On Track and Field

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 167, 5 October 1927, Page 11

On Track and Field

Ajnateur Athletic Notes

By

“SPARTAN”

SEASON’S FIXTURES The following is the season’s programme of the Auckland Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association:— October 22. Auckland Club holds special afternoon’s programme. October 24, Akara.ia Club holds Labour Day sports at the Domain. October 25.—Auckland centre launches festival scheme. October 29.—Auckland Club, carnival afternoon. November s.—Auckland Club, carnival afternoon. CHAMPIONSHIPS November 12.—Auckland provincial amateur athletic championships at the Domain. December 9 and 10.-—New Zealand amateur athletic championships at Christchurch. December 26, 27, 28 and 29.—New Zealand and Australian amateur athletic championships at Wellington. An Athletic Revival If present indications are any guide, it looks as though the coming 1927-28 track season in Auckland will see a great revival in amateur athletics. The centre has at last stirred itself to its responsibilities, and it won’t be the fault of the controlling body if athletics fail to boom this year. The Auckland A.A.A. has formulated a scheme for constructing a cycling track, and the realisation of this proposal depends upon the generosity of our city fathers. A festival scheme to raise money for affiliated clubs is well under way, and a carnival afternoon has been arranged for November sto help the city’s unemployed. All that is now required is the enthusiasm of individual athletes, and with that there is no reason why the coming season should not be a record-breaking one for Auckland. A Brilliant Athlete G. J. Sceats. one of the Victoria University College, Wellington, nominees for the Rhodes Scholarship, is well remembered in Auckland for his record - breaking high jump of sft 11 in at the New Zealand University sports last Easter. “Geof” studied at the Auckland University College until going to Wellington in 1924, and besides being a brilliant athlete, he is a prominent footballer, having gained a place in the Dominion varsity fifteen. Auckland can lay just claim to some credit for Sceats's record, and wish him success before the scholarship selectors. M. Leadbetters Chances Malcolm Leadbetter, New Zealand 100yds and 220yds champion, returned to Christchurch recently after a holiday in the North Island. He was playing football this winter, and is reported to be feeling fit and well. He finished second in a 100yds handicap race at Christchuf’ch on Saturday week last, and Southern enthusiasts hope to see him in winning form shortly. When he meets the Auckland cracks, L. C. Williams and A. J. Elliot in the Dominion 100 yards title race at Christchurch on December 10. a great tussle is expected. The last time these three men met the

speedy Christchurch man left the Northerners behind, but there may be a different tale to tell this time. • • • Australian Marathon Winner Winner of the Australian Marathon, 25 miles, R. F. McMurdo is a Scot — born in Lanarkshire 36 years ago, but has resided in Queensland for the past 15 years, ana is now located at Ipswich. McMurdo is a fine sportsman, arjd a cheery one. Along the route he. had a helpful and encouraging word for anyone to whom he ranged alongside. Most of the others did i walk at some period, but not so McMurdo, who ran from start to finish. Here and There The Otago provincial amateur athletic championships are to be held on Saturday, December 3. Including Rose and Savidan, six runners who can do a mile under 1.28 will compete at the New Zealand athletic championships in Christchurch on December 9 and 10 next. It promises to be the best race of its kind ever seen in the Dominion. The annual meeting of the Otago Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association will be held on October 25. This centre, which has made great progress of late, row has the largest number of delegate:!; of any centre in the Dominion. The Auckland Centre of the N.Z. A.A.A. has come in for no end of criticism of late, and its members must be considerably bucked to know that their recent efforts to further the sport in this city have been appreciated by the parent body.

TRAINING HINTS

This is the seventh of a series of articles specially written. for THE SUN by Mr. C. H. Taylor, of Christchurch, former Australasias.-, middle distance champion. Recognised as one of the great stylists of his day, Mr. Taylors views should prove not only interesting, but instructive to athletes , especially the younger brigade. FOR THE SPRINTER Having got the running muscles o£ the calves and thighs in good condidition, the sprinter should start to develop speed; first over short distances, which will be increased gradually as the speed improves. At first, distances of 30yds, 50yds and 75yds only should be run, increasing to lOOydr. and 120yds. The runner who intends to specialise in the 100yds only will find that about 150yds will be the fullest distance he will be required to run, but the man who intends to couple the 100yds with the furlong must run 250yds and even 300yds. A greater distance must be covered in training than the distance that is being trained for: otherwise the runner will lack the endurance that enables speed to be maintained right through a race. For sprinters who are fit starting practice should be practically daily practice, anc finishing should be practised regularly. Often a man flinches at the tape as if he is racing for an iron l ** instead of for a piece of worsted, man should run right through the tape as thought the finish is five yards beyond it. Another bad fault is that o throwing up the hands when striking the tape. This particularly bad fault is very common. For that reason the sprinter should stretch a piece of worsted between two sticks and practice running through it, hands down, head on a level, and not thrown back.