ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1049, 14 April 1910, Page 13

ATHLETICS.

In an interview with Mr. Widdowson, of the “Cape Argus” (Capetown), on the eve of his departure for England, C. E. Hol way said of the time recorded in the great match of Johannesburg “As regards the time (9 3-Bsec), which I am not disposed to credit, I will give you my reasons. The track was as fast as could have been expected, under the circumstances, I will grant, for many feared that the deluge would mean a postponement. An inspection before the race showed the going to be fair over the first 40 yards, but between 40 -and 70 it was soft and sticky, almost to the extent of being dangerous. Mark this, we all agreed as we went to the mark that the man who did a yard inside would just about win under the conditions. Look at this pair of shoes —(here Hol way produced his shoes, the soles of which were caked with clay mud)—they are just as I took them off after the race. When I calmly consider the matter—my poor start, the state of the track, and the conviction that, apart from these circumstances, I was not well within myself, I am positive I could not have been doing three yards inside, which is the implied fact.”

At the Stadium at Johannesburg on April 2, A. B. Postle, of Queensland, and J. Donaldson, of Victoria, contested three sprints for a purse of £4OO. Postle won the 50 yards by a foot, in 5% sec, Donaldson the 75 yards in 7% sec, and the 65 yards in 6% sec, both by inches.

Henri St. Yves, the champion Marathon runner of the world, successfully defended his title at the Chutes Ball Park, Los Angeles (Cal.), on February 6th, when he won the big Marathon race in the rather slow time of 2hrs. 4 6min. 3 2-ssecs. He distanced John D. Marsh, the Canadian champion, and an ex-Salford Harrier, by more than a mile. James Fitzgerald, of Galgary, finished third, hi s time being 3hrs. 27min. 27sec.

A crowd of 4,000 spectators witnessed the big race, which proved to be one of the most exciting ever held in the West for the first fifteen miles. Every Marathon mile record was said to have been lowered up to the fifteenth mile.

A. F. Duffy, the famous American sprint runner, is of opinion that he has found in E. Nelson, of Boston, a champion of champions over any distance between 100 and 200 yards. Nelson is said to have done “the hundred” in 9 4-ssecs., and the 220 yards in 21 3-ssec., but even in America these times have not been accepted with much credence.

Alfred Shrubb, the famous British runner, will not race again. He is seeking to obtain the athletic directorship of one of the American universities. He says that he is afraid to run in any more important contests lest he should break down, and his backers should lose their money. He feels that he is no longer up to his old form, and he attributes the collapse to his participation in Marathon races, which were really beyond the distances for which he had previously shown special capacity, and, therefore, they entailed too severe a strain upon him. Shrubb, is now living in Toronto, and is said to have saved £5,000.