Athletics

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 63, 14 November 1949, Page 5

Athletics

LIMBERING UP FOR NEW SEASON ;

Yesterday a working bee of members of- the Whakatane Amateur Athletic Club put in some i busy hours getting a 440yds track and a sprint track ready for the coming season. Though by no means perfect, the tracks on the old rugby ground at the Domain promise to be much better than those at the showgrounds last year. Indications are that cycling will become a prominent part of the Club’s activities, and at least a dozen cyclists, with a couple of experienced coaches, are expected to turn out for a preliminary run next Saturday morning.

In fact, that morning should see quite a lot of activity on the tracks, because it is the Club’s intention on that occasion to look over the available material and make more definite plans for the coming season. Naturally, there will be no earnest competition, but athletes are expected to get down to serious training right away. Youngsters from about 12 to 16 years will be particularly welcome, because it is the intention to encourage juniors to the limit. Now that the Club is solidly reestablished and the sport seems to have come back to stay, trophies Will be brought out again, and not the least interesting of these is the “Runfairly Shield”, for inter-house relays for teams of two men and two women. At present the trophy is held by Boon, Sullivan Luke, who won it from the N,Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. in 1946. There has not been a competition since, but news of its revival will no doubt cause/a stir in the Loan Co’s office, where there is certain to be grim determination to recapture the Shield. It is whispered with some authority that other covetous eyes are also snapping wide open at the news that the trophy is being dusted up preparatory to coming out of its seclusion.

Given sufficient competitors, with the new tracks and a bit of fresh enthusiasm, there is every reason to expect that before this season is very old athletics and cygling will be drawing every bit as much public attention here as they do elseV, . >f . ,U ; where. :