A SENSATIONAL RACE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7508, 16 September 1902, Page 1

A SENSATIONAL RACE.

r At Stamford Bridge, on the evening of July 21, waa held a fifteen-mile race promoted by tho London Athletic Club for the purpose of giving Alfred Shrubb, Jong-dristauoe champion of England, an opportunity to lower the existing reoord for that distance. The event produced a curious conltretemp"-, for, though Shrubb proved equal to the task of lowering the previous be3fc time by nearly two minutes, another competitor, F. Appleby, went one better by beating the champion at the finish, after making the running throughout. On a former occasion Appieby had, in a fifteen-mile race, beaten Shrubb, but the latter, who at that time • sustained his first defeat, was suffering from lameness. Appleby, who is a stripling weighing 'but 7»t 12.1>, -.as nob yet attained his majority, and beat "W. P. Simpson, the New Zealander, for second place. in the Four-mile English Championship, won by Shrubb. In the record attempt under notice he forced the pace from the outset, and in the final lap sprinted away from Shrubb and won by forty yards. From twelve miles and a quarter to fifteen inclusive he lowered world's amateur record-, his time for the full distance being lhr _omin . 8-ssec, as against. 4hr 2_min 15 2-ssec, the previous record established by . 8. Thomas at the same grounds on April 9, 1892. Of the stern yet magnificent) struggle between Appleby and Shrubb a London writer says: — "'lt was a race ifcat will live in sporting history as the acme of greatness; indeed, the pen fails in an attempt to do rt justice."