ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

Taranaki Daily News, 10 March 1932, Page 5

ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

TARANAKI TEAM DEPARTS. PROSPECT of winning titles. The Taranaki representatives at the New Zealand amateur athletic championships at Auckland to-morrow and Saturday, S. A. Black, S. Lay, E. Prince and -G. Sullivan, proceeded overland by car yesterday. M. Comber, who has been training Black and Sullivan, leaves today. All the members of the team are very fit and are sure to give a good account of themselves. Lay, of course, stands in a class alone in the javelin throwing division, but hopes are entertained that Sullivan may prove equal to accounting for the others. Most outside critics appear to have regarded Black’s defeat of. Evans at Wanganui as a mere flash in the pan, and none gives -him any more than an outside chance in either the 220 yards or the 440 yards, but nobody who saw the New Plymouth man in action on Saturday night will subscribe to that opinion. Black’s effort in the quarter mile was particularly impressive, and his time of 50sec on a track wet with dew was a really great one. If anyone beats him at the championships the existing record will have to be broken. Black should go well in the 220 yards, but the quarter mile is his true distance.

Sullivan has not performed so well this season as he did last year. The real reason is that he has been experiencing trouble with his legs and has not been taxing himself unduly. However, in his final try-puts for the hop, step and jump he demonstrated that he will be at his best this week, and should retain the title. Taranaki has no separate entity at the championship gathering and all these competitors will be under the banner of the West Coast Centre, coinprising Taranaki, Wanganui and Manawatu.

Miss A. Olßyrne, who will also take part in the meeting, joined the Hawera ladies and proceeded to Auckland yesterday. . ''