Champion Runners and Cyclists Will Be Seen At Big Meeting.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18332, 8 December 1927, Page 3

Champion Runners and Cyclists Will Be Seen At Big Meeting.

SOME THRILLING FINISHES ARE EXPECTED IN CONTESTS FOR N.Z. ATHLETIC TITLES.

(Written for the “ Star ”by “ SAPPER.”) THE New Zealand Athletic Championships, which commence at Eancaster Park to-morrow afternoon, should produce the finest meeting of the series. In practically every section the standard is high, and each province is strongly represented. Wellington, of course, cannot be defeated for the Shield, but will receive strong individual challenge in several events.

In dealing with the sprints it may T>e said that never in the history of the championships has such a classic field been entered for the 100 and 220. and this also holds good in the hurdle and distance events. M. Leadbetter, the present 100 and 220 yards national champion. w o n these titles last • year at Auckland j in 9 4-ssec and 22 ; 3-ssec respectively. He is just now running very well, having negotiated the 100 in even time. Auckland is i represented by A. J. Elliot, a really brilliant sprinter. Elliot was second in last year’s 100. C. Jenkins, of Wellington, is one of the most formidable of Leadbetter’s challengers and should go well, especially in the furlong. He has also returned even time for the shorter distance, but will no doubt be seen to better advantage in the 220. J. T. Fleming, also of Wellington, is a strong 220 runner, who has not produced his last year’s form. When properly wound up. he must be given a good chance. Taranaki has produced a good sprinter in S. A. Black, of New Plymouth, who recently went a hundred in 10 l-ssec in the Wanganui-Taranaki

championships. lie is young, and needs championship experience to be really formidable. One of the most- improved men hereabouts is A. B. C lark, who has shown the benefit of strict adherence to training. On form Leadbetter should be

hardest to beat in both events, with Elliot handy in the 100 and Jenkins In the furlong. As this trio have each done even time, a great race can be expected in the 100. H. D. Morgan is the Otago champion, having won the title last Saturday. He is a strong runner with much championship experience and should be more at home in the hurdle events.

Middle Distance Fields. Last year Fleming won the national quarter in 50sec dead, a notable performance for a New Zealander, H. E. Newton, of Wanganui, being second. Newton had already been credited with 50 1-osec, so both men may be considered outstanding, and sfiould ,bc prominent in this year's struggle. The Wellington man has, however, not been at his best of late and in a scratch quarter field recently, had to be content to a third to F. R. Ramson in 51 4-ssec. At Wanganui on Saturday night, he beat Newton by inches in 51 sec. Newton is coming up to his usual form at this time of the year, and will no doubt run attractively on the day. Black, the New Plymouth boy, won the Wanganui title in 51 2-ssec. and is a coming champion at this distance. Canterbury has no outstanding quarter-milers at the moment. C. L. Allen has possibilities, but is hardly capable of running under 51sec —time that will win. Auckland will be represented by J. L. M’Cov, F. Nesdale. and J. Watt. The former is the present Auckland title holder, while Nesdale is better known as a hurdler and Watt as a half-miler. This event is very open. Classy Field in Half. The present champion. Olsen (Dunedin), won last year nicelv in lmin 59sec, and is reported to be running well a-t the moment. With L. C. M’Laughlari he will be Otago's representative. Olsen has been doing verv well in sprint distance and should be full of running. M’Lachlan is a son of the old-time champion. “ Lachie ” M'Lachlan. Perhaps 0. B. Allan, the Victoria College runner, is the best 880 man in the country to-dav. he having done the distance in 2min at a recent electric light meeting in Wellington. Guy Nicholl is the best of our local halves. He won the Canterbury trial in 2min 2sec, and looked as if he could go better, so strongly did he run. He would be hard to beat if he could get a good position, but as the field is likely to be big. generalship will be needed. J. S. Watt is the Auckland hope, but he has not done much better than 2min 3sec. However, on the day he ir.av be seen to advantage, as he is an improving runner. Newton (Wanganui) already referred to. is a dogged finisher and will be in the hunt if he is one of the first three entering the straight. The winner should come from Allan. Nicholl, Newton or Olsen, but there may be surprises.

Best Reid Ever. The mile championship will be run at the Stadium on Saturday evening, and should be the classic event of the meeting. Never before has such

a talented array of runners been seen out. Randolph Rose needs no introduction, and if in his usual good form should win. So far this season he has not shown us anything outstanding, but by running a mile recently in under 4min 30sec. he proved that he may go just as well as ever. J. W. Savfcdan, of Auckland, the present champion, is also going very well, and besides running nice times for the mile, is winning quarters off short marks in fast tirrtq. It is not too much to say that a 4min 20sec mile is within his capabilities. It bo remembered that the finish of \ last year’s mile! ended in C. Gibbons, of Wanganui, breasting the tape in 4min 25sec, after 1 a collision with Savidan. Gibbons was disqualified, and the race awarded to the Aucklander. Gibbons unfortunately has been unable to reproduce his form, but may come up to it on the day. G. Bayne and A. D. Priestly, of Wellington, are other starters. Priestly is the N.Z. Universities champion, and holder of the record in 4min 26 4-ssec. Of our local men, E. B. Taylor, though short of training, is the best. He has only been out a few weeks, and is improving rapidly. He ran Priestly to a few yards in the University mile. Rose must be considered to have a great chance in both mile and three-mile, but Savidan will be handy at the finish, and may run a great race over the" shorter distance. Savidan is the present long-distance and cross-country champion, and went to Adelaide this "‘year for the Australasian cross-country- championship, running second to George Hyde, of Victoria. Hurdles.

New Zealand is fortunate to-day in having two such fine hurdlers in R. Lander and J. Ramson, of Wellington. Since Harry Wilson retired with a

record for the 120 hurdles of 15 l-sscc, most people thought that we would hardly produce another like him—yet here we have two men capable of doing- his time. Lander won the title last year in 15 l-ssec, while Ramson has done 15 2-ssec. D. Morgan, of Otago, has had victories over Lander, but strong hurdler as he is, he is handicapped by his style while his opponents have the straight legged gait. .T. W. Shirley is to wear Auckland’s colours. and is a former champion. He has hardly the speed to beat Lander or Ramson. The quarter hurdles should provide a thrilling struggle. Frank of Auckland, a former champion, is endeavouring to regain his previous form, and is capable of a 60sec effort. Ramson is such a strong runner over the flat that he must be near at the business end. while Dave Morgan, holder of the University record, is a determined man and very h*ard to beat. Coming Champions. For some time past the powers that be have been considering the question of walking. It has been said that owing to diversity of style and variety of ideas in judging, walking has become a farce. To-day .we have a number of heel -and toe artists in the Dominion as promising as anything we have had in the past. G. S. Cabot, of Otago, is an outstanding Walker capable of doing a 6min 40sec mile. Unhappily he has not been able to show his best form, and will not be a starter. A Wellington walker. W. Lankey, of Petone, looks like collecting the titles. He recently went a 6min 43sec mile—good enough to win the mile nine times out of ten. Hawera has a promising walker in Dr Wills, a school boy, who did the distance in 7min Ssec. Another accomplished walker is D. Jackson, of Napier, bolder of the University record. but he will not be a starter.

The Canterbury aspirants to the title are C. M’Kenzie and F. Delury. Both have good styles, but need experience. R. 11. Cabot, a younger brother of the champion/will wear Otago’s colours. He recently went a mile in 6miu 38sec off the 100 yards mark, and should Win points for his province.

Field Events. The field events have drawn very large entries, and the standard should be higher than in any previous year. The high jump should see the 6ft mark equalled, or bettered for the first time. G. Sceats of Wellington, has been doing sft 10m and sft llin regularly, and given good conditions must do better. E G. Sutherland, who represented t h e Union of South Africa in the last Olympic Games,

his best this year is sft lOin. K. Neville, the Technical' boy, is the best of our local jumpers. He has been trying the American “roll,” which should improve him several inches. He should gain a place in this championship. Shirley (Auckland) has previously performed well in this event, though of late he has not shown outstanding form.

The hop. step and jump championship will be fought out between Shiriey and Sutherland. Shirley holds the New Zealand record at 47ft 43m, while the Wellington man has almost approached this mark.

The long jump is generaly the easiest event to win in the championship, and this year is no exception. The performances throughout the Dominion have not been unusual and Sutherland and’Shirley may also be the hardest to beat. G. P. Bradford, of Canterbury, showed great promise last year by jumping 21ft lOin. He is short of training this year, but sometimes strikes the board well to do a good jump. W. J. Batstone, of Canterbury, # is the pole vault * champion of the Dominion. lie can generally do about 10ft 6in, and will do about lift on the day. Owing to the extra* training required there are few participants in this event, and so Sutherland, a wonderful all-rounder, generally manages to pick up points for second place.

In the javelin throw, the Dominion has a great exponent in Stanley Lay, of Hawera. lie holds thff Australasian record at 205 ft llSin, and is still improving. 11 is average throw is generally in the region of 185 ft, which distance has won the American title on numerous occasions. Sc-eats and Suth-

crland are the next best in the country, but have no chance with Lay. Peter Munro has a mortgage on the shot-putting event. When he performed here at the championships in 1921, he hung up a new record of 46ft (Bin. Without much effort he can put the shot over 40ft. D. Brown, also of Wellington,' is regarded as the second shot putter and has won points for his province on several occasions. Our best local exponent is G. T. Alley—the All Black forward—who should do over 36ft. Munro is also an adept at throwing that ancient Grecian implement—the discus. He holds the Australasian record and could considerably improve on this figure if he were to concentrate. L. Hunt, of Hawera, who is also Lay's mentor, is most efficient with the discus and should gain second place.J. W. M’Holm, o'f Lyttelton, former holder of the Australian hammerthrowing record, is just now performing very well. His effort of 143 ft at Ensor’s Road at the trials was a good one. W. Harvey, of Masterton, won the Australasian title in Brisbane with a good throw, and is a good even match for the Canterbury man. However, a new star has risen in the south, J. G. Leckie, of Otago University, last Friday threw the hammer over 147 f t—-a great performance. On Saturday • last at Dunedin, he threw over 148 ft, the finest performance a New Zealander.

The Dominion is just now well endowed with big men, so our prospects at the. Australasian championships must be considered very bright.

The Cycling Championships. Wheelmen from all parts of the Dominion will be seen in the finals of the cycling championships, set down for decision at the Stadium on Saturday night. The heats will be run off in the morning", so the racing at night will be thrilling. The Auckland province will be represented by M. PByrnes, a Grammar School boy, * who has been showing splendid form, and J. H. Wade. The W anganui-T aran aki men are L. Wakely and I. Ross. It is thought in Christchurch that these two will be more at home than the other visitors, as

their track at Cooks Gardens is well

banked. Ross won the mile championship at Wanganui recently, while Wakely won the other events. Wellington has three representatives in T. Oakley, A. Horsefall and D. M’Fedries. Oakley is the present champion and is very much at home on grass tracks. Horsefall and M’Fedries are showing good form, but are not likely to be formidable on the Stadium track. The Canterbury men, F. Grose, K. Nankivill and A. Day, have been riding most attractively and must bo given a great chance. Their knowledge of the track should be an advantage.

l'hc ladies’ championship will he strenuously contest- , ed, Miss Wilson comes down from Gisborne with a . good reputation for speed. Miss Swinburne and Miss Collins, of Wellingl ton, are reputed to be in good form. Canterbury have three good performers in the Misses Boyd, Milichamp and Maxwell. Though Wellington

beat the local team in the relay in their last match, the Canterbury team should this time per form much better, especial!}' in hand ling the batten. Altogether the meeting should be a great success, with good fields and firstclass performances.