ATHLETICS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19505, 5 February 1926, Page 4

ATHLETICS

AMERICAN ATHLETES IMPRESSIONS OF HAWERA FORM. WANGANUI COMPETITORS’ SUCCESSES. AIAITLAND BEATS HAHN IN QUARTER. The visiting American athletes, Jackson A r . Scholz, sprints champion, and Lloyd Hahn, distance champion, were seen out in action at the Hawera electric light carnival on Wednesday even ing, and they impressed the large crowd with their prowess in their respective departments, despite the fact that the track after recent rains was inclined to be on the heavy side. The style of running employed by the visitors forms a striking contrast to that of other athletes from the United States, .such as Kirksey, for instance, who have toured the Dominion. They have a comparatively short stride, but a particularly rapid, forceful and easy action. Their length of stride is apparently acquired as a result of indoor work in their own country. When Hahn and Rose, the New Zealand long distance champion, meet in the near future it will be interesting to note the difference in the two runners’ paces, and, if there is anything that, will trouble the American, it will be Rose’s tremendously long and plodding stride.

Scholtz was the first of the visitors to make his appearance, and in his heat, the first of the 100 yards handicap, he was called upon to concede as much as 11 yards to one competitor. An idea of his capabilities may be gauged by the fact that Wanganui’s best men were on the five yards mark. Scholz got out of the holes smoothly and splendidly, and had overhauled the field with the exception of Alaitland, fifteen yards from the tape. He finished with a great burslt of speed and beat the Wanganui man by a yard and a-half, in the good time for the track of 10.1-5 secs. In the final. Scholtz met men who had boon placed in the other three heats, and of this number five wore the Wanganui colours. The task set him was much harder, and his victory from Rosser (Wanganui), given out by the officials as a win for him by three yards, was doubtful. However the finish was so interesting and close that it mattered little, and the visitor had to go all out to win in even time. It was his meteoric finishing power over the last ten yards that told, and it was a brilliant effort that was deserving of the plaudits of the crowd. An indication of the strenuous nature of the race was given by Scholz himself, who remarked: “I like races with close finishes like that, although I don’t like running them too often.” Rosser, the Wanganui man who secured second place, was stood up nine yards by the champion, and ran a line race, as also did Kusden (Wanganui) off eight yards. 'L’he American was later seen out in the 220 yards handicap, and he wou his heat comfortably by two yards, although the limit men were out on twenty-five yards. Rosser (19 yards), the winner of the second heat, made the champion do his absolute best in the final. Running at the top of his form, Rosser wasted no time on the journey, and the visitor had to fling himself at the tape to win by inches. Torrens (Patea) also ran a splendid race, and was third a similar distance away. The time, 22 1-5, was good for the heavy track, although it was l-sth of a second slower than the first heat, run in even time.

Halin was equally as impressive as his companion on the tour, despite the fact that it was well known that he has not been in the best of condition of late. Great interest centred in the half mile distance event when he made his debut, but owing to the lighting a good view could not be gained of the start. The visitor shot out well from the start and quickly commenced to overtake the field, striding very short round the back straight. He appeared to be tied up, but improved his stride as the race progressed. O’Grady (Patea) 75 yards was striding well out in front, while Gilmour (New Plymouth) 25 yards maintained a good lead the first time round. Hahn overtook the bulk of the field going round the back straight the second time, and, coining into the straight for the final run, was in the lead, with Gilmour in close attendance. The visitor finished with plenty of dash and took the tape in the credited time of 1.56 1-5, which is 1 3-sth secs better than the New Zealand record established by D. A. Leathern, of South Africa, a good fifteen yards ahead of Gilmour. O’Grady was a few yards back third, while the remainder of the big field were close oji his heeds.

Hahn did not appear in the mile, and apparently reserved himself for the quarter, which provided a great race between him and Maitland (10 yards), of Wanganui. The latter, although placed in the 220 heats, did not compete in the final of that event, also reserving himself for the longer race. Maitland conceded a yard to Gilmour (New Plymouth), who dead-heated with Hahn when he competed at Auckland, but the New Plymouth man was never to be seriously contended with. From ‘the pistol Alaitland went off at top and took every advantage of his handicap. He appeared to leave the backmarkers standing going round the back, and Hahn if anything dropped back from him slightly. The Wanganui athlete ran right round the field and maintained his strong stride throughout. Ho led into the straight and took the tape a good three ystrds ahead of the American. It was a great effort on the part of Maitland, who is just striking his old form again. O’Grady (Patea) 37 yards was third. The competitors received a great ovation. The time recorded for the event was 50 4-ssecs.

The Wanganui Clubs wore strongly represented in ail the events, and had it not been for them the Americans would have had easy victories all along the line. As it was the bulk of the places in the principal events were filled by wearers of the blue and black. A. Telfar did not do as well as was expected, and his chances of victory in the JOO yards handicap were spoilt by the starter putting him back a yard fur a small breach, which he was forced to take in order to protect himself. He ran well in the 200 yards West Coast Championship event, however, which he won comfortably in 21 3-ssecs. Results of interest locally are as follows: —

100 yards Handicap. —First heat: J. V. Scholz (America) scr. 1, C. F. Maitland (Wanganui) syds. 2. Time 10 1-5 secs. Second heat: Rosser (Wanganui) 9yds. 1, S. Shore (Hawera) Syds. 2. Time 10 2-ssecs. Third heat: I. Richards (Hawera) 10yds 1, G. Broad

(Wanganui) 7yds. 2 Time 10 2-ssecs. Fourth heat: W. Rusden (Wanganui) Syds. 1, J. Broad (Wanganui) 10yds. 2. Time 10 2-ssecs. Final: J. V. Scholz 1, Rosser 2, W. Rusden 3. Time lOsecs. 880 yards Handicap.—Lloyd Hahn (America) scr. 1. C. Gilmour (New Plymouth) 25yds. 2, P. O’Grady (Patea) 75yds. 3. Time 1.56 l-ssecs. 120 yards Hurdles.—Final: G. Broad syds. 1, A. Newell (Hawera) Byds (1 hurdle down) 2. Won by a good yard. High Jump.—A. Newell (Hawera) sft. 3Ain. 1, W. Rusden (Bin.) sft. Bin. 220 yards Handicap.—First heat: J. V. Scholz (America) scr. 1, J. J. Norris (New Plymouth) 12yds. 2. Time 22 secs. Second heat: C. E. Rosser (Wanganui) 19yds. .1, C. F. Maitland (Wanganui) 11yds. 2. Time 22 2-ssecs. Third heat: W. Rusden (Wanganui) 19yds. 1, L. Torrens (Patea) 19yds. 2. Time 22 3-ssecs. Final: J. V. Scholz 1, C. E. Rosser 2, L. Torrens 3. Time 22 l-ssec. One Mile Handicap.—H. Telfer (Hawera) 210yds. 1, C. Gibbons (Marton) 70yds. 2, 11. Collins (Hawera) 200yds. 220yds Secondary School Handicap: C. Spriggens (Y.M.C.A. Wanganui) 1. Time 23 4-ssecs. Three Mile Handicap.—K. Johnston (Wanganui) 350yds. 1, A. A. Rumball (Hawera) 210yds. 2, C. Gibbons (Marton) 130yds. 3. Johnston ran a splendid race, and maintained his lead throughout. Only four competitors finished out of a large field. Johnston finished with a fine sprint and won by the length of the straight. Gibbons was handicapped out of the event. Timo 15.24 2-ssecs.

440 yards Handicap.—C. Maitland (Wanganui) 10yds. 1. Ilahn (America) scr. 2, P. O’Grady (Patea) 37yds. 3. Time 50 4-ssecs. 200 yards West Coast Championship. —A. Telfar (Wanganui) 1, J. J. Norris (New Plymouth) 2. Time 21 3-ssecs. Y.M.C.A. EVENING MEETING ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL FIXTURE ; The Wanganui Y.M.C.A. Athletic ! Club conducted another successful even ing meeting on Cook’s Gardens last evening. i’he track was in good order, though dead after yesterday s rain, and tho competitors in the sprint event had the wind in their laces. {Some excellent finishes were provided in both the cycling and running events, which resulted as follows: 100 Yards Handicap.—First heat: R. Hall (11yds) 1, K. Taylor (6yds) 2, A. Heibner (6yds) 3. Timo 10 3-ssec. Also started: A, Telfar (Byds), E. A. Brown (4yds), J. Broad (7yds), B. Clark (11yds) and T. Wylie (Byds). Second hdat: N. Watt (11yds) 1, J. Pawson (Byds) 2, C. Maitland (3yds) 3. Time 10 4-ssec. Also started: W. Rusden (4yds), A. Darby (syds), W. Mitchell (siyds), A. Fox (7yds), E. Morgan (10yds) and Ford (6yds). Final.—R. Hall 1, K. Taylor 2, N. Watt 3. Time 10 3-ssec. Inches separated the placed men. One Mile Handicap.—K. Johnston (70yds) 1, J. Pawson (50yds) 2, F. McLean (140yds) 3. Time 4.42 3-5. Also started: J. Broad (140yds), B. Clark (160yds), and T. Wylie (120yds). A great finish was provided. Pawson got up to the limit men, but was beaten in tho race up the straight by Johnston by about two yards. A similar distance separated second and third. Ono Mile Cycle Handicap.—C. Ericssno (scr) 1, A. White (30yds) 2, L. ( Couch (scr) 3. Time 2.16 4-5. Also i started: Keith Gray (scr), Lan Boss ' (scr), L. Wakeley (20), L. Moorchouse , (50), G. Rollcrson (110), E. Taylor 1 (130), and W. Mosen (140). A great H finish resulted, two lengths separating | the placed men each way.