ATHLETE RETIRES

Taranaki Daily News, 22 March 1935, Page 9

ATHLETE RETIRES

BLACK’S FINE RECORD

THE BEST QUARTER-MILER.

HIS OLYMPIC FAILURE.

(By

“Also Started.”)

Though he may still compete in club events, Stuart Black has decided that he will take no further part in championships. He had made this decision before he competed in the recent New Zealand championships at Wanganui. Competent, authorities consider Black the best quarter-miler that New Zealand has yet produced. He was at the top of his form at Auckland in 1932, when he - created his record of 48 3-5 seconds. This was .a brilliant effort, securing him a place in the team for the Olympic Games at Los Angeles that year. His failure to reproduce his form there will be discussed later. On his return to New Zealand he defended his title at Christchurch, where he defeated a strong field in good style. Last season he looked like being better than ever when a motor accident caused him to. ease up in his training at a critical st ige.

The reasons for his failure to reproduce his true form this season can he traced to the same cause that prevented him from producing his best at Los Angeles.. Continued hot weather has always taken a lot out of Black. It c; .uses him to become rather listless and unable to put any enthusiasm and dash into his training. This undoubtedly affected him on the American trip and was very apparent throughout the last three months. He could still muster up all his old pace f3fc about 300 yards but

his finish was absent. He simply could not go on. In the recent championships at Wanganui this was -most noticeable; he showed a great turn of speed until the straight was reached but had nothing in reserve when Bainbridge challenged. Nevertheless that splendid early burst had completely tied the rest of the field up and he had no difficulty in filling second place. Had there not been such an exceptionally hot summer it is quite possible that he would still have held the title. Still he is a great athlete and New Zealand crowds will long remember that long raking stride of his, and when fresh champions come along they will be compared with Stuart Black. Twenty years hence some of the “old timers” will be saying, “You should have seen Black when he was at the top of his form in 1932 and 33.”