ATHLETIC SPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1237, 20 September 1911, Page 8

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

MORE ABOUT ENGLISH APATHY. OPIE BACK. RECOUNTS HIS EXPERIENCES. NOT ROSE-COLOURED. "If there was over a farce as far as management was concerned, it was the Festival of Empire sports," said Ronald Opia ou his return hero from England yesterday. "There's no mistake v.-o fell in over it. Nobody knew of the Festival fiports. They knew of the Festhal ot Empire just as they do of the White City, but you couldn't hear a whisper about the sports, and nobody cared. I suppose that there were about 300 people at tho meeting altogether. Our amateur athletic meetings are immeasnraWv superior in management and in every other way to the average amateur meetings at

Of course, the English A.A.A. championship meeting is a good one, and the c.rowd turn up pretty well, but at ordinary meetings—say, the Blackheath Harriers' Sports—they don't get the public at all. They only get a few friends and admirers of iho competitors. Tho English people do not seem to care about it. Just fancy the world's champions gathered together on tho finest track in the world and. nobody to watch them perform. "Bit different out here, ell?" "I Ran in Dreadful Pain." How many times did you run? "Only fivo times, and what bad Inck wo had!. The first was the 100 yards event at the Festival of Empire Snorts, won by. the Canadian Hslbhous iri 10.2. Of course you know what happened to me. A muscle went at the back of the kneo, and I went to the post limping, I came third. I ran in dreadful pain, and only did eo because poor old Woodger was knocked out. Pictures of the race show that I was suffering. Halbhous who won —a very ' il«p.i>n* chap—told mo that ho was not a ICO yards nor even a 220 yards man—his distance was 410 yards. I feel confident that Woodger or I could havo beaten him if wo had not been as v;o were." What about Haskins? "Haskins would have beaten anything in England. Ho arrived from America in groat form, as fit as a fiddle, and was running like a two-vear-old. Nothing that I saw could havo looked at him. Then, as you know, his tendon Achilles went, and his ankle became puffed up very badly, but, as far as the committee hero were concerned, they were more than justiiiod in sending him to England, considering tho wonderful condition which he showed before his trouble. What with Haskins, Woodger, and myself, we wcro a lot of 'crocks.' It was hard luck, as we wore all triers. I don't think that Haskins will come back to New Zealand. "The 200 yds. at. the Festival Sports was also won by nalbans—l was third. ■At Crowe—n well-managed meeting—l • won the 100 yds. in 10 1-Ssec. against D'Arcy, Stewart, and Murphy, tho amateur champions of England, Scotland, aiid Ireland. At the English championships I won my heat in the 220 yds., but. owing to my leg, could not start in tho final. Tho only other race which I ran was at the Press Charity Sports, held at the Stadium. I wou my heat in tho 150 yds., and was third in the final. It was only a fake meeting, arid I had not had a run for threo or four weeks..

Hardwick a Real Champion,

"Taking it all round Australia sent Homo a really good team. Hardwick is a real champion of champions. I never saw anything quite so good tas his performance in the boxing contests. He just stands loose and open in characteristic • Australian style, and lulls his man into thinking what a soft snap he has got. Then ho dashes in like a tiger, and works with his hands and brain with wonderful effect." Mr. Opio was met yesterday by Messrs. Marryatt, Guise, and Pollock, of the local Festival of Empire Sports Committee, and was accorded a cordial -welcome home. RUGBY FOOTBALL. • PRESS-POLICE MATCH. The following team has been selected to represent tho Press against tho Police at Athletic.'. Park on Saturday next: — Full-back, G. A. Marris ("Post"); threetmartcis, C. G. Weston (Dominion), T. Beasley (Dominion), E. Warner ("Freo Lance"); five-eighths, J. Brown (Dominion), W. Hill ('Tost"); half, H. Currie ("Post"); wing forward, Bowman ("Times"); forwards, A. Packard ('Tost"), T. Lomas ("Post"), D. Boyle (Dominion), E. Woon ("Times"), J. Egan (Dominion), E. Schwabo ("Times"), H. Jenkinson (Dominion). Emergencies: Backs, J. Devine ("Times"), G. Lusk ("Truth"), G. J. Ryan ("Truth"), D. MiCenzie ("Frea Lance"). Forwards, N. Ross ("Post"), W. Freeman ("Post"). I. M. Levy ("Times"), J. B. O'Neill ("limes"). AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE TOUR. BANQUET IN LONDON. By Telecraph-Press Association-Copyright London, September IS. The Australian Northern League footballers have had a preliminary practice at Fulham. They aro in good condition. Mr. barton Smith, on behalf of Mr. Joynton Smith, of Sydney, banqueted the team. Mr. T. A. Coghlan (Agent-General for New South Wales), Captain Collins (Secretary to the High Commissioner for Anstralia), Mr. T. Burgess (tho swimmer), Mr. Cooke (president of tho' Northern League), and Mr. Piatt (secretary of the Northern Union) were present. Mr. Barton Smith proposed the health of tho team. Mr. Coghlan, in supporting the toast', said Australia could have no finer advertisement than these stalwarts. Mr. Ford thanked Mr. Joyuton Smith for entertaining the team; it was largely duo to liim that the Northern League was now dominant in Rugby football in Australia: He was confident the team would maintain the best Australian Rugby traditions.