture on my desk depicting Charles Paddock, the fastest runner in the world to-day, finishing one of his record breaking runs with a jump at the tape. J. W. Morton, the British champion sprinter of many years ago, brought tape jumping to a fine art and once" won many of his best races by it. Ail of which goes to prove how impossible it is to be dogmatic when dealing with athletes.