AMERICAN RUNNER’S REQUEST AS TO RACE AT WANGANUI

Wanganui Chronicle, 21 January 1947, Page 3

AMERICAN RUNNER’S REQUEST AS TO RACE AT WANGANUI

K.Z. TRAINER AGREES TO HALF MILE, NOT 440 YARDS Partly because of the long trip over from the United States, but mainly because he has not yet had time to acclimatise himself to New Zealand and get used to the ’ grass tracks here—in America he I always ran on cinders—John FulI ton, middle distance runner at ( present touring New Zealand with the team of American athletes, through the team’s mani agcr (M?. Kitto, of Wellington), I has requested that the meeting between himself and Doug. IlarI ris( New Zealand middle distance champion, at Wanganui next Sa»» j urday night, bp half a mile ang not as originally arranged, 449 yards, Harris’s trainer has agreed to this request. Arrangements were made prior to the arrival in this country of the American team and so without their approval. The two champions met at Auckland on Saturday over 880 yards, where Harris defeated the visitor and it was arranged, that a shorter distance match would be seen at Wanganui. However, in spite of previous arrangements, and on the authority of Harris’s traiher (Mr. J, E. Beamlish), the, distance h»s been lengthened to half a mile. “Having complete confidence in my trainer, I leave all the decisions with regard to training to him.” said Harris in a telephoned statement to the

“Chronicle” yesterday, from Waiouru Camp. “My appearance w&s promised at Wanganui as long as two weeks ago, and the distance nominated was the 440. It is our intention that I should run that distance whether the American competed in the race or not, and as this is the distance set down by my trainer for me to run, he is the cnly person who can alter it.” “Doug. Harris has passed over to me the personal appeal to him by Mr. Kitto, manager oi the American athletic team, to change his race at Wanganui from the 410 yards to the 880 yards, as Johnny Fulton does not consider himself fit to run Harris at his pet distance at present. Harris has left the final decision to me,” said Mr. Beamish (Harris’s trainer), to the “Chronicle,” in a telephoned statement. “I am acceding to Mr. Kitto's appeal and Doug. Harris will run in the half-mile at Wanganui. This change-over in the schedule I had mapped out for Harris comes at a most inopportune time, but, knowing Doug. Harris for the fine sportsman he is, I know that in his usual unselfish w'ay he would rather have it this way-—even it it detrimentally affects my programme for him.” When the statements of Harris and his trainer were referred to the Wanganui Amateur Athletic officials last night it was pointed out that Harris had expressed himself as particularly keen to run against Fulton as often as possible, and over both the 880 and the 440 yards distances. Having won from Fulton in the half-mile at Auckland, Harris was all the more anxious to race over the shorter distance. Mr. Kitto, of Wellington, who is acting as manager for the Americans while in New Zealand, agrees with Fulton that he could not do himself justice so early in the tour over the 440 yards, and it is, therefore, very pleasing to note that the New Zealand and American champions will again meet in the special invitation halfmile at Wanganui, it was said. Fulton can be expected to take advantage of the better track conditions at Cook’s Gardens to endeavour to turn the tables on Harris.