ATHLETICS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17178, 23 October 1923, Page 4

ATHLETICS

11 By

"Half-Miler”

The Technical College and St Andrew’s College annual athletic sports were held on Friday on the grounds of the respective schools. Records were broken at each meeting, three being bettered at St Andrews and two at Technical College. The latter school possesses a very promising young athlete in E. J. Grafton, who broke two records and is virtually assured of the senior championship, which is not yet completed. Ho cleared sft in the high jump, raising the record by over three inches, and covered ISft in the long jump, which was eight inches better than the previous best mark. He is of the all-round type, as apart from these events he won the 120 yards hurdles championship easily in 16 2-ssec. This very fast time is accounted for by the fact that only six flights of hurdles were used, so that it is no criterion of Grafton’s pace over tho full complement of hurdles. He annexed tho half-mile in 2min 2-5 l-sses, fairly slow time for a secondary 7 school, and he also won a mile handicap in smin 29 2-bsec. In this race Grafton had to make his way round a field of about twenty boys, so that his win is all the more meritorious on that account. The cricket ball throw, 74yds 2ft lOJin, was a long way below the best cf other secondary schools in Christchurch. Tie 100 yards championship was won h.v H. O. Wilson in llsesc. Grafton also annexed the 220 yards championship, beating Wilson, the 100 yards title nolder, in 2osec.

Three records were lowered at St Andrew’s College sports and taking the standard all round, the school can be congratulated upon the very- fine performance recorded. The senior championship was won by R. J. Bagge with 10 points, D. M’Orosti'e being runnerup with 14 points. Bagge improved upon his own record in the 220 yards championship, running the distance in 24 2-ssec, beating his previous best time by 3-ssec. It. Andreae ran a great race in the 75 yards for prepara tory boys, recording 10 l-ssec, the previous record being 10 4-osec. The . third record was in the long jump championship, D. M’Crostie covering ISft llin, two inches more than the distance which gave him the school record last year. M’Orostie won the 100 yards in Usee, but had to lower his colours to R. J. Bagge in the 220 yards championship, which was run in record time. M’Crostie won the 120 yards hurdles in slow time. His school record, 16 4-ssee, was made last rear, but at Friday’s meeting 18 2-ssec was good enough to win the event. The mile championship was the race which decided the senior championship and both Baggo and M’Crostie competed in order to gain the much needed points. The pace for the first three laps was slow, the runners obviously taking each other’s measure. A 100 yards from home the pace quickened ar.d Bago-e beat M’Crostie by a yard in 6min 2 1-osec, which i.s extremely poor time tor a senior event. Tne 440 yards championship was won by England in 5/sec, equalling the school record made last year.

A* Auckland to-morrow n meeting will bo held with the object of forming a cash athletic society in that city.

Thirteen athletes from Christchurch went to Omihj yesterday and competed at the Omihi Sports and met with remarkable success- Out of eight races the Christchurch men secured first place on seven occasions. In the eighth event, the long jump, the first three places were filled by local athletes. All the events were for amateurs and they were all handicaps. The Christchurch men had to concede long starts and they proved themselves eqjual to the task. The track was very uneven and a stiff nor’-wester which aided the runners in the sprints retarded them in the middle distances. The final of the 100yds open handicap was run in 10 I—sseo off 7yds, and the 220yds handicap final in 23 4-ssec off 12yds. The effect of the strong wind is shown in the time 3 for the other distances as follows : —44oyds 63 3-osec. 880yds 2min 20sec and one mile orain 2osec-

T. Burrell, who gained first place in the 220yds and 880yds handicaps, was making his first appearance on the track and showed promising form. He should continue to train steadily and the races that he will receive-, in firstclass company, as the season progresses will do him a world of good. He lias tho makings of a fine sprinter.

C. M. Tates did %vc*ll at Omihi yesterday. He annexed the hop. step and jump and tho high jump and ran second in the 440yds handicap. In the last named race ho looked a winner on entering the straight but the hard wind beat him and ho made no effort to catch E- P. Booth, who eventually won Yates made himself very popular with the local spectators by his excellent running and jumping.

G. J. Lockwood obtained a second in the 100yds handicap. He was bandicapped on Siyds and obtained a secTbe at finll! ,C ivon 3 by J. 0_

G Austad. another maiden runner, “ir«t e 'run 'UtoSTS- and “v d ezzry: »i.o second in the half-tmle handicap but he judged his field much better the mil© race.

r • w Yates cleared sft in the high jump and 39ft 4in in the hop, step and jump at Omihi yesterday. Loth good efforts-

TUo first evening athletic meeting of the season will be held at Lancaster Park to-night week, when the C.A A.C. will bo in charge. The events will be as follows 120yds.handicap, half-mile handicap, long jump handicap and a 75yds race for boys.

A 220yds handicap, open to all amateur runners, will bo put on at the Y.Nt.C. A- sports at English Park on Saturday.

St Bede’s sports will be held on their own ground at Papanui on Thursday. An inter-secondary schools athletic‘contest has been arranged to take place on the St Bede's College eround to-morrow^ week. N. Harvey was unluckv at Omihi yesterdav. He was scratch man. or virtual scratch, in his heat of both the 100 and 220yds handicaps, and found the starts too solid. He also competed in the high jump, but without suo

A&hletes numbering 33.000 gathered in Paris recently for a three-day international gymnastics tournament. They represented 600 societies. France contributed 28,000 of them, the remaining 5000 coming from Holland. Belgium, Italy, Jugoslavia and Czecho-Siova-kia. They awakened the city on their arrival with their military music, chiefly from drums and bugles, as they marched to tho quarters in various public buildings.

Hannes Kolehmainen, who has quite a string of long distance records to his credit, and the world’s titles at 20,000 and 25,000 metres, is. reported to have stated that he intends to keep in active athletes until the Olympic Games in Paris next year. The great Finlander is now just over thirty, which is not too old for a champion over extended distances who has looked after himself. At the Ladysmith Athletic Club’s sports at Ladysmith, Natal, on August 18. D. A. R. Leathern again won the 880 yard 3 championship of Natal, while H. P. Kinsman secured the 220 yards in tho time of 21 3-ssec. Both these athletes are well known in New Zealand, having been members of the famous Springbok team of athletes which toured New Zealand a couple ot years ago.