ATHLETICS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 1, 2 January 1936, Page 5

ATHLETICS

Bv

•• MERCURY."

On Boxing Day a large number of runners and cyclists from the Wanganui Amateur Athletic and Cycling Chib ( journeyed to Patca to compete at the annual sports held there. Au enjoyable day was spent by all and the Wanganui boys gained a fair share of the honours for the day. Bidwell won the half-mile and two- ' mile cycle handicaps and was second in the five-mile event. He rode very well on this uneven track, but be was very favourably handicapped. Hansen and Anderson could nol handle the uneven grass track and have signified their intention in future to stick to asphalt tracks. In the running section, Burgess won the ]OO off nine yards, AlcCashin won the 440 off 25 yards and IDwyer won the 880 yards and one mile handicaps. ■ 'The best performance of the day was Dwyer’s winning both the half mile and one mile events. So well did he win that it will be necessary in future events to shorten his handicaps considerably to even matters up. An open meeting will he held on January 15 and it is hoped that com- ' petitors will again be attracted to the meeting from Levin. Feilding, Palmerston North and Taihape. Davidson showed a return to his true form by winning the mile event with comparative ease. With due application to serious training this competitor would become a first-class cyclist. ; Ii is the intention of the programme committee to have two B grade cycling events on lhe programme. 'This should have the effect of cutting dov n , the A grade fields considerably and provide more even racing. Races of 75 and 1)0 yards are also being provided for women competitors and it. is hoped that, the Levin girls will once, more make, the trip. Perhaps a ladv runner or two may come i from Martun. On January 25 members of lhe Wanganui Ulub will journey to Wellington to compete against the Wellington and Kiwi Clubs. The visit will be returned • by the Wellington and Kiwi Clubs on February 8. Great interest will be displayed this year in the triangular contests as the racing will be all from scratch and the competitors will be graded into two classes. Il will be interesting to see how Wanganui athletees compare with those of the Wellington province. In conjunction with the running contests on February 8 next an open cycling meeting will be held and it is hoped that a good muster of Wellington cyclists will compete. Arrangements have been made by the council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association with lhe New Zealand Broadcasting Board to have athletic coaching talks given on the nights of January 7, 14, 21 and 28, from 7.40 p.m. to 8 p.m. All centres and clubs are urged to notify their members in order that the lectures will be heard by as many athletes as possible. It: is hoped Io arrange for a further series of talks at a later date. With a long splinter of wood in one of his iocs Gerald Backhous, Victorian middle-distance champion. ran the half-mile in the fastest time of the day, Jmin, 59 1 ssec., in inter /lub athletic competition at. Olympic Park, Melbourne. Before the race Backhouse had complained of the soreness of his toe, but decided to rare for St. Stephen’s against Ivanhoe. Although he led the Held al a fast gait and won by JU yards, he never appeared to be running comfortably. He was hobbling after the race, and when the ambulance officials examined his foot thev found the splinter in the toe and said that it probably had been there ior months. Backhouse had had trouble with lhe loe for a long time. 'The first definite steps io the org’ i isation of the British Empire Game*, which will be held in Sydney early in 1938, were taken at a re<ent conference of lhe executive in Sydney. 'T’.p.executive lias framed a tentative programme for submission to the full council in Melbourne on March 14. 1936. If approved lhe programme will be submitted to the conference of the British Empire Games Federation Berlin this year. The programme is the same as that of the Games wiii-ii were held in England in 1934, with two important changes. Rowing and sculling have been added and bowls has been deleted. Applications by the New South Wales Basketball Association and the Ski Association of New South Wales for permission to include events at the Games have been referred to the Government celebrations committee. 'The sports included on the programme are: Athletics (men and women), swimming (men and women), cycling, boxing and wrestling, rowing and sculling. Hop. step and jumping of a brilliance never before seen in Australia was displayed by J. I’. Metcalfe (University) and B. C. Dickenson (St. George), on the second 'lay of the New South Wales championships at lhe Syd--1 ney Sports Ground. Metcalfe improved on the existing world’s record of 51ft. 7in., set up at the .1932 Olympic Games by the Japanese, C. Nainbu. In a triple leap of 51ft. 9 3-Bin., Metcalfe rose to great heights in spring, balance, co-ordination of h s whole body in one aim, and, most important of all, in maintaining momentum. Although the present, official world's record for the hop, step and jump i--51ft. 7in., two Japanese, Oshima and Harada, have both achieved distances superior to both the present world’s figure and Metcalfe's leap on Saturday. Harada’s 52ft. and Oshima’s 52ft. Bin., are at the moment awaiting latification bv the International Athletic Federation. Nevertheless, Metcalfe’s achievement will be forwarded for recognition, since there may possible be irregularities in the conditions under which the Japanese leaps were made.