Seven Athletic Records Broken

Chronicle (Levin), 7 March 1949, Page 3

Seven Athletic Records Broken

/ NEW PLYMOUTH, March 6. Another seven reeords were broken on the last day of the New Zealand woraen's a'nd junior men's track and field chanlpionshipa which -were watched by close on 8000 people in Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, on Saturday. The defeat of the Australian Olympic representative, Miss Shirley Strickland, by two New Zealand girls, in both spring events.she competed in, and the Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay Centre ;s easy win of the junior points competition, were of outstanding interest. An exciting race was the final of the 100 yards women 's championship with the Otago sprinter, Miss S. Ilardman, and- Miss B. Bowman, Auckland, both beating Miss Strickland by a fairly comfortable margin. After two false starts, Miss Strickland gained an early lead but Miss Hardman sprinted powerfully and passed her 20 yards from the tape, closely followed by Miss Dowman. The time, 11 3-10see., was well above Miss Strickland 's best. Miss Hardman and Miss Dowman beat Miss Stricklanl even more convincingly in the 75 yards event. Miss Hardman finished a good two yards in front of Miss Dowman who beat Miss Strickland narrowly. The time for the race was 8.3sec., better than the previous New Zealand reeord but a tenth more tlian Miss Hardman 's record breaking run on the first day. Miss Strickland made- no mistake in the 80 metres hurdles, taking the jumps with smooth precision. She steadily went ahead and created a new record of' 11.7seo. Miss J. Schoeh, Wellington, placed second, took the title.

Miss Strickland nlso won the 220 yards flat race with r'oom to spare from Miss L. Bowe, Auckland. One of the most thrilling races of the day was the 440 yards. R. F. Johson, Hawke 's B.ay-Poverty Bay, won narrowly from G-. N. Cox, Canterbury, to take l-10sec. off the record. It was Cox, however, who provided the thrills, He came through the field in a last minute challenge but missed by a very narrow margin. N. H. O. Wil3on, Auckland, continued his winning way by taking 3 l-5sec. off the New Zealand record in the 88.0 yards. In the junior javelin throw, the title holder, N. Grinter, Waikato, broke his own record with a throw of 181ft 3-iins. Miss Yvette Williams, Otago title holder of the women's shot put, added •1 foot 9£ inches to tho record of 34ft 3ins. ■

Tlie last record broken on the day waa-the women's relay won by Otago in 49.5secs. Hawke 's Bay-Poverty Bay was an easy winner of the Towers Shield for junior men. Largely through the efforts of Miss Y. Williams and Miss Hardman, Otago won the Limiley> Sisters/ Memoriai Shield f oi' wOmeit^S: :event's.- ' 'Poifits were: Towers Shielcf', Hawke 's Ba/-B.6.yefty Bay 44, Canterbury 28, 2% Auckland' .26^ Waikato 2T, :0tago Pp^t j%|isrb3:ij|L"-is-landj 3 ; Lumley'' -Sis'ters ' " Memoriai Shield", Otago 28, Auckland 24, Hawke 's Bay-Poverty Bhy *15, Cailterbtiry '• 11, Wellington 8, Waikato 2, West Coaat ^North Island) 2.