ATHLETICS

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XI, Issue 529, 7 February 1901, Page 7

ATHLETICS

TBy

Vigilant.

Mr G. A. Moir, the joint 100 yards champion of Victoria, has just passed the final examination for barristers and solicitors. The Melbourne University will, says “Harrier” in the 11 Australasian,” have to find another sprinter—if itcan —to take the place of the very capable Allan Moir in their races against Sydney University. The Kopu Athletic Club hold their second Annual Athletic Carnival at Maxwell’s Paddock, Kopu, on February 16. The programme consists of fourteen events, the principal of which is the Kopu Cup Handicap run over three distances. A promenade concert and dance will be held in the evening in the Kopu Hall. According to an exchange W. F. Simpson, the long-distance runner, who is now twenty-four years of age, has started in thirty-three races, won nineteen of them, been second in seven, third in two, and been unplaced five times. He has started in six championship events and won three, and has been second in two of them. The handsome profit of £364 was made on the English athletic championships, an enormous muster having been attracted to the summer meeting by reason of the presence of the American and Colonial athletes. The twenty-first Oxford and Cambridge crosscountry race took place on Dec. 8, and resulted in a win for Cambridge, after a very interesting contest, by 25 points to 30 points. The winner of the race was 0. E. Pumphrey (Cambridge), Dawson (Oxford) being second and R. R. Sharpe (Oxford) third. Pumphrey also finished first in the previous season’s contest. Cambridge thirteen times and Oxford eight. There has only been closer race, and that was in 1887, when Cambridge won by 26 points to 29. In a private note from W. F. Simson, says “Sprinter” in the “Canterbury Times”, I learn that I was correct in assuming the reason for his not beii g returned winner in fhe Commonwealth Celebration Mile Championship was that, if ho started—a fact of which I was not aware at the time—the race came after the three mile, a id the New Zealander was not in a position to do him • self justice. He writes: —The three-mile came , first on the programme. ( had only had three weeks’ training, and was unable to get thoroughly well on account of the great heat. Consequently, after winning the three-mile I was very • sick and felt completely done up. In the onemile I was leading one hundred and twenty yards from home, when York made a rush and got a lead of three yards I left the sprint too late and he beat me by a yard. In the last issue of the “Australasian” Harrier has the following comment on the lessons to be learnt from the working of the new rules of walking during their short trial:— When the new rules of walking were introduced last year, I ventured to doubt their efficacy, not because of any deficiency in the ru es (which were well and ably drawn, though not entirely to my mind), but because I was of opinion that judges capable of adequately carrjing them into effect could not be found. What has happened since has tended to confirm my doubts. It was said by some that under the new rule of walking would be walking, and a mile under 7min become impossible Yet 7min has been beaten several times, and by men certainly inferior to D. Wilson, Barrett, Creamer, and company. It was saia that with walking defined in one way for all judges uniformity of style and a fair style would result. M. M. Roseingrave has failed to get a place in the Sixth Contingent. We may now look forward to his keeping his promise of again meeting George Smith over the 120 yards hurdles at the March Meeting of the A.A.A. and 0.0. Reviewing the English University meetings held in November “Sprinter,” in “Athletic News,” says:—Taken all round, the performances of Lignt and Dark Blue new-comers were fairly average. Nothing very particular was put on* record, but per contra, several of the competitors showed great promise of futnre excellence. The conditions (especially at Oxford) were not favorable to fast times, etc., albeit both Burrin and Watts had got the tracks into fair trim. Summarised (for future reference), the respective results read thus : — Event. Oxford. Cambridge. “100” II 1-5 10| “ Quarter ” ... 54 1-5 54 2-5 High Jump ... 5 4 5 2| Long Jump ... 20 2| 18 5 “Half” 2 7 2-5 2 7 One Mile... ... 4 41 4 514 5 Weight 32 2} 31 111 Hammer... ... 99 10 80 9 Hurdles ... ... 18 3-5 18 2-5 From this it will be seen that the Dark Blues excelled m six events out of nine 01 he Cambridge Three Miles was run in 16min 50^sec — about the worst on record for Fenner’s !