ARMY ATHLETICS

Camp News, Volume 2, Issue 88, 5 September 1941, Page 6

ARMY ATHLETICS

Combined Meeting Held In Cairo

N.Z.E.F. Official News Service. CAIRO, August 6. Despite the heat of an Egyptian summer’s day and the fact that spiked shoes were not -worn by tiny of the competitors except in the 880 yards invitation face, uniformly good times were set at the first combined athletic meeting held by the units of the Second N.Z.E.F. The meeting was held thiiS week at Prince Farouk Stadium, Cairo, an excellently appointed ground with good grandstand accommodation. There was a large attendance of troops and healthy unit rivalry was much in evidence. Undeterred by the heat, a -haka party of 35 Maoris roused the crowd by a very vigorous presentation of Maori war dances. At the conclusion of ‘the presentation of trophies by Mrs. B. C. Freyberg, the Maori team, which had won the tug-of-war contest after a most exciting final, repeated one of the hakas by special request. During the afternoon a message from Major-General B. C. Freyberg, «G.0.C., Second N.Z.E.F., was broadcast over the loudspeaker system congratulating the officials in charge of the meeting on their excellent .organization. These congratulations were undoubtedly merited,. for, in spite of the length and diversity of the programme, all events were completed strictly to schedule. Among - the competitors was a considerable number of athletes with New Zealand reputations, and their performances under Middle East conditions were watched with much interest. Particular excitement was aroused by the tug-of-war .contest which had a most strenuous final, the relay races and the invitation 880 yards race in which Sergeant Trevor Allen, New Zealand Empire Games representative, defeated the Egyptian athlete, Aly Youssef, in a gruelling finish. he N.Z.E.F. Base Band and the Pipe Band of the Southern Infantry TrainingDepot enlivened the day with excellent programmes of martial and popular music. Results:— 100 Yards. First heat: Gnr. Masters, 1; 2/Lt. Kingston, 2. Time, 11 1-5. Second heat: Lt. Phillips, 1; Pte. Boyer, 2. Time, 11 1-5. Third heat: Pte. Roberts, 1. Time, 11 2-5. Fourth heat: Pte. Adeane, 1; 2/Lt. Aldous, 2. Time, 11 4-5. Fifth heat: Pte. Jones, 1. Time, 11 1-5. First semifinal: Masters, 1; Boyer, .2; Phillips, 3. Time, 11 1-5. Second semifinal: Jones, 1; Sharpley, 2; Adeane, 3. Time, 11 1-5. Final: Masters, 1; Jones, 2; Boyer, 3. Time, 10 4-5. 880 Yards.—First heat: Dvr. Shea, 1; Gnr. McLennan, 2. Time, 2.21 1-5. Second heat: Gnr. Wilsey, 1; Cpl. Witten, 2. Time, 2.18 3-5. Third’ heat: Pte. Lawrence, 1; Sgt. McLelland, 2. Time, 2.20 3-5. Final: Witten, 1; Shea, 2; McLelland, 3. Time, 2.23 4-5. » 220 Yards Hurdles. First heat: 2/Lt. Sharpley, 1. Time, 23 2-5. Second heat: Pte. Bradwell, 1. Time, 31 2-5. Third heat: Sgm. Dabby, 1. Time, 32. Fourth heat: Sgt. Prior, 1. Time, 34. Final: Sharpley, 1; Bradwell, 2; Darby, 3. Time, 30. Mile Walk.—Dvr. R. J. Watson, 1; 2/Lt. Paterson, 2; Bdr. Guy, 3. Time, 8.2. 220 Yard®.First heat: Pte. Gosnell, 1; Gnr. Anderson, 2. Time, 26 1-5. Second heat: Cpl. Barraud, 1; Bdr. Smith, 2. Time, 26. Third heat: Gnr. Berryman, 1; PteThompson, 2. Time, 26. Fourth heat: 2/Lt. Hill, 1; 2/Lt. Hug-han, 2. Time, 26 2-5. Fifth heat: Pte. Wilton, 1; Gnr. Boyd, 2. Time, 25 4-5. First semifinal: Berryman, 1; Gosnell, 2; Barraud, 3. Time, 25 4-5. Second semifinal: Wilton, 1; Boyd, 2; Hill, 3. Time, 26. Final: Berryman, 1; Gosnell, 2 ; Barraud, 3. Time, 25 2-5. .., , 440 Yards Hurdle®. heat: Sgt. R. Joyes, 1; Sgm. Darby, 2. Time, 66 2-5. Second heat: 2/Lt. Ball, 1; Pte. Jones, 2. Time, 68 2-5. Final: Joyes, 1; Darby, 2. Time, 65 1-5. 100 Yards Ist N.Z.E.F. Race. First heat: W.0.l McCormack, 1; L/Cpl. Reeve, 2. Time, 12. 'Second heat: Captain R. W Dunbar, 1; Lt. Parkinson, 2. Time, 12 2-5. Third heat: Capt. G. 11. Weir, 1; Sgt. Cookson, 2. Time, 13. Final: McCormack, 1; Dunbar, 2; Reeve, 3. Time, 12 1-5. — 440 Yards.—First heat: Bdr. Hare, 1;

Lieut. Anderson, 2. _ Time, 59. Second heat: 2/Lieut. Hoggans, 1; Dvr. Griffen, 2. Time, 60 2-5. Third heat: Lieut. Watt, 1; 2/Lieut. Evans, 2. Time, 59 1-5. Final: Watt, 1; Hoggans, 2; Anderson, 3. Time, 56 4-5. z 440 Yards Relay. Group 4,1; Group 19, 2; Group 6, 3. Time, 50 1-5. Field Events. Hop «teap and jump: Lieut. Brainsby (40ft. 7in.), 1; L/Cpl. Parsons (39ft, Ilin), 2; Pte. Taylor (39ft. 84in.), 3. Putting the shot: Sgt. Bain (36ft. 4in.l, 1; 2/Lieut. Ollivier. (35ft. lOiin.), 2; 2/Lieut Hammond (34ft. 10in.), 3. High jump: Bomb. Vernon (sft 3in.), 1; 2/Lieut. Burnett (sft.), 2; Gnr. Whitehorn and Pte. Hodgson (sft. Ilin.), equal 3. Throwing the hammer: Sgt. Opie (81ft. lin.), 1; Sgt. Hood (80ft.. sin.), 2; 2/Lieut. Hammond (71ft. O-Jin), 3. Pole vault: Sgt. Opie (9ft. 9in.i, 1; Gnr. Fagg (Oft. Sin.), 2; 2/Lieut. Paterson . (Bft 9in.), 3? Throwing the javelin: S./Sgt. Gillespie, 1; 2/Lieut. Evans, 2; Lieut. Clapham. 3. No distances given.

Long jump: Lieut. Brainsby (19ft. Sin.). 1; L/Cpl. Parsons (ISft. 9in.), 2; Gnr Boyd (18ft. 3iin.), 3. Throwing discus: Pte. Meehan (96ft. 4in.), 1; Bdr, Alexander (95ft. sin.), 2; Sgt Pitcairn (90ft. 3in.), 3. Tug-of-war: Won by Maori team against Artillery representatives. An SSOyds. special invitation race for units in the Middle East aroused considerable interest. It was won by the New Zea land representative, .Trevor Allen. - Aly Youssef, who made a fine race of it, was 3yds. behind at the tape. The Imperial Army representative, Cpl. A. R. Traylen. third competitor, did not complete the course.

A mile medley relay race comprising one 880 yd. lap, one 440 yd. lap, and two of 220 yds., was won by an A. A. team in. 4.15. An A.S.C. team was second; The Inter-Unit Challenge Cup for most points won during the day was won by the A. A. representatives, with the Infantry Training Depots, second, and A.S.C. third.