ATHLETIC SPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1670, 10 February 1913, Page 6

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

AMATEUR ATHLETICS. SATURDAY'S CHAMPIONSHIPS. IBt "Meecubi.'U As in football, cricket, and othe* kindred sports, bo in amateur athletics tho history of tho Now Zealand champion, ships shield is 0110 of. ruse and fall of tho fortunes of tho various centres. So far, out of 23 championship meetings, ' Canterbury lias emerged victorious on eight occasions, Wellington sir, Auckland 6ix, Otago two, and Southland ono. Of Canterbury's eight victories, six were gained bsfore tho 19034 season; all of Auckland's wins wcro secured before 1902; whilo on the other hand Wellington ha? gained all her victories but one yithin ; tho last ten years. At the present time Auckland's shield prospects are hopeless, but aa ; has been her custom in almost every year, she is sending down two men <!oir to~ rank with tho best New Zealand has yet produced ■ot their respeclivo" ■ distances. First and foremost there? is Dormer, . present quarter' and', half-milo champion, and joint holder. (with Hector Burk)" of tho Now Zealand : half-milo record, Dormer's last year's ' victories were of tho most brilliant character, and tho way in which ho ran away > from "Jimmy" Wilton at tho finish of tho quarter championship makes.ono wonder, what ho will do this year when extended, ] as ho surely will bo by Wilton. As a half-, wiler Dormer is of course in a class by : himself, now .that Harding has retired, and it is doubtful whether the present • Australasian champion ovon in his very best form was as good as Dormer is now. Certainly if ho is after time on tho BasinV Keserye next Saturday, tho Aucklandor \ should go very near to breaking his present record. As a milor, too, Dornior is in. Quito the first class, and it is an open secret that tho reason. for tlio tardy response to tho appeal for funds wherewith to dispatch Hill to tho last Olympic Games • was duo td tho strong feeling in' certain ■■ quarters an Auckland: that Dormer was '■ really tho bettor man. .. Tho other Aucklander whoso appWaneo will be awaited with interest is L. J. Mark. whoso running'in handicaps at tho '. last Australasian championships was'tho' subjcot of favourable comment. Since:then ho.has improved vastly, and at present must bo pretty nearly in tho same- . class as .Wilton. At tho furlong ho should',' bo Duncan's most dangerous opponent. ' ', Just now matters do not look too bright for. Canterbury* but from past experience i one is chary, of'•writing tho plainsmon off s tho.list, of those possessing a chance ot .annexing tho shield. In Christchurch: , there aro very few meetings during tho ' year, tho consequent being that for tho < most part their championship team is « thing of mystery. This year the king pins of tho team will bo Thomas and Cook. ■ Thomas is coming up with the reputation. ■ of being able to break Slsec. for tho".' quarter, and of being even'a better thdlfmilor. Here, then, if wo may believe ro-s--JPOft. .ka .worthy opponent for Dormer at" both these distances. Cook the other, night ran.his quartqr hurdles trial in.. Glsoc.,' . time that makes him out as good as Keddcll at this distance. Of course at tho' shortdr distance' ho will have no chance, but tho prospect of his extending or beating tho flying Southlandor in the.quarter-' gives added zest to tho meeting. .. Two other Canterbury, representatives, who have fair chances of securing ohom-■ pionships aro Robinson (high jump) and.' Do Thicr (weight). In his trial Robin-■'• eon, though not.in his best form,,cleared--sft. Oin. On, tho day ho should be good" for sft. 7in., which will very nearly win. De-Thicr has already won .tho weight-" putting on three occasions, and tho battle '■'■ between him and champion A. S. Koid■'• 6hould bo a' very,interesting one,, ..'.'■ -"S Siimmod up, Canterbury is not as strong as a few. years ngd, but tho pointe in thoso '• events in which she is not represented will ; probably bo so' evenly divided among tho other centres' that there is still a-pes-; . Gibilitv of her winning tho shield. ' -'■-' Koriows of tho chances of ; Southland (tho present holders), OtagO; and Welling.' ton will appear later in tho week. •.•