ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2199, 11 July 1914, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

IBi "Mei!Curt."J , VARIOUS CHAMPIONSHIPS, ' The Fleet Applegarth, Applegarth's brilliant record published in these columns last week must be; added his two sterling wins at the English.Championships . last .Saturday. His lOsec. ■ for 100 yards he had pre- • viously bettered,' but his 21 lrssec. in the. furlong is something a class ahead of anything he had ever before accomplished, and certainly classes him with B; J. Wefers and 11. C. Craig as the best ever seen at this distance. There have been some wonderful performances at various distances, but to "Mercury's" way of thinking that 21 l-ssec;'. is' the most startjing: performance on tbe record books. Tho 1 furlong is a most exacting race, and that-any MRU should bo able to do, it-.,in eightyards. inside evens seems hardly credible, yet this time is held jointly by three runners. It seems fairly certain that Applegarthj is at his best at a furlongs as have, been his ,performances over - tlio "hundred," he has occasionally _ been beaten _by men who havei.no claim to be considered world's ohampions, and it is fairly'certain that he does not get properly .going until .150 yards have . been covered., Ifiho can last', over tho two years between now and the next Olympia Games, it would seiem : that at last. England'will have produced an Olympic sprint, champion. V The>_ only 'other result cabled is tho half-mile, Won by Homer Baker, of . the New York j Athletic iii; lmin.' 54 3-ssec. Baker is the present mile champion .of;/America, but last' Saturday's: performance is. his Half-mile to date.. .C. S. Thomas, of Ghristclnirch, if he started, 'to'ust have been 'well down the straight.' Anything under 2min. is beyond-his'.powers. Colleglan;ChampionG ln Action. One generally looks for firstclass performances at the annual American In-ter-Collegiate. Championships,''and this [ year was no exception to -the rule. The meeting, which took place at Cambridge, Mass.,' : resulted in ' a ' win .for Cornell, which, winning for the fifth' time, lyori outright the trophy' competed for at theso' games., : - '•TheysurpHso of. thegathering ..was Meredith's third in' the half-mile. The Olympic champion could not have been' out * of "form—his quarter performance shows" that, but evidently his staying powers have -wanedsomewhat 'as his pace Jias increased. Hofrrhire's 9min. 23, 4-osec.for tlie.tw'o miles:;is eloquent: .testimony of. tne-Yimprovemerit - among' America's ''distance: runners'bf recent •years. .Comparatively speaking' the poorest performances .lit the .gathering were the times for the. two hurdle events —15 3-osec. and 25 l-ssec.—which compare very unfavourably .'with,; the-- re-; oords, lSsec: and 23 3-ssec.' respectively. Cross-country Championship,. Our harrier , correspondent . sends the following- ■ So 'Wellington is hot to bo the scene P.f tlie Dominion Cross-country Cham-' ■pionship; after-all I: ~SucH is;tlie decision o'£ tho'Council of the N.Z.A.A.A. Canterbury has been selected for the: honour—and that 'success may.-.attend:the i ■ the southern , centre: is tho i hearty ;,wisli' .off;local : enthusiasts. v.Not, sincO: 1903 lias the- Canterbury control been . invested with tho responsibility of the Dominion's biggest cross-country event,, so not even the njdsti disappointed of those l who' desired , the race to .'take' pjace' : in Wellington can cavil at the ■ justice of the council's selection—and-in ; ti;uth noiie;'of.'theni do; . V -.: '".•The race will probably be run ,sbih&. where, in: tho vicinity ,of . Christchurch. next month, so our. own,provincial chain-: . pionship or next Saturday, will .se'rveas ; an excellent'guide'.'to Wellington's prost pccts in .the big affair. It i sto be taken for granted that the local centre will be represented. Even,if. tlie finances of the 1 controlling body , do : hot' permit of a team being eelit, "all 6xpeiises paid,'' there: .is .'enough keenness among our .runners to, ensure, a'; Creditable, even: if not the; bMt possible, representation 'of the centre.'■, ; ' By: the rules governing tho contest there lnust be three separate centres re? presented'. l Otago, the' present champion province, is a certainty,: and Wellington 'also'; the -home cenht! niay be reckoned lipon, while Southland \and'i Auckland are doubtful.. When an Auckland team : last 1 . competed, at Wellington three. years' ago,' tlio northerners put up a good, showing, and lis report testifies' to a healthy sta'to of affairs up there, in their little harrier world, it may be that a team will again come -south, ' although, .of course,- -the .financial hurdle is a Big one. Last, time, however, the Aucklanders , paid their: own expeiises—so/ keen .tVbro" they—and it js .possible .that they have passed •their keenness along to their successorsS N'' ■' ' ■■ Next ;Woek's Championship. , ..Next Saturday will be a big day, at Mirahiar.y There, is: to be decided"the 1 Wellington 1 provincial .: crosscountry' chanipionship race, over.s miles, lor the team's and ( individual championships, and"the Whyte and Mackay Shield, '.today the three town clu(is. will hold their, final tests'and '"try outs" for 'selection purposes. ' ' ■The Olympic Club lias set a good'example by entering, a' 13 team—a move which has 'spurred 'the Wellington Club to similar action, and one would very much like to.sce Brboklyniics doing ■likewise. There are 'men in, all-tho clubs ,who\ reooghise that,' they ' are' not, good enough to compete 'against the. No., 1 selections, but who would like to compete ,'if 'company of their calibre is available. "i Moreover, these additional entries all 'make for. tho' good of the event. \Ench team that starts adds' to the interest, and makes .the' competition .keener. Also .every man that- participates is benefited by the experience gained in a scratch race in good company. Wherefore it'is plain that from all-viewpoints the more, starters : .that turn out. the. bettor for all.' concerned..?. .What bf tho Country. It is to bo regretted that nothing definite can bo gleaned of tho intentions of'tho country clubs. Numerous rumours are circulating . that I'cilding is sending a team, and a j>!:od one, but the report sadly needed confirmation. ( A jUnsterton team is coming, definitely, thanks to tho good work of Mr. .1, liradliiji'y and company, but beyond that.' no .further' outside representation can' be depended upon. Our correspondent discusses the pros- , pect's of the various teams entered, but .unfortunately' lack. of space, prohibits, publication of his remarks, sn tin's interesting phase.'-of.-tlio contest, will be dealt - with on the • morning of . the struggle—next Saturday. *■ ,