ATHLETICS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19179, 9 December 1927, Page 7

ATHLETICS.

._ « - N.Z. CHAMPIONSHIPS.

TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW. Brilliant running should be witnessed at Lancaster Park to-day and to-morrow in the New Zealand amateur athletio championships. The tracltß are in groat order, and fast times should be 'registered. v To-day. starting at 8.15., a number of heats and finals will.be run off. Leadbotter (Canterbury), Elliot' (Auckland) and Jenkins (Wellington)' will provide a great con-, test In the beats "of the 100 and 220. Each runnerj in the 220 has o line to himself, and as special attention has' been given to the track, the time should be something out of thp . ordinary. The quarter hurdles will be run off in one heat, and should be a fine contest. The issue should be between Kesdale, of Auckland, Ramson (Wellington), and Morgan (Otago). These three should be together the whole journey, and tho tlmo must be under S9sec.

The heats of the 120 yds hurdles will provide splendid exhibitions of the three-stride art. Lander, of Wellington, the national champion, won - last year in 15 l-ssee. A coming man is Ramson, also of Wellington, who has been pushing Lander close. Morgan, of Dunedin, won tho Otago title in 16sec last Saturday, and should go well. The three miles walk : hag drawn an unusually, good field. Lankey, of Petone, is favourite,' but may .find Wilson (Otago) and Cabot (Otago) strong opposition. The best of Mew Zealand field event men will be Been oat in the long jump, diseuß, and hammer-throw. Sutherland (Wellington), Hunt; - (Wanganui-Tarahaki), Leckie (Otago), Harvey (Wellington), McHolm (Canterbury), and Johnston (Otago) are notable performers who should shine. To-morrow afternoon the majority of the athletic events are set down for decision, and many thrilling contests should l be .seen, in the finals of the 100 yds and 220 yds and the 120 yds hurdles, A great field of middledistance men will contest the quarter and half, which should be run in fast time. The half particularly will see Allan (Wellington), Newton (Wanganui), Nicholl (Canterbury)/and Olsen (Otago) fight out a titanic finish. Another event of outstanding interest is the three miles, in which Rose, Savidan, Gibbons, and Taylor are. the best known entrants. This event, should be done under 15min.

The ladies, will be seen out in a 75yds race, and the Wellington ladies are • to try conclusions with the Canterbury ladies in a relay race over a quarter of a mile. The field events set down for decision to-morrow afternoon are the. high jump- and hop, step and jump, in which Sceats (Wellington), Sutherland (Wellington), Shirley (Auckland), Neville (Canterbury), and Johnston (Otago) will be prominent.- Munro In the. shot, Lay in . the javelin, and Batstono in the polo vault should be eagerly anticipated. The final session of the championships will take place at English Park to-morrow evening, when the finals of the cycling championships take place, and another attractive programme will be presented. Tho mile championship and the Interprovincial relay; also the lakes' championship 100 yds, takes place at this session.