ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 758, 5 March 1910, Page 13

ATHLETICS.

' UJt Merkuiit.) ; FIXTURES. ' ft-day.—W.A.A.C. and P.N.A.A.C. combined meeting, Basin Reserve. March 12.—Petono A.A.C. mooting(Petone . Kocreation Ground). ' ,

'After the temporary lcipso of : last sea.(on Wellington again finds herself in tho position which she has occupied so often —at the top of tho a.'.nateur athletic ladder. As followers of the sport must know 'this'is not ah unexpected happening by any means, but it is one that is none the liyy: satisfactory on that-account. As was predicted in this column-last week as being probable the chief speculation among local enthusiasts when .the news was dribbling through . from the front last Saturday was not 60 much as to who .would win tho banner (that fortunately ivas assured very early in the day), but as to who would beat whom among our own representatives in tho races in which a number were engaged. And tmth to tell in these cases local anticipation was mostly at fault. Particularly was this so in tho cases of the half-mile and quarter. In the former event J. F. Wilson was the popular phoice. The young half-miler has performed so well and 'so consistently all the season that, even, while recognising Eaxding's prowess, our "pickors" seemed quite justified in making him favourite. IlowOTor, it proved to bo another case of tho "old dog and the hard road," except that in this case, anomalously enough, the road was "hard" because uf its softness. Harding is a strong, force-ful-runner. who would "lift" better in the mud,' while Wilson,-of a lighter type and with less powerful machinery, wouid ueoessarily labour more and . thus tire more quickly. The same would apply'in the quarter milo. In this event "Jimmy" Wilson appears to have been beaten for jeoond place only by bad tactics at the finish, and, as in the half mile, Harding ,was undoubtedly the better man, at any fate on-the day. These remarks on. the heavy going and Harding's superior fitness therefore are meant to be in no way derogatory to the Napier man's splendid performance. No one is more ready to admit Harding's claims ,to be. considered a great ■ middledistance runnel than . "Mercury," and even last Saturday afternoon when , the results of these: two .'race6 came to hand the unanimous remark was: "Well, it's Harding's turn, and he has earned it." •This,: coming as it did, from personal friends and admirers of our two popular

•"colts," speakn highly of. the respect i (which Harding's sportsmanlike qualities have earned for him in Wellington, and 'doubtless this sentiment will be conveyed to him personally when lie makes his first'appearanco on our . tracks'this afterBoon. ■ . One finds it.hard to adequately express one's opinion of Woodger's sprinting capabilities. He has shown us so many fine performances—he' 1 has now. five even-time performances, and (in New Zealand championships) three 10 1-5-second performances over a hundred yards to his credit, in addition to a beaten New Zealand record and a tie with an Australasian record over the furlong sprint. So much has been 6aid of his runiang. that it is hard now to find a fitting expression for his latest championship performance. Practically, it can be summed up by saying that no one, would ba in the least '' purposed and everyone would be extremely pleased to see him. "chip the remaining three-fifths off ; his Auckland .time and thus, .equal the world's record ■held by the tlirco great American sprinters, .iWefers,' Maybury, and Kelly; Heifer's mile Tun can be taken as quite .satisfactory, - although some little disappotatment was felt at his being beaten by •will ' He has shown such good form this, his first season on the track, that it was generally oonsidered that he could win. But the young . Aucklander is evidently a better man than lie was locally credited with being. Moreover,- he has the advantage of his racing experience against the fact that Heller's appearance was only his fifth or sixth in,open, company. For a man to run to a second place in a mile championship in . good ■ time and against good company in his first season on the track stamps "uim as a good performer, and gives great promise for his • future efforts. We will yet see Heffer do great things. . Li . the three-mile run our two .representatives, . Thompson and Wilton, were apparently outmatched. Thompson has been suffering from a strained tendon for Bome-.weeks past, and • this apparently' found him. ont, as he retired at the twomile post Otago's win, per medium of Beatson, in this event, ;was. very well received,_ and the, appearance of the now lohampjon here to-day will be looked for Srith interest ; By his double win with the shot and the pole, and liis second place in the broad jump, that versatile performer, L. M. M'Kay, again has surprised even his most sanguine friends. M'Kay. is most unexpected. This time he. was really supposed to have been in danger of losing his vaulting title, and not only does he rwin that again but also annexes another title, and repeats his Christchurch exhibition championship performance, by Scoring the ■ highest individual points. To .Evensen and Hubbard congratulations are.in:order on the attainment of their first championship honours. ' The hurdler's success was not a surprise. For, perhaps, tho first season since he has been, performing Evensen lias trained seriously, and his greatly-improved sprinting powers and lorn generally—the result thereof —during, the year, has given a very indication of better things in store.. Speaking from memory, his "tally" this • season is thirteen starts, nine firsts, and two seconds.' . Hubbard has also shorn great promise throughout tho season not only in his jumping, but in his sprinting. The pity is that he is not : as consistent in the former department as he is in.the latter. On his-day he can broad jump' with, the best—but only on his day. Saturday, however, appears to have been one of his

days, and the confidence which his newly-won honour should give him should help him to acquire further merit in this department. The walking' events have been purposely left to the last as sharing with the .weather in providing the unsatisfactory Bide of the day's work. As was ■ stated in this column last week, Harry Kerr had announced 'his intention of attempting to lower the Australasian figures for the three miles, of 21mih. 3D l-ssec., established by A. 0. Barrett (New South iWales) in 1897, and incidentally the New Eealand record of 21min. 37sec., created by D. Wilson in the same year. In liis endeavour, Kerr was successful, inasmuch us he beat these times, but, in doing so, he failed to beat D. Wilson, the New Eealand record holder, and so tho performance goes for naught. This would have been disappointing enough, but only of the ups and downs of the sport had he been beaten on his merits, but Tj e ' n es rub —was he so beaten ? From what can be gathered from tho returned tourists, the answer is: No!— emphatically, No. _ This'appears to be P orn ®, ou '' by the circumstances surrounding the race. In the first place, there is the fact of Wilson's long retirement from the track. He won his first New Zealand championship in the ISSG-7 season, when he was successful in the mile, '"he foUowing year he annexed both the one and three miles, and established the record over the longer distance that stood until last Saturday. In this year he also won both events at the Australasian championships. Even at this time his mode of progression was queried many a .time.

ihe writer remembers an incident that occurred during the Australasian tour of 1897 that bears upon this. Before the meeting, Mr. Hichard Coombes was watching the men training, and was, as the walking referee, taking a particular interest in Wilson's gait. The expert was not looldng at nil pleased with what lie Baw, and on being asked his opinion bv Mr. Norman Macbeth, the New Zealand manager, stated that the walker had not an earthly chance of staying on the track if he used that gait. This, of course, was decidedlv upsetting to' the Sfew Zealand party, but the trouble was

eventually settled by Mr. Coombcs, with characteristic-good nature,-giving Wilson n course of private lessons that got him into tho way lie should go. Tho result was that ho .won. According to eyewitnesses, it would appear now that the Auckland'er has forgotten the lessons he then learnt at Mr. Coombes's knee. In 1901-2 Wilson again won the New Zealand and Australasian championships ovor tho distances. This was his last championship appearance until the present occasion—a lapse of eight years—so one is quite justified in doubting whether ho could strike sufficient' form right away to beat the previous best of his zenith and heyday. This would be marvellous enough had conditions been favourable, but when they were not—when, as was the case, the track was heavy and slippery, it does not seem feasible. Of course, a charge of bias and inter-pro-vincial jealousy may be laid against the returned Wellington men, so tho testimony of a disinterested party will be of value. Thus the account of tho special correspondent of the "Weekly Press" is appended. . . .

The Three Hilo Walk was a most unsatisfactory event. Kerr, who was in great, form, set out at a strong pace, with Wilson a few yards in his rear. Wilson walked in a most questionable style; From the start ho failed to lock his knees, and walked in.a stooping position. His mode. of getting over tho ground was such'a marked contrast to his opponent's that the majority of tho onlookers, expected every moment that ho would incur the displeasure of the judge (Mr. Mahon), an.Aucldand man. As no was not even cautioned, he maintained his position behind Kerr, and, entering the straight for homo, he simply ran past Kerr, who stopped and walked past the tape at an ordinary pace. Tho timekeepers gave tho time as 21min. 0 2-ssec., this being 36seo. better "than the (record made by Wilson years ago when lie was in 1 his prime. The One Mile Walk was a most amusing exhibition of mixed gait. Wilson and tho other competitors started off at a jog trot, with Kerr ten yards away. Cashman and Wilson covered.the first half in 3min. lOsec., and wero undoubtedly both running. Later Kerr adopted a questionable stylo, and rushed up and joined Wilson. The pair clearly ran the last 200 yards, Wilson getting an extra spurt on in the last few yards, and reaching the tape first. Tho finish resembled that of the three-mile running race, and caused great amusement, to those on the ground who knew what correct walking, is."

An effort was made during the week to bring .'the men together to-day. . On his return from Auckland, Mr; J. H. Pollock, president of the W.A.A.C., offered a special' prize, of the maximum value allowed by the amateur'regulations, for. a mutch, between the two over any distanco to be chosen. by the Aucklander, before judges to be appointed by the N.Z.A.A.A. Wilson was immediately wired to this effect, but,he "was; apparently unable to acoept. This, as unfortunate.. Not only would such an "appearance, if passed by the new judges,; greatly strengthen Wilson's claim to his new record figures, but such a matchwould be of immense interest.'. '.' V; • . •

In reference, to the new record, it is to be presumed that it will bo applied for, and; in this case, it will be interesting to see what steps the Council of the , N.Z.A.A.A. will' take.. Tho matter has been freely : discussed, and it : has been said/that, as the council approved of the walking judge, it must abide by his decision; and,, if all. olse is in, order, must recommend the record to the Australasian Union.! .The rulo bearing on the application for records says:—"The association shall, if satisfied that all the laws and conditions governing records were complied with, recognise the performance as a record, etc." Thus, it willbe seen that the council is not tied in - any way. ' If the delegates are satisfied, no doubt the record will lie passed. 'If they are not. satisfied there is equally' no'-dohbt'the' record will not be passed, and that is all there is to it. \ ..The Manawatu meeting on. Wednesday j*PP Gal '£ to' have been a great, occasion. Mercury received news from the Wellington team before the meeting that the men were all feeling the ill-effects of their wet experience in. Auckland, and were suffering, from chills and colds, but, judging by the performances registered, tliey appear to have risen superior to their troubles. Woodger's' efforts were quite in keeping with what we have been led to expect from him, as his two second places iir 9 3-ssec. in the 100 yards and m the 22 l-ssec. in tho 220 yards go to prove; Opic, tho. little Canterbury sprinter, must bB in excellent form, and is undoubtedly in the first flight! It is his misfortune that he should have "happened" . contemporaneously with Woodger. His star at present is dimmed by one of greater magnitude, but it is a bright and shining star nevertheless; Guy Harding T. Heifer also acquire merit for their performances—their actual times in the respective distances being 2min. 0 l-ssec., 11 mui. 312-ssec.—two extremely sound runs. The same applies to Kerr's mile walk of 6min. 42 3-ssec., and Hubbard's broad jump of 20ft. llSin., while M'Kay, as usual, filled he public eye with a taking pole_ vault of 10ft.,' and won the high jump with sft. sin. • Tho ? < S? iled results appeared in our issue of rhursday. morning, but the personnel of the relay team that won for V\ elhngton was not given. The race was over one mile-tho first man to run half a m e , 6econd a garter, and two to run 220 yards each. Heft'er took one half mile, and set a terrific clip, winning by 100 yards, Duncan then carried on the good work over tho quarter, and Kex Bridge and Hubbard completed the task With a furlong each. Hubbard finished the final stage 120 yards ahead of Opie, tho second man. Entries close to-night : for the Petone A..A.C, .meeting next Sajhiiday.