WITH OUR ATHLETES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1202, 10 August 1911, Page 6

WITH OUR ATHLETES.

THE TEAM THAT FAILED. LETTER FROM COOMBES. Tho team of athletes whom Xew Zealaud sent Home to the Festival of Empire Sports cannot be said to have covered themselves, with glory. Accidents, of course, cannot be prevented, but they can (and should, in a caso like this), be provided against as far as possible. The following letter is from the manager:— "June 20, 1911. "Dear Guise,—Just a brief line ro last Saturday. Wc go! an awful beating, but nearly all our team were amiss—Onie with a bad thigh, Haskins with a burst ankle, and Woodger a spectator only, vrheatloy shrivelled up with the cold, ovl Brown in no real condition. One can be wise after the event, but T think now that I ought to have.run W. A. Stewart (Tasmania) in the 100 yards, and .1. G. Sheet (New Zealand) in the 220 yards. Still, after the form at Crewe. I though Dial. Opie would almost win, bad leg and all thrown in. He was not well at Ciewo, but still won, beating Stewart, D'Arcy, and Murphy, the Irish chainnion. We hope to score to-morrow with llardwick in the 100 yards (llardwick won), whilst Champion 1 has a chance even against Battersbv iu the mile swim. Wilding s-hould easilv win tho tennis, whilst llardwick and Smythe have chances in the boxing and wrestling. I am overdone with work and worry, but am doing all poEsiblc.-Ever yours sincerely, "R. COOMBES."