PIRRITT'S ACHIEVEMENTS RECALLED

Chronicle (Levin), 20 April 1946, Page 6

PIRRITT'S ACHIEVEMENTS RECALLED

Arthur Porritt, one of New Zealand's greatest sprint rU'nners, and a distinguislied surgeon (he is surgeoh to the Eoyal Household), has returnbd to private practice in London after six years. with the Army. A son of Dr. E: E. Porritt, of Wanganui, • and a " formei' Rhodes Scliolar, Porritt will be remembered here'particularly for his splendid effort in this memorable 100 yards at . the - New Zealand 'chanipiohships at Athletic Park in 1923, a race whicli broughf together Americau • Mauriee Kirksey and Australian '. ' Slip ' ' Cai*. Kirksey Won by a touch from Carr, who threw himself at the tape in a -desperate effort to head -the Anierican in 9 4-5 sec, great sprintiug on a- heavy traek, and especially oue like that At the Park. Porritt was well up, tliird, and probably did a shade under lOsec. The next year lie' was at Oxford IJniverSity, and in July he repfesehted New Zealand at the Paris- Olympics, running third in the hundred metres to Hafold Abraliams and Jackson Seliolz, the United States atliletes who toured the Dominion with' Lloyd Hahn in - 1926. Among the great men Porritt headed that afternoon was the oue ahd only Charles i'addock, who lost his life in a plane crash in Alaska during the last war. Dr. Porritt, who is a member of the International Olympic Commi,ttee,; managed the New Zealand team whicji. competed at the Games in Berlin in 1936, and is the N.Z.A.A.A. representative in Brit'ain. Some years ago, in collaboration with D. G. A. Lowe, twice winner of fhe Olympic 800 metxes, he wrote a book on athletics. It .remains one of the classics on the subjeet.