REVIVAL OF AMATEUR ATHLETICS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 141, 10 March 1919, Page 6

REVIVAL OF AMATEUR ATHLETICS

It was a very fitting thing that, while the war was raging, amateur athletics throughout the Dominion should fall into a decline—"fitting" because the stamp of our manhood that engages in athleticism is just the stamp that would the most readily and cheerfully forsake games for the 6terner business of war. In common with their fellows of the Old Country and the sister dominions our athletes were among the first to seek to try themselves out in the greatest competition of all time, and how well they succeeded in their endeavour is shown gloriously by history and tragically by the rolls of honour in the record* of their clubs. Thus it was right and proper that "for the duration, with the exception of an occasional military assault-at-aims and athletic tournaments, sports meetings have been few and far between.

Since the armistice, however, those interested have been working steadily to bring about a revival of the sports,. and in Wellington the results attained have been very gratifying. Since the New Year weekly evening meetings have been carried out on the Basin Reserve, and these small affairs have been so well supported that it has been judged that the time is now ripe for something more ambitious. This something is to take the form of an afternoon's meeting on the Basin Reserve next Saturday, under the united control of the Wellington' Amateur and Victoria College Athletio Clubs. >

The programme consists of 19 eventssix open championships, two college and two school championships, and the remainder handicap events. The open championship fixtures will, for this occasion only take the place of the erstwhile provincial championships, controlled in pre-war days by the local centre, and comprise the following events;—loo yards, 220 yards, 410 yards, one-mile run, and the broad and high jumps. The college and school championships are over 100 and- 220 yards, while the handicap events cover the wholo range of track ■ and field competitions, so the programme as a whole appears to offer a very satisfactory afternoon's sport for both competitors and public. Tho enterprise of the club officials in starting off again with a full-sized carnival is to be commended. Tho venture should go far towards putting tho sport back upon its proper footing so that next season when the boys are all back they will find tho snort waiting for them alive and full of vigour. Properly cQiitrolled athleticism litis been proved by the war to be more than a matter of mere pastime for a few enthusiasts. It is now conceded to be a matter of national importance. The striving after physical prowess, the resultant acquisition of bodily fitness, the development of a spirit of competition and combativcness and its guidance into legitmato channels have done wonders in assisting to mould our citizen soldiers into the formidable fighting men they have proved themselves, and this development will be as essential in the piping times of peace we look for in the future as ever it was 'before the war.