ATHLETICS

Taranaki Daily News, 6 January 1927, Page 4

ATHLETICS

DOINGS IN OTHER CENTRES

(By “Also Started.”) Most elubs throughout the Dominion have been busy during the Christmas and New Year holidays in staging big xxxeetings. Since Boxing Night, however, there has been no runs in New Plymouth as most of the active members have been away on holidays. The largest nxeeting held during the week-end at Gisborne, where the New Zealand professional championships were held. Some fair times were recorded but were not up to the standard of last year’s meeting at Dunedin. The 100yds championship was won in 10 2-osec by A. Berry, of Gisborne, and the quarter by Preston, of Whangarei, in 53sec. Apparently D. McLennon, the fast Canterbury man, was not competing, as reports from the south state that he is resting. The half-mile open handicap was, perhaps, the best race. M. Johns, off 30yds, proved the winner in the good time of Imin 58Jsec. In the amateur races N. Clouston won the mile in slow time, while Paltridge won on the 120yds on the first day. On New Year’s Day the Wellington, eor.ntry Clubs held their championship* at Dannevirke, and some good performances were put up. Masterton proved the winners of the McVilly Shield and the relay. W, J. Lankey, Dannevirke, walked away from Jackson and Dalziell in the three miles walk, winning by over 300 yards from Jaekson, with Dalziell a lap and a half further back, in the time of 22min 36 2-ssec. The winner should find the Dominion honours fairly easy, as later on he did the mile in 6min 40 4-ssee . The 100yds was won by Bail, of Masterton, in 10 3-ssec, while the same runner also won the furlong in 23 2-ssec. H. E. B. Newton had no difficulty in winning the half and quarter-mile races in 2min 3-ssec, and 51 3-ssee respectively. He has only to retain his present form and his chances at Auckland on February 12 will be very rosy. R. Campbell came to light in the mile and three mile races, while T. T. Vangioni showed that he has lost none of his hurdling prowess by winning the 440yds hurdles by 40yds in 61 4-seee, a good performance. T. Oakley won all the cycling events in very fast time, and ean still be a serious contender for the championship honours. Feilding must possess an aeroplane in M. O. Scotney, who won the 300yds handicap in the great time of 21 2-ssec. Perhaps the watch stopped with surprise. At Halswell, Canterbury, there must also be a record breaking track. During their recent meeting Johnston (12yds) did the quarter in 49 4-ssec, and the 120yds in 11 3-ssec, off 3|yds. The fast time for the sprint is accounted for by the fact that the finishing post is down a slope. But what of the quarter? The Canterbury championships will be held on January 29. J. M. Wilson, Auckland’s crack mid-axe-distance man, has just undergone an operation for appendicitis and will be unable to compete at the championships in February. Cabot, the New Zealand champion walker, came to light as a runner recently, winning the half-mile and mile races. Otago’s team for the New Zealand championships wil'l probably be R. W. Lander, H. D. Morgan, C. M. Olsen, G. S. Cabot, B. Geddes, C. M. Nicholson and C. W. Rout. This is a very good team a n.. one that should uphold Otago’s reputation. Rose is gradually getting back to form. On Boxing Day he just beat Clarry Gibbons (35yds) by inches in 4min 38 3-ssec. The ground was very heavy,' thus accounting for the time. Gibbons is fast improving and although quite qoung is the makings of a distance champion. Alec Hunter was very successful while away on holiday. At the I’araparaumu Chib's meeting on New Year’s Day he won the half-mile off 49yds in the great time of 2min Isec. Hunter is fast approaching first-class form, and by the time the New Plymouth's Club’s big meeting on February 5 comes off. he should be at his best. P. Munro is still going strong in field events. At the Lower Hutt meeting he won the javelin throwing with a throw of 159 ft, and putting the shot with 42ft 7in, both from scratch. Miss R. Mantan and her club-mate, Miss E. Porter, had more successes at Lower Hutt, and still show that they will have to be taken seriously at the New Zealand ehampionships. Miss Flossie Maxwell, the young Canterbury runner, who held the record of 11 4-ssec for the ladies’ 100yds, is also going well, and if she competes at the championships Miss N. Eastwood, of Gisborne, will have to be at her best to uphold her reputation. The Waitotara Club’s meeting was a great success on New Year's Day, a* was the Patea Club’s on Boxing Day. At the latter, Gilmour won the 880yds off 10yds in 2min 2sec, while C. Maitland, of Wanganui, won the Winchester Cup. At the former Maitland won the quarter in 51 see from the 4yd mark. L. Burke, the Patea runner, who beat the American, Kirksey, off 21yds, is running again, and secured one or two placings at Waitotara. If he can get back to his former form he will seriously trouble Maitland in the West Coast championships on January 29. Maitland is also getting into form in the long jump. His performance of 19ft Ilin last Saturday was a good one. ii. J. Jaekson did fairly well at Waitotara, and should improve with a little more training. Arch Heibner, an old New Plymouth member, 'broke his “duek” at Wanganui on Boxing Night. He beat Cyril Maitland’s brother, who is also a promising lad. by two vards in the 100yds race. Jinx Pawson is also striking good form in Wanganui, and was pipped on the post in the 880yds, while Cave, the cyclist, seems to have had a large number of wins lately.