ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume V, Issue 234, 17 January 1895, Page 2

ATHLETICS.

Training is again in full swing on the Domain track, and early morning sees several of our chosen representatives preparing themselves for the forthcoming struggle at Napier, though very little interest is taken in the matter by the many other athletes who failed to gain a place when the Selection Committee named the favoured ones. This lack of interest seems rather pity, as we haveseveral good men who, putting in a challenge, would probably have met with favourable consideration at the hands of the Selection Qommittee, as though they would perhaps fail to prove themselves better, or even equally as good, performers as those chosen, they might be sent down to strengthen the team, as the club can well afford to increase the number, as matters, financially speaking, are in a very healthy state, and the stronger the team the better our chances of bringing the much - coveted championship banner North. . The team selected to do battle for Wellington at the forthcoming Championship Meeting at Napier are : —IOO and 250 Yards : Nathan, Patrick, L. Harley, S. Richardson. Quarter and Half Mile : Stuart, Harley, Dodwell. One and Three Mile Walk : Talbut. Hurdles: Turnbull, R. Gore, F. Harley. . Jumps: R. Gore, Turnbull, Bailey, Richardson. Pole Jump : Kingsley. On the whole the chosen twelve must be looked upon as dangerous, though I incline to the opinion that they will require to be all out if they are going to hold their own with the men we are sending to Napier, starting with the quartette who are called upon to uphold the reputation of the Empire City in the 100 and 250 yards events, I cannot see a man amongst them who can break 10 sec off the mark, one of their best pertormers being Patrick, who at the Wel-

• lington Amateur Athletic Club’s recent meeting cut out the 100 yards off the * 4yds mark in the very creditable time of of lOsec. But this will hardly win the 100 yards at the Championship Meeting, as Alf. Jones, if “cherry ripe,” will with anything like a start, be clocked at a very trifling matter over 101-5 sec, if not in 10 l-ssec dead, which may even then prove a trifle too slow for Hempton- if the champion (who, I understand will take part) be at his best. In the longer distance, the 250 yard, which, by the way, takes place on the first day of the gathering, Wellington will be represented by the same men, and they will need to look to their laurels if they are going to meet the judge s eye before Jones, who negotiated the distance on our grass track in the respectable time of 26sc, which will doubtless be improved on at Napier ; and in this event I would not be surprised to see Alf. get in ahead of Hempton. In the Quarter and Half Mile events Stuart and Dodswell will do battle for the windy city, and, as everyone knows, they will need to show a very tidy turn' of foot if they are going to hold their own with the formidable array of well - performed middle distance runners the local body has chosen to go into training, though we cannot afford to hold this trio too light. Talbut is the only man on whom the Wellington body can look to carry their colours to victory in the One and Three Mile Walks; and if Brady and Creamer are up to form, his chance reads much on. a par with that of the well known “ Buckley,” despite his having gained the standard at the club’s recent meeting. Coming to the “ stick ” events, viz., the 120 and 440 yards Hurdles, Turnbull, Gore, and F. Harley are the selected of of the Wellington Committee ; and if they are to place the points appertaining to this event to the credit of their province, they must do better than W. H. Martin and T. Roberts, the latter of whom (Roberts) was on the verge of lowering the record down South last year when he met with an accident. In the jumps I cannot say as much to the credit of Auckland as in the various other events, and if Gore, of Wellington, can equal his splendid performance of 21ft. 6|in., done by him at the local club’s gathering, he should hold his opponents fairly safe ; whilst the High Jump is, in my mind, another open

quantity. I did. not see the name of the exAucklander, “ Wally ’’.Larkins, amongst those chosen to represent Wellington at " the Napier Championship. Colonel Hume’s edict preventing members of the Force taking part in football or athletic meetings, owing to said interference with the proper performance of their duties, is causing a deal of adverse comment from all quarters of the colony, and the Wellington Athlectic Club will, in particular, suffer if the Colonel stands bv his proclamation. It appears that they will lose the services of McCormack, to whom they had looked to carry off the weight and hammer throwing, which means a loss of ten points. There is just a possibility that our old champion quarter miler, J. Hutchinson, — who was spending his New Year holidays here, will represent Auckland over his pet distance at the Championship Meeting. H. Reeves has retired from active athletics, and therefore will be unable to. accept the offer of the Canterbury Amateur Athletic Club to go into training for the Championship Meeting. D. Wood, of Christchurch, has again gone into active training with a view to representing Canterbury at the Championship Meeting. He has not raced since his return from England two years ago. The strong man, “ Greek George,” of whose feats of strength I spoke in these columns a short time back, was, at last advices, in Wellington. A. O. Barrett, secretary of the Melbourne Amateur Walking and Touring Club, is taking steps to get the three colonies of New South Wales, New Zealand, and Victoria to come to some understanding which shall be binding on the judges of walking in the three, colonies, and tend to uniformity of style. The New York Athletic Club has sent an invitation to the London Athletic Club to send a“ team to America to compete in a series of sports to be held under the auspices of the former.