ATHLETICS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXX, Issue 11126, 8 February 1930, Page 11

ATHLETICS

ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIPS. GISBORNE TO THE FORE. LOCAL REDS. PLAY HAVOC WITH SUB-CENTRE RECORDS. HOME TEAM TAKES BELL CUT. (By “"Video.”) Winning the Bell Cup for most championship points, with 85 points against -.18 taken by Hastings, Gisborne was brilliantly to tlie lore at last Saturday’s Sub-Centre Amateur Athletic Championships at the Reserve, when the cream of the athletic, talent from Hastings, Napier, Waipawa. and. Takupbu pitted itself against the defenders of local prestige. Our team worked splendidly on the whole, nearly every unit fully justifying selection, though Saturday’s performances went to show that wo a'te hopelessly lacking in half and quarter-milers, the latter especially. Our cyclists did not meet until die success that had been ho-)jed for, hut that u-as due to Napier’s producing a particularly high-class wlxee-l expert, who cleaned up all hut one championship event. only missing that by a hairbreadth. Tho Gisborne representatives played havoc with tho Sub-Centre xcoords, carrying- off the majority of them. In fact, very few records were left intact.

The cycling section of the programme provided one thrill when A. M. Stevens (Hastings) fell unexpectedly. ‘ in the. three-mile event after bitting a. bump, and brought G. .Robson, of Napier, down heavily wjfth him. Stevens was fortunato iu escaping injury when P. Goudio (Napier) rode over the top of him, and it says much) for the balance of tbe latter that he did not lose lias scat in so doing. Both fallen cyclists, resumed. the race, hut had too much ground to m'ukei up to make then presence felt over the closing stages. Frank McDonald liacl hard luck iu the 120 yards hurdles, won' in the slow time of 1$ sec., by G. Pocoek. from H. Leach, of Waipawa. McDonald struck the first hurdle heavily, this throwing his stride out for the second obstacle, which lie struck also, being after that hopelessly out of it. 'The “hoodoo” persisted in the 440yds. hurdles, McDonald running well and being' an easy first into the straight, only to. find that Lis earlier efforts had deprived him of a- strong finish. In this event, H. Leach:, the Waipawa man, , took

tho honors from A. C. Bird (Napier), and J. 11. Webber (Hastings) in fine stylo, depriving tho last-named of the Sub-Centro record, cutting it down by 2 seconds.

The holder of the record for the 220 yards championship, L. J. Eddy, of Hastings, ran third to Corkory and M. Fulford (Napier) the Gisborne man establishing a. new record of 23 secs., Eddy’s time haying Ixien 24 1-5 secs. The same three limners finished in tlie same order in the century, Corkory, right at tlie top of his form, taking another record, this time from Fulford and establishing a. new time of 10 2-5 sec. as against the Napier man’s 10 4-5 sees. D. Coates was not in at all, not running up to his usual standard. The time of 2.9 1-5 for the BSO yds. flat was very slow us compared with Grant McDonald's record of 2/2-5. R. Vcrry, of Hustings, took tho honors comfortably with R. Wallace second and A. C. Bird (Napier) third. YVallace ran his best race to date, using good judgment, hut having no hop.© against tho easy stride and steady pace of the winner, who made the going most of the way. D. Stove us was a- disappointment, finishing last, after ono of the worst races he has ever been seen to run. Tho finish of the three mile championship as such as has never previously been seen oil tho Reserve, and will pass down year after year as one of tlio outstanding sensations in local athleticts. A hard race saw only three runners left in it at tliehell, H. IL Fisken (Gisborne.) and A. G. Bradley (Takapau) running, close together, with- Williamson (Gisborne) some distance back. On the turn out of tho back Fisken lengthened liis stride preparatory to a sprint, with Bradley in hot pursuit. On the home head the latter made a sudden dash, momentarily gaining a- lead, surprising the local runner, hut not for long. Electrified into a wonderful dash Fisken caught his opponent and 'they raced up the straight together as ,if finishing in a--220, for tho Gisborne’, hoy to win with very little to spare, knocking 57 seconds off A. Alitehell’s (Napier) Sub-Centre record. Wildly enthusiastic, the crowd gathered round and both, were showered with congratulations, the winner being finally chaired amid wildest applause and paraded triumphantly to the dressingshed. Considering that he had driven through from Takapau, not arriving until nine o'clock that morning, Bradley’s run was a wonderful effort also.

Had S. O’Leary, of Waipawa, not been forced to retire after running three laps with an injured ankle, there would have been three runners in it at the finish". . Running, with a. long, bounding stride, though with his body bent too far forward, O’Leary led in the early stages, setting a “cracker” pace. Striking a peg, ho developed a pronounced limp, buthung on pluckily, finally being forced to retire.

S. D. Pritchard should never have been asked to compete in the championship three-mile. He tailed the field all the way and did not gain any ground by stopping throe times to re-tie his shoes, and resuming his race, the last occasion gaining him hearty applause. When he got a full lap behind tho leaders, Pritchard retired, apparently in the last stages of exhaustion.

Fisken claimed a fresh record for the mile, reducing that- of -Lot, previously held by him in company with H. A. Small, of Hastings, to 4.40 1-5, after a splendid race. W. Hutchinson, running his best mile to date, came within a-yard of Fisken in a hot finish, beating Bradley (Takapau) by four yards. H. Angus (Napier) and D. Stevens were never serious factors in the race, the former having no show from the start and flu l latter developing a limp and retiring in tlie sccoud lap. L. J. Eddy (Hastings) was a winner all the way in the 410 yards championship, bating Yerry (also of Hastings) home hv 5 yards, with A. C. Bird (Napier) one yard back third. The local qnartcr-nnlers were hopelessly outclassed. The time was 51 2-5, leaving Grant- McDonald’s 53 3-5 still the Sub-Centre record.

The mile relay saw J. H. "Webber, the Hastings man, establish an easy lead from, a tired Fiskcn in the halfmile stage. The Gisborne hoy, who was in no fit state to rim after his great efforts ,‘iu the mile and three mile, finished his stage a had third to Webber and A. C. Bird (Napier). So great was the lead established by Webber that his confederates experienced no' trouble in carrying off the honors, with Napier secondThe holder of the 100 yards ladies’ title, Miss M. Lean, of Hastings, experienced very bad luck, rupturing a, muscle in her thigh seriously -n the first , heat, won hy Miss G. tSymes, of Hastings, i'n 12 1-0 secs. Spectators wore keenly disappointed that tho meeting between Miss M. Lean and Mliss "Wilson did not take place, as the fbianer has had son a very good performances to her credit lately. She is now in Napier hospital and is not likely to run again tbiis season. Miss Wilson won the final and her beat, both comfortably in 12sec., 2-ssec. below the Sub-Centre record. Miss E. Morton, of Napier, ran second, with Miss Synies a close third. Miss Wilson’s 11 3-ssec. fin her heat of tlib 100 yards handicap was an exceptionally good run. The Napier cyclist, ,F. Robinson, rode with most success, taking first place in all the cycling events save the mile and tho one and a half mile handicap. M. McMahon, the local star, annexed tho m ( Lle after a gruelling tussle in a finish so close that tho judges could not agree, the roforeo haying to bo called in to adjudicate, inches—and doubtful inches—separating tlib three pi.iced men, McMahon, Robinson and A. Campbell, .who were finally placed in that order. R-obinson. is a rider who uses superb judgment and keeps a strong finish till the exact moment when it is. necessary; He. is a, sprint cyclist of rare ability and should hold ! his own with good company over distances.

Local ■ supporters of the game had placed their trust in Lloyd Atkins to amass points in the field events and their faith was fully justified, the big American brilliantly coming up to expectations, winning the shot putt with a throw of. 30ft. Mins., and the discus throw with 103 ft. tius., leaving the two previous records, held by It. S toe re (Napier) and W. J. Burton (Hastings) hopelessly in the dust. A dead heat for first in the polo vault aiul a second in the hammer throw completed a .brilliant day's performance. (!. .Lindsay, of Napier, took second place in the shot putt, but was over 3ft. behind the Gisborne champion. -J. Algie was third in the shot putt and occupied the same place in the discus throw, being bentGn for second place by lOin. by Lindsay.

Only one visitor, R. Amundsen, of Napier, took part in the pole vault, Findlay tying for pride of place with Atkins with a superb effort of 9it. tin., 1). Coales (Bft 9iu) being third. Amundsen broke the pole early in the. contest and it is likely that bis narrow escape from serious injury unnerved him for bis later efforts.

Tito record for f lic high jump, held by W. Beck (Napier) and W. Thoms (Daunevirke) still stands at Alt. Ain. Although Contes bail jumped that height and yhcridan had beaten it by an inch prior to the big meeting, no noiv record was established as had been expected, R- Arnold (Napier) and I>. Coates both going out at Aft. 2in., the rain and consequent sticky nature of the ground doubtless accenting for this. Sheridan did not eoinpetet, Gisborne's other two representatives being Ale A neny and Ryan. .Prior to last Saturday tho broad jump record was held by W. Beck f Napier) with a. distance of 21ft. It in., .to which At. Gillespie, also of Napier, added l.Vi'n.. establishing a new ambition for long jumpers. A. Lockett managed 20ft. Oin., filling second place. P. Kami, as was expected here, carried oil tho. hop, step and jump title in comparative comfort, beating Gillespie’s -10 ft. Ain. with a margin: of' lft. Ain.,,Lockett taking third place .'with 4-oft.' Sin.

athletic records.

ANCIENT AND MODERN

ASTONISHING PERFORMANCES.

Record-breaking (is often carried to ludicrous lengths, nowadays by enthusiasts ■ who dance for days, or sit on * the tops of poles' for weeks ; but a .true'feat of athletics is not a. thing. to be scoffed • at. Nowadays, when everybody : likes to* ride‘ rather than, walk, it is nice to •be i reminded * that the human' body is still, f capable of going fast and far unaided. * If 1 a • few zealous athletes wore . not still willing-to perform wliat' cynics: call ‘idiotic feats,” we should Jbo ; *in danger of. being -put to shame- by. our’ ancestors.

A man who rides to town every day in a tramcar, and whose' most strenuous sport is a game of bridge at home iu.the evening, is apt to he ignorant of what Shanks’ pony can do when really put to it.

THE GREEKS. We need to cultivate a little of the enthusiasm of the ancient Greeks for physical agility and endurance. No one ever called a classical Greek athlete a tool for risking the rupture of Jiis blood vessels in a punishing trial of speed or stamina. Among the Greek national heroes, Last-hones the Theban stood high, for he could'run a- horse to a standstill. There were also Polymncsicr. who chased and caught a hare, and Philonides, the courier of Alexander the Great, who once ran IAO miles in nine hours Everyone knows what a Alarathon race is. The word itself we owe to the famous soldier of Alarathon. who ran 20 miles to announce a victory to the Magistrates of Athens, and fell dead at their feet. AVhat his time was we do not know. It Hallers our vanity to think lie did not improve on the time of the present record-holder—two hours and thirty-four minutes. THE MODERN ATHLETE. Tho indications are Unit the modern athlete would hold his own against any who ever lived. Take (he case of the Indian long-distance runner, ‘UDocrfbot.” who was taken to England in 18(51 and there defeated all the champions. In Loudon, he covered eleven miles in AG minutes and A2 seconds, and established a world’s record which stood lor many years. But the present world's record over ten miles., made hy Shrubh, m Glasgow,-in 190.1, is A 0 minutes and 40 soeonds—quite as good—and official. Many of the. oldest records arc open to suspicion. Some truly wonderful stories- are told of the achievements: of the foot couriers in tiie ages which went before'the electric telegraph and wireless. The runners retained by. the ■ English nobility must have been tough fellows. One .is credited with having run to London and back. a. round-trip.-of* 148 miles, and to tune returned; within-' 24 hours, with anurgently needed ‘ bottle oi physic.

THEI ’ LAZY CO UIMER

Tlicro.is a story of-a.'Scottish laird who'lived ’3s(miles;-from; Edinburgh,, and who dispatched ■ a. courier ( one night with a. letter > for - someone -; in the city, f On) the following .morning lie found his messenger alseep in.an antechamber,, and, '■ like a '. true 1 Scottish ; chief,'’ was . on- point of dirking him J for 1 a \ shirker,. when -. tho Dnan aowko, and handed" him ‘ a ■ reply .' to his’letter. - The man liad (covered-70 miles ; while)his master (slept. The Tann-M'aiiri:lndians,/'of-Mox-

ico, are described as the most wonderful long-distance runners in the world. One, a mail carrier over •‘AO miles of as rough mountainous load as ever tried a mountaineer's lungs and limbs,” used to cover this AO-mile stage- every day, carrying on his back a mail-pack weighing 401 b. It- is on record that a regular Hiudustanee carrier, loaded with a weight of SOlb., will lope along over 100 miles in 24 hours, as astonish-

ing a performance, in its way, as the 100 miles credited to C. Rowell, the American runner, in less than 13-hours and a-halt. JACK! MILES IN 1000 HOURS. Then there is William Gale, who walked 1-500 miles in a thousand consecutive hours, and afterwards walked GO miles every 21 hours for six weeks on a cinder path. He was -19 years old at the time of his extraordinary feat, a little man without- muscular development. In Ox weeks oi walking ho lost- only <lb in weight. •John Snyder, of Dunkirk, was even. more iof a marvel. He is said to have walked 2-3.000 miles iu AOO days and to have finished as fresh as paint. Ernest Alcn-seu. the Norwegian sailor, made a wager that he would walk from Paris to Aloscov in 1A days wages in 1831 with six hours to spare! lu 1536 he was employed by the East India Company to carry a dispatch from Calcutta to Constantinople, a. distance of AABO miles across Central Asia, lie did the journey in A9> days—in one-tliird less time than the fastest caravan. This wonderful walker died whilst trying to discover the source ol the Nile.