ARMY ATHLETES IN ACTION

Southland Times, Issue 24685, 5 March 1942, Page 6

ARMY ATHLETES IN ACTION

CAIRO CHAMPIONSHIPS (N.Z.E.F. Official News Service) CAIRO, March 3. Keen competition and some exciting finishes marked the annual Cairo athletic championships held at the weekend at King Farouk Stadium, headquarters of the National Sporting Club. The competitors included representatives of the Allied services and Egyptian Army. New Zealand entered a small team which did well, but lacked full-time training, which was available to others. Considering that he had not had a chance to train, Lieutenant Sharpley, who captained the New Zealanders, put up a good performance to win the final of the 110 metres hurdles, easing up at The time was 16 3-ssec. In the final of the 800 metres G. Davies ran a good race to get third in 2min 6sec. M. McHugh, who the day before had played a strenuous Rugby match for the N.Z.E.F. team, ran second in heats of the 100 metres to Emphy, the Egyptian champion, but in the final McHugh was just beaten into third place in a splendid finish, the time being llsec. With the football season finished McHugh, who is settling down to training, should put up some good performances before the end of the athletic season. In the pole vault Opie and Fagg did well. Opie fell out at 10ft, but Fagg and Meroulis (Greek Army) cleared 10ft 2in. On the count back Fagg was placed second. In the relay race of 400 metres Sharpley, McHugh, Estall and Campbell ran third in a very close finish. Atley (100 metres), Campbell (400 metres), Finlayson (long and high jumps), McKain (long jump and hop, step and jump) and Olivier (shot putt) all performed well, but lack of training told its tale.