ATHLETIC TITLES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20231, 15 February 1934, Page 11

ATHLETIC TITLES.

Great Races Promised at N.Z. Championships. PROSPECTS FOR MEETING. Performances of a standard unsurpassed in the Dominion are expected at the New Zealand athletic championship meeting to be held to-morrow and Saturday on the Basin Reserve, Wellington. From form shown at the provincial meetings the Canterbury representatives should be well to the fore over distances from 100 yards to three miles. Although finance has hampered the Canterbury Athletic Centre a strong team will be sent away, all the members of which will pay a portion of their expenses, while some athletes will go to Wellington at their own expense. J. B. MacFarlane, the Old Boys sprinter, should retain his title over 220 yards, but over the 100 yards he will meet with opposition from A. J. Elliot (Auckland) if the latter has recovered from a recent leg injury. MacFarlane will be favourite, however, as he is at the top of his form. T. G. Broadway and D. F. Anderson, Canterbury, will no doubt make a great race of the 440yds with S. Black, West Coast, North Island. Black is reported to be back to form after his accident, but Broadway -has a good chance of beating him. The 880yds should be a good thing for Broadway and it would not be surprising to see him lower the Dominion record of lmin 54 4-ssec. The 440yds record of 48 4-ssec has also a fair prospect of toppling. Great Mile in Prospect. The mile should see a great race, for C. H. Matthews, Technical, has never been in better form. Wilson, a young Aucklander, may cause a surprise, however, for he beat J. W. Savidan at the Auckland championships in 4min 27 2-osec. Wilson has not yet run in open company. Savidan will be a hard man to beat in the three-mile event, though G. H. Watson, the Canterbury man, is expected to give a good account of himself on his recent times. L. C. Woodward, Technical, should make a race of the 120yds hurdles with his time of 16 2-ssec at the local championships, although I. O. Manson, of Invercargill, who won the Otago hurdles title by 15 yards in 16 l-osec, may be a hard man to beat. F. W. Milner, who had the bad luck to fall at the last hurdle when leading for the Canterbury title, also has a good chance. The 220yds hurdles event is no certainty, but oil times F. A. Finlayson (Auckland) has the best chance, though E. Holder (Westport) shows much promise. A. T. Anderson (Canterbury), holder of the. 440yds hurdles title and record-breaker last year, has a good prospect of retaining his championship, but he will have to go hard to beat the other Canterbury man, Nelligan. As far as the field events are concerned P. Munro (Wellington) and A. A. Cameron (Otago) should have some great contests. Canterbury has a good chance of winning the relay again, while Miss F. Gudsell may collect the women’s 100yds title for Canterbury. As was the case last year, prospects are that Canterbury will amass a large number of points in the running events, but will fall off in the field competitions. As occurred previously, however, tjje total collected in the racing may give the province the championship shield once more. Present Title-holders.

Following are the present titleholders:— 100yds and 220yds, J. B. Macfarlane (Canterbury). 440yds, S. A. Black (West Coast, North Island). 880yds, T. G. Broadway (Canterbury). Mile, J. G. Barnes (Otago). Three miles, J. W. Savidan (Auckland). Pole vault, J. W. Batstone (Canterbury) . Putting the Shot, P. Munro (Wellington). 120yds hurdles, G. M’Gregor (Canterbury). 440yds hurdles, A. T. Anderson (Canterbury). Mile walk, J. Driscoll (Wellington). High jump, T. J. Crowe (Wellington) . Throwing the javelin, R. Creeser (Otago). Throwing the hammer, M. Spillane (Otago). Hop, step and jump, A. A. Cameron (Otago). Relay, Canterbury. Women’s 100yds, Miss N. Wilson (Wellington). Canterbury are at present holders of the New Zealand championship shield, having won the trophy at Christchurch last year after Wellington had held it since 1914. Canterbury have -won the shield nine times since it was first competed for at the 1889-90 meeting. Wellington have held the trophy twentytwo times, Auckland six times, Otago twice and Southland once.