NEW ZEALAND RUNNER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20033, 4 September 1939, Page 11

NEW ZEALAND RUNNER

GILMORE IN AUSTRALIA STAWELL CUP WINNER Running third with borrowed shoes in his first start at a small professional athletic meeting at'-'Patimiahoe two seasons ago, A. A. Gilmore, a farmer at Waiuku, decided to.take up the sport seriously. 1 He trained round tile paddocks of his farm, concentrating On'the mile and shorter distances. He won races at various small meetings throughout the country and decided at the beginning of this year to try his luck in bigger events in Australia. He left New Zealand in February. The first indication New Zealanders had of the fact that in their midst; was an unknown, runner of .outstanding ability was when they read press messages to the effect that Gilmore had won the Stawell Cup in the Federate n Handicap, one of the biggest professional .mile., contests .in the Commonwealth, in. the fast ...time of 4min. 8 4-ssec., off 40yds. There were only two runners on shorter ■ marks in a very large field. Gilmore returned to New Zealand last week and intends to rest for a few months and attend to work on his farm. Gilmore said that it was probable that he Would make another trip to Australia next season, his only regret being that there was not enough encouragement given runners in the Dominion. ,He was of the opinion that there were some very fine athletes in the country and Well-organised regular meetings with increased prizemoney would do much to place'promising New Zealanders in The. forefront of the world’s best professional competitors. '' In six months in Australia, Gilmore had 13 starts. He won nine events and was second in two, while he was unplaced in the other two. Altogether he won £251 in prize-money. His success in the Stawell Cup represented his fifth successive win in Australia. Gilmore said that while he was in Australia he had issued a. challenge to all comers and this had .been cabled to America. So far he had not received any answers. He revealed the fact that the Australian authorities were negotiating fot Glen Cunningham to appear in the Comfnonwealth next season.