ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 733, 24 March 1904, Page 14

ATHLETICS.

At the Mamaku Sports oh Thursday, a Maori named Potikita covered 40 feet in the hop, stej., and jump event. If it was from a standing start it was a world’s record, but, if, as is probable* it was with a run the performance although good is not remarkable. The Australian record was achieved by W. McManus in 1893 and stands at 49ft 2£in.

The secretary of the New Zealand Axemen’s Association has notified Mr Thomas Duncan, secretary of the Wairarapa Caledonian Society, that L. Berg’s under hand chopping performance (imin 43sec) at the last Caledonian meeting Las been passed as a New Zealand record. Berg now holds both the underhand chopping and tree-felling records, the time for the latter being Imin 55sec for the 18in log. He is to be presented with a gold medal by the Caledonian Society, and both the records will be engraved on it.

As usual sports in the Domain proved one of the chief features of the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. About fifteen hundred people attended to witness the display which was chiefly confined to events for children. Possibly the most interesting event was the wrestling match between L. D. Mclvor and H. Peihana. The two were very evenly matched, but eventually the native was defeated in two falls out of three. A. Skinner threw the hamm< r 163 ft 9in. Various physical exercises were also gone through by the children of the different schools.

This is the way in which Americans figure out the ring championships : — Heavy-weight, James J. Jeffries, of Los Angeles, California ; light heavy-weight, Robert Fitzsimmons, of New York ; middle-weight, Tommy Ryan (itinerant) ; welter-weight, Joe Walcott (coloured), of Boston ; light-weight, Joe Gans (coloured), of Baltimore ; feather-weight, “Young Corbett” (William Rothwell), of Denver ; and ban-tam-weight, Frank Neil, of San Francisco.

The chief topic of conversation in athle+ic circles is the sports meeting of the Auckland Athletic and Cycling Club, which is to take place, on the Domain next Saturday afternoon. Excellent entries have been received for the various foot races, more especially for those over a shorter distance, while the cycling events have filled as well as could be expected when it is remembered that the track is a grass one. If the afternoon proves fine there should be a good attendance of the public under the oaks bent on seeing an afternoon’s sport.

Particulars came to hand by the last English mail of a proposed jumping contest for £lOOO a-side, which Harry A. Hurst, of America, is anxious to arrange with John Higgins, of England, who styles himself “14 years undefeated champion all-round jumper of the world.” Another Englishman named Baker is desirous of meeting Higgins. Trouble has, however, arisen over what an all-round jumping contest is, and when the mail left nothing had been definitely decided. Higgins wants to use weights, but Hurst was against this proposal.

The sporting papers to hand by last mail contained long accounts of the

wrestling match between Hackenschmidt and Madralli, the Turk, which took place at the Olympia on January 30, and which, as reported by cable at the time, was won by the former. For about five seconds after entering the arena (says the “Sportsmart”) the men finessed for a neck-hold ; then the Russian gripped the Turk round the waist, pinning his right arm by the wrist behind his back. A look of distress spread over Madralli’s face, and witn his free left hand he pushed at the Russian’s face with the strength of desperation. Hackenschmidt’s grip tightened, and suddenly, like Hercules of old, he lifted the Turkish Antaeus clean ofi his feet, and with a resounding crash brought him to the mat with the “wirtdmill swing.” For a second a deathly silence prevailed while the Turk’s shoulders were forced down, and then the whistle blew, and a curious spasmodic yell rent the air. Hackenschmidt had won the first fall in 44 seconds ! It was then’ ascertained that the Turk’s right arm was dislocated at the elbow, and when the victory of the Russian was announced the wildest enthus’asm was displayed. The attendance numbered 6800, and the receipts were £3OOO. It was agreed that, win or lose, Hackenschmidt was to take £IOOO of the £ISOO purse and Madralli the other £SOO.

James Wray, the well-known Queensland walker, is still on the look out for a match. He is willing to walk in three events, these to be one, two, and three miles, the winner of two events to take the stake. He will walk for any sum from £25 to £5O. Here seems a chance for some of our professional heel and toe experts. Walking is showing signs of a revival all over the world, and a genuine match or two would do much to arouse interest again.

C. S. Harper, the Canterbury jumper, who fractured his ankle after winning the High Jump Championship at Wellington on January 9th, returned to Christchurch yesterday week (says the “Weekly Press”). Thanks to the attention he received in the Wellington Hospital, Harper’s ankle has made a satisfactory mend, and although at preser.’t he has to go about on crutches, he hopes soon to be able to use his foot again. On Saturday afternoon he put in an appearance at the Hagley Park cricket -ground, and was warmly congratulated by his friends on his recovery.