AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume 1, Issue 7, 13 February 1914, Page 2

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

HEAVY TRACK AT DUNEDIN. In commenting" in THE SUN last Monday on the times recorded for the track events in the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Championships Meeting at Dunedin, I remarked' that it was evident that the track was too heavy for the making of anything like fresh records. Later information shows that the track was really "dead." One man who was present at-the meeting, and who usually is not given to exaggeration, informed me during the week that there were three or four inches of mud on it. The toembers of the Canterbury team estimated that the track that day wUs fully four seconds per lap slower than that which they had been training on at Lancaster Park. To make matters, worse, ; ar strong wind sprang up'during the afternoon. THOMAS TROUBLED BY THE GOING. In the 440 yds Championship Thomas (Canterbury), who was expected to break the New Zealand record of 50 2-ssec —the week before the gathering he covered the distance in 50 l-ssec, and on the evening before he left for Dunedin in, 50 4-ssec, both in private trials—was troubled by the heavy going and the adverse wind, and he could not do better than a shade under. 54see. Wilton (Wellington),/"previous holder of the championship, who is much shorter and stockier in build than was not affected so much by the conditions. As for the 880 yds, which Thomas won, the Canterbury crack had in that only one opponent, R. Switiney (Otago), who had not the ! calibre needed to " push'' Thomas. THE PROMISE OF MARTIS. The " star''/.of the championships gathering was the young fellow from who /gained the 100 yds 4sd 220 yds Championships for the WSllihgton/Gentre. Hs/won both wi^gease —<•> i the 100 yds in lb/3-ssec and the furlong in 24see. Witli/better opposition Martis should have recorded faster' times. 'He?; in 10 1-lOsec at: Wanganui a, few- weeks ago. Martis is a tall young man, standing about 6ft, and well built, with broad shoulders and big legs, flatthigh ed. He does not carry much superfluous • flesh, for he series only viibout 3lst J 6lb, but until this season lie has not token athletics very seriously, and had not gone in for very careful training. His success at Dunedin should be an incentive, and Martis should develop into one of the Dominion's great run-, ners. He is but 24 years old. Martis has a very lorng stride; some idea of it may be gathered from the-fact that it was estimated by onlookers at the sports .that Martis takes two strides to C. S. Thomas's three.

THOMAS'S PROJECTED DEPARTURE.C. S. Thomas, Canterbury 's crack middle-distance runner, will leave for England shortly, on a lengthy visit, but he probably will return before the New Zealand Championships of 191415 are decided. If Thomas runs while in the Old Country, the experience should be very valuable to him. It is rumoured that' the Canterbury crack intends to retire from the track on his return, but I hope the rumour will prove to be .without foundation. AN EVENING MEETING. The evening meeting to be held at Lancaster Park on Tuesday next, under the control of the Y.M.C.A. Club, should provide some very good sport, with a 50yds handicap, a 100 yds handicap, and an 880 yds handicap on the programme. There was much hope that C. S. Thomas would make an effort in the 880 yds to reduce the New Zealand record for the distance. A new record by Thomas would fittingly cap the season, for he will not have another opportunity of running in public before his departure for England. But the Canterbury College crack, unfortunately, has not entered. However, this fact may lead to a better race from several of the younger division. The prospects for the meeting are bright. The sprints will be fought out by some of those who were in the front division in the athletic events at thq Sumner Gala. 1 A. Khouri, the St. Bede's College champion, will be hard to beat; lie' is running very well at present. M'Leod, the Canterbury Centre's representative sprinter, should run well in the 50yds, at which distance he is particularly good. AMERICANS IN FINE FORM. Some members of the American team were in fine form at a sports meeting held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on January 31. Several special matches were arranged, the most important being a three-cornered sprint contest between Parker (America), J/ Burton (Victoria), and J. F. Bradley . (New South Wales), They, were matched over three distances—soyds, 75yds, and 100 yds. constituting a Victorian record. Burtoi; Was a close second, and Bradley third. The American established another Vie torian record by winning the 75yds in 7 4-ssec, with Bradley second and Bur ton third. Again, in the 100 yds, Parke got home first, winning in lOsec, by r yard.from Burton, with Bradley a foot away from the Victorian. Templeton (America) slipped an' nearly fell between the first and secon hurdles in a 120 yds hurdles match with J. 'W. Fraser (New South Wales), and after that' he was not in the hunt. Fraser winning by six yards in 2-ssec. E. R. Caughey threw the jave lin 136 ft, establishing an Australasian record. With the Americans in such form, the i people of Wellington are likely to sec.

some great sport at the "return" sports meeting to be held there on February - A CENTRE MEETING. ; An important meeting of the Canter-., bury Centre of the N.Z.A.A.A. will be held on Monday .evening. 'One matter to be considered is a proposal by Mr D. N. Robertson that the Centre < reinstate the Canterbury championships. The question of the points, to count for the Ladies' Challenge Cup, at present in the possession of the Canterbury Club, will be discussed. Another matter to be dealt with is the calling of a public meeting to consider the advisability, of forming.a harriers' club iand sending a team to content minion Cross-country' Championship. And last, but not least, will be ia discussion regarding the furtherance of the project suggested by Mr Peixotto, manager of the American athletic team, that better facilities be placed in school playgrounds for the encouragement of jumping, hurdling, etc. YOUNG RUNNERS. H. Batchelor is running very well at present, and as Tuesday will give his first appearance in a middle distance race,, his supporters expecting < him to show the way. However, I am afraid that, for this season at anyrate, Batchelor will have to give way to' R. Beattie, a solid runner who is. improving eVery week; \ W. Gordon is a runner who apparently considers '' stride'' a secondary consideration, aS "he never does anything but jogging work in, his training. I noticed W. Turner making good in an effort to increase the length of his stride. With patience and experience Turner will be heard of ovei; the longer distances soon. ' . SUMNER GALA RACES. The three sprints put on for amateurs at the Sumner Gala provided good races, 'and bore out my remarks of last week that several men who persist m running untrained or half trained should never expect to win rases. The 75yds Clifton Jlandk-ap, 10 starters, was won fairly comfortably by J. H. Kiddey, otf the 2Jyds mark, with L. Donoliue, 4£yds, aiid J. Tunnington, lyd, in attendance.' The race for • second place Was very close/ Doriphue just getting the verdict. • Kiddey is a' strong runner, but his style -requires considerable-"polishing. Donohiie is a young and promising sprilnt'er, apparently • running quite' green,. judging by his finished,-wliich lafclfed "sting.'" Tunnington has developed an arm action be his downfall unless he mends "his wayT He throws his arms about in such an tmusual Faulkner ran well, as did Phi Heir and J. D. Edmonds. The performance of S. J. Mann was very disappointing; ®The final of the -100 yds Re:](.lift's 'Handicap resulted in W. J. Mansell. who liad been rehandicapped to lyd behind scratch, beating Kiddey and Tunnington in 10, 3-ssec, good time considering the wet and heavy track. This event was run in two heats, with 10 starters* in" eacli, which caused a lot of bumping, Mansell beating Millter comfortably in* the first heat. Tunnington and Kiddey were the placed men in thg second heat. ; 35. N. Down appeared to have a winning chanee, but want of training found him " closing tip-" at the finish. W'. 0. Ford and J. E-1; monds were - just handicapped out of places. They should both do better qn the turf, next Tuesday evening. _.. • ' The 220 yds Sumner HaivUt hpnominally the principal item, was a disappointment in many ways. The tyaek was very heavy; in fact, in one p^acc the sand still had a slight covering of water. I doiibt very much the accuracy of the distance marked out/ ax Mansell, who ran well, was clocked tc do only 27sec. The entries were poor, only eight men starting. Mansell, from 4yds behind scratch, got home first, with W. O. Ford and F. Faulk nor dead heating for second place, 'and N. Eg glestone third, only inches away. Man sell ran very gamely, and it was only ii: the last few yards that he managed to getr in front. STOP-WATCH.