ATHLETICS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17012, 10 April 1923, Page 2

ATHLETICS

By

"Half-Miler"

The last athletic meetftig of the season will take place at Hinds on Saturday, the programme consisting of cosh and amateur events, and a few field events and cycle races. It is expected that several amateur runners from Christchurch will he competing. Entries for the amateur events close tonight with Mr M. Farrell, of Ashburton.

eon ' I>>d , d - y ho won the 100 yards and - I * l yards handicaps at the Waikari sports oil Easter Monday, was making bis first appearance on the running track this season. He has the makings or a very fine sprinter-

The Canterbury- Centre has received from the New Zealand Conned the sum of £7O, -which was Canterbury’s guarantee for the visit of the American athletes to Christchurch. As thev did not come hero the money has been refunded.

As far os I know, nothing has yet been done by the C.A.A.C. in regard to cleaning up various matters which require consideration. The head officials should call a meeting of members tor the purpose of doing this. Xew Zealand University athletic championships, which were held at Dunedin on Easter Monday, were a decided success from a spectacular point of view, despite boisterous weather conditions. The athletic shield was won by Otago University with 17 points, and the success of the southerners was to a great extent due to the excellent performance of A. E. Porritt, who won four of the events —the 100 yards in lOsec, 220 yards in 23sec (heat in 22 4-osec). 120 yards hurdles iu 161-Ssec, and broad jump 22ft. These performances stamp him as a real champion, and great things are expected of him when he. goes to Oxford this year. Black came into his own at last by winning the quartermile in 5-51-Ssec, which, however, is far below bi« best time for the distance. He was second to Porritt- in the 220 yards championship, but was unplaced in the. 100 yards. Tt becomes more and more evident that if Black would confine himself to furlongs and quarters he would attain a higher place in the athletic world of Canterbury or New Zealand than he occupies at- present. The disappointment of the meeting was undoubtedly the performances of Buckhurst, of Canterbury. He was

expected to win the high jump and broad jump ; but some doubt was entertained about his being able to beat Porritt in the 120 yards hurdles- As it happened. Buckhurst was sadly below form, and he did not win one event. His oft 4in in the high jump, which gave him second place, was a, very poor effort for a. man who has done oft lOin, and who when in form experiences no difficulty in doing sft 7in or oft Bin. On his form last season he should have beaten Porritt in the long jump, even although the latter won at 22ft. Porritt was known to have

improved in his hurdling, and in tha race he gained steadily from the start, and won by two yards. Calder was selected chiefly, if not solely, for the 440yds hurdles, and he justified his conclusion by winning decisively in 649ec. It would have been poor time under favourable conditions, but is accountable from the fact that a strong wind was blowing, and the air was very cold. Calder holds the inter-'varsity record of •58 4-osec for this event. C. E. Low did remarkably well to gain second place in the shot-putting. It was a most promising performance for a man quite new to this particular branch of field event. Low certainly did a bit oi shot -putting while at 8.H.5., but it was in flat races that he specialised in. Hi? 33ft llin was good under the circumstances. The winner, Kingston, did 36ft- 2in, and also won the hammer* throwing with 110 ft 4in. Griffin’s twa wins, in the half and mile, were noteworthy, but the times were well below his best. He took 4min 42 4*osec to cover the mile and 2min 5 3*ssec fof the 880yds. Webber won the three milcs in 16min 28sec. He wa.s never pressed, and this, in conjunction with th« strong wind, no doubt accounts for the slow time. Otago has a very fine walk er in J. A. C. M’Kenzie, who won the one mile in 7min lOsec, which is with it 4sec of A. B. Sfevwright's inter-Varsitj record. He should put up a record in this event next year if he maintains hi* form.

At the Napier B.H.S. sports recently M. Beuth broke the cricket ball throw, ing record of the school with 102y® 2fl 3in. G. R. White also broke a record, clearing 40ft 6in for the hop, step and jump, a remarkable effort.

James Hatton, a British long-dif* t-ance runner with high credentials, baarrived in Sydney with a view t-o settling there. Last year he won the international four miles title in 26miV» 43sec against representatives from England, Scotland and Ireland, and also tho

5000 metres and ten miles champion* ship ot Belgium, the latter iu 53mia 43seo. He was a member of the 1920 British Olympic games team, and if he reproduces form in Australia it is quite possible that he will again be selected.

The French Academy of Sports has awarded its Grand Prix of 10.000 for this year to Lucien Gaudin, fencing champion of France. Geo Andre, tbs cinder track champion and all-round athlete, was awarded tho Grand Prix oi Athletisme. Gold medals were voted to Maneyrol, record-breaker in motorless flight, and to Andre Mourlon, the long-distance runner.

Australia will be represented by a three-man track team at the Swedish international championships, this in response to a pressing invitation from the * Swedish authorities. Ttie team, which consists of E. W. Can* and K. Rowling, of Sydney, and D. . Gale and W. E. M'Millan. both of Melbourne University.