THE RECENT CHAMPIONSHIPS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 941, 19 March 1908, Page 9

THE RECENT CHAMPIONSHIPS.

Writing of the recent Australasian championships, “ Prodigal,” of the “ Referee,” says that the victory of the New Zealanders was pronounced and fully deserved. The New Zealand team, without question, won on their merits. Theirs was a welltrained, well-organised, and wellequipped team, and the combination was undoubtedly well handled by Mr, .1. E. Green. I have heard excuses made for New South Wales, perhaps the most amusing, and at the same time absurd, being that the late selection of our distance runners had something to do with our defeat. It would have made no difference whatever had they been chosen six months ago. Since 1896 we have not succeeded in winning the 880 yards, and have never yet won either the mile or the three miles. Since the days of Dalrymple and Corner we have not succeeded in unearthing a distance runner in the same class as the crack Victorians and New Zealanders. Force of circumstances and lack of runds necessitated a late arrival in Hobart — and unquestionably this late arrival affected the chances of Colin Stewart and H. A. Scott, whilst enforced want of practice probably caused the downfall of O’Reilly with the hammer. Otherwise, it can safely be said that none of our defeated men in the distance races and walks could have won in any circumstances or under any conditions. They did their level best, but were not quite good enough.