FESTIVAL OF EMPIRE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1164, 27 June 1911, Page 5

FESTIVAL OF EMPIRE.

SPORTS MEETING OPENS. CANADA VICTORIOUS IN ATHLETIC EVENTS. A ONE-POINT WIN. Bj TolcErarh—Proas Associatlon-Oojjyrlffh* London, Juno 25. The.lmperial sports meeting in connection wilh the i'cstival of Empire waa opened yesterday ut' tho Crystal Palace. Grounds, when tho athletic events were run off. Tho programme includes athletics, boxing, swimming, lawn tenuis, and wrestling, the idea boiiig Hint the best athletes of tho Umpire, representing Australasia (which includes New Zealand), Africa, Canada, and England shall meet in a selected number of scratch events. In each event each part of tho Empire named is to bo represented by one representative, and the result of this contest is to bo decided on points, the winner of each contest to bo awarded one point, the competitor tiuishiug second two points; third, threo points; and fourth, four points. That section-of tho Empire whoso representatives score- the lowest.aggrcgnte of points to be the winners of tho Empire Trophy, presented to commemorato t'ho occasion. Tho winning .team also to bo presented with commemoration medals specially designed for tho purpose, and eilvcr medals to all the others taking part. Tho weather was line but cold for the opening day, and a blustering wind blew during tho afternoon. Tho attendance was large, and tho Canadian team, which led by ono point as llio result of tho day's events, waa heartily applauded. AsWoodger had sprained a tendon, Opio represented Australasia in tho sprint events. Tho following were the result's:— 100 YARDS RACE. Halbans (Canada) 1 Macmillan (Britain) 2 Ronald Opio (New Zealand) ... 3 Halbanq won in 10 2-ssec. [Opie's best timo over tho distance is 10 l-ssec., and U'oodger's, lOsec] 120 YARDS UUItDLE ■ RACE. . ,; Powell (Britain) ...... 1 j Lukewarm (Catada) 2 ; F. P. Brown (Victoria) 3 Powell won by half a yard in 16sec. ' 220 YARDS RACE. Halbans (Canada) „. 1 It. Opio (New Zealand) 2 Haley (Britain) 3 .Ilalbans won in 2iisec. [Opie ran 22 l-ssoc. at Christchurcli last year.] MILE RACE. Tait (Canada) 1 Owen (Britain) 2 G. Haskins (New Zealand) 3 Both Haskins and Owen etart'ed lame. . •'. Timo, 4miu. 2Gsec. [Haskins has a performance of 4min. 20sec. to his credit, done four years ago in America.] ' HALF-MILE RACE. Hill (Britain) 1 : G. A. Whcatley (Victoria) 2 Brock (Canada) 3 Hill sprinted iu tho last hundred yards and beat Wheatloy by two and a half • yards, while inches only. ■ separated H thill and 8r0ck.,,, Time, Imin,,,pß, •.ivj.f ' [Whcatley's best , times aro lmin. 56 2-5 i sec. for asphalt, and lrniu. 5G4-ssoc. on grass.] THE AUSTRALASIAN TEAM. [ REPRESENTATIVE ATHLETES. Tho team selected by tho Australasian Council of the Festival of Empire to represent Australasia is as follows:— Tennis.—A. F. Wilding (New Zealand). Swimming.—lt. .Hardwick (Now. South Wales), M. E. Champion (New Zealand). Running. -AV. A. Woodger (Now Zealand), R. Opie (Now Zealand), G. A. Wheatloy (Victoria), and Guy Haskins (New Zealand). Hurdles.—.F. P. Brown (Victoria). Wrestling.—W. Smytbc (New South.' Wales) and E. W. Schneider (New South Wales). Boxing.—H. Harduick (New South Wales). Hon. Manager.—Mr. R. Ccombos (New South Wales). Tho following comparison of Opio's and AVoodgcr's limes was made recently by a southern writer—

"A comparison of tho times of tho two champions will bo found instructive: — 100 yds.: Woodier, Msec.; Opie, 10 1-lOsoc. 200 yds.: Woodier, 22 2-ssec.; Opie, 22sec. In addition, Opie ran (he quarter at tho championship meeting on Saturday in 50 Msec.,' only 2-Ssec. outsido of tho New Zealand record erected by Webslcr at Carisbrouk in 19iM, O]iio's limes are the performances of the man of tho moment; Woodger's of the man of last year." Wheatlcy recently gave tho "Sporting Life" some intcrestinc; facts concerning himself and other members of the Australian contingent:~ "I am 28 years of age," said Whoatlcy, "and I havo been running in the best ckisi in Australia for many years. My club, the I'jsscmhm Harriers, won the ton milcti cross-country championship last seasou, but I have now given up long-dis-tance running ii\ favour of tho shorter oveiils. In 1003 I finished sixth in the ten miles event, but practically since that timo I havo devoted my attention to track racing over half a mile and a mile. "If you run in cross-country races." ho added, "I am sure you spoil yourself for the shorter events. You nro bound to ruii too high. My best Australian times aro lmin. 50 2-sscc. for the half-mile on an asphalt track, and Iran. 50 4-ssce. on a grass track. Over a milo course I did 4min. 23scc. on srass, a time that stands as tho Australian record. When Shrubb was over in Australia in 1905 1 raced, against him several times, but I never beat him, though I was (hrico second and well up with him. The nearest I got to Shrubb was when I ran second to him in tho one mile championship of New South Wales, which he won in 4miu. 2Gpcc. on a very heavy tract:, and I was third when ho made the Australasian record of imiu. 22sec. for on* milo at Auckland, New ZcaSpeakin*;: of Drown, Whcatley said:— "Brown is a fine hurdler. He jumps in (ho Kraenzlin style, and in 1905 ho wou tho Australian hurdle, championship of a quarter of a mile in fiO l-sscc lie wna not pressed, and could havo done much, betier. Ho is a splendid jumper, but ho retired from (he hack, and for two or three years he lias, though only 23 or 24 years of ag<', been exploring Uiroußhqutt.no Northern Territory, where thero is uo'thinß else but black people. Ho has now decided to run sieain, but ho is only our second test hurdler. Davis is our champion, but, unfortunately, he could not leavo Australia. Ho is at the Varsity, and is now in his third year there. I think Davis is almost a world beater, and I only wish ho had-been in our team. He holds tho world's record for the quarter over 3ft, Gin. hurdles. He did it in 57 l-sscc, and I think that on n good track ho would break 10 for the '120. Ho stands 6ft.. 2in., and is a fine specimen of Raskins' stated before he left that ho intended to specialise on the mile in his preparation in America under his old coach, "Mike" Murphy. Thcro ore no ivcent performances by llnskins to nuwo his present form by. Rmito seasons back (while ot college in Amerira) ho had some startling times to his credit, thw inpludine n mile in 4mni. 2:)soc, and a hnlf-nnlo in lmin. SCsec. Ho is now 20 years of