Athletics

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 71, 24 March 1934, Page 20

Athletics

By "Snrlnter."

MARTON MEETING

METCALFE'S HIGH JUMP

THE BAR AND MEASUREMENT

Happenings on his tour of the Dominion lead one to wonder if heights cleared by the brilliant Australian, J. P. Metcalfe, in the high jump event have always been measured as carefully and with that exactitude expected of competent officials. Metcalfe has treated the athletes and the public of New Zealand to the finest exhibitions of high jumping yet seen in this country, and with an athlete of his class, consistently clearing well over 16ft, careful measurement with the regulation steel tape is important; not only that, he has a right to expect it. No officials in New Zealand would knowingly deprive any. jumper of even a tfraction of an inch, but there is just a feeling—possibly erroneous—that .some, in an excess of enthusiasm of Metealfc's ability, might unconsciously not have done him full justice. At the Wellington meeting earlier this month "officials, until errors were pointed out to them, were in rather a ''mix-up" over the results in the high jump, but the most glaring incident happened at Marton on Saturday night last. Just what height Metcalfe actually cleared there, is difficult to say. The first report received gave his jump as 6ft 5 2-sin, his best in New Zealand, and then later it was reported that on Monday morning his jump was measured by theodolite and that it was 6ft 6iin, equal to his Australian record. The least that can be said, without wishing to be unkind to those responsible, is that if this is what occurred it is not very satisfactory. Apparently on the Saturday night, after he had cleared the bar comfortably at 6ft 5 2-sin, Metcalfe ordered the height to be measured officially. Necessarily this caused some delay, and w"hen .eventually.,.(?, Martfin,.,report states) •Metcalfe attempted to jump 6ft 6|in, he had become cold and failed. And yet on the Monday morning, with a theodolite on the job, his jump is declared to have been 6ft 64in! The report rather naively adds that this, however, cannot be claimed as a record.' As a matter of fact, it appears doubtful if Metcalfe's 6ft 5 2-sin can be accepted as a record, for, according to a Wellington official, who was present at the meeting, the cross-bar did not comply strictly with the regulations. This is another matter for regret. If the bar was not of the right type, Metcalfe, apart from other considerations, has been placed in an unfortunate position. -'

These matters are not referred to in any uncharitable spirit, for undoubtedly the officials of the Marton Athletic Club were imbued with "the best of intentions, but it shquld be readily appreciated that competitors, particularly a champion of the calibre of Metcalfe, should not be subjected to happenings of the kind suggested by the reports received in Wellington.