WORLD’S CHAMPION

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 17 June 1933, Page 8

WORLD’S CHAMPION

ROBERTSON’S SPRINT CAREER

RISE IN PROFESSIONAL SPORT. ENGAGEMENTS OVERSEAS. Austin Robertson, the . Victorian who holds the world’s professional sprint championship and who has left Australia on a tour 'of the world to engage in match races against the champion sprint runners overseas, is a, born athlete, who probably would have excelled in any branch of sport he tackled (says the Melbourne “Sporting Globe”). In addition to being a brilliant runner, hq was, one of South Melbourne’s most useful footballers (in Australian Rules football), famous for his speed and kicking. It is generally conceded that he was. the best running drop-kick in Victoria.. He' was also a .swimmer of renown earlier in his career.

An unfortunate experience befell him while competing for the junior swimming championship of Victoria, and it was really this that turned him from swimming to foot-running. A germ entered- his right eye while he was in the water. He felt severe irritation shortly afterwarsd and consulted a specialist, under whose care he was for five months. The germ did considerable damage at the hack of the eye and left a scar over the pupil, seriously affecting his vision. While playing football he could scarcely see the ball coming to him on his right side. That germ-attack finished his swimming career. It was a matter of some regret to him, as he was very fond of this .sport, at which his brother, Hans achieved some fame. Specially for the “Sporting Globe,” Robertson wrote the following account of his athletic career:

“In 1922, at the age of 14, my father sent me to Xavier College as. a boarder. It was at Xavier that I first discovered my ability to run. “My father, who was very keen on sport "himself and was a great believer in plenty of exercise and fresh air, had instilled into me a love of any kind of athletic sport. .1 could play a good game of cricket and football. My running ability was yet to be discovered.

“I was at the time probably a better swimmer than a cricketer or -a footballer.

“There is no doubt that my father’s decision to send me to Xavier played an important part in .my career, as a ruhner. The first year I won a place in the first eleven, and first eighteen. In the swimming events I won the 100 yards under 16 and under 15; was first also in the open and under 16 diving championships, and swam second in the 100 yards championship of the school.

“These laurels I won before tlie third and last term, the year when the annual sports took place. I was at the time, like my brother Hans, very keen on swimming and was seriously thinking of taking up that branch of sport. However, this decision _ I amended when the sports day arrived and I became aware for the first time of my ability to run. “At the school sports in 1922 I won tbe 100 yards and 500 yards championships under 15, the maiden 100 and 220 handicaps under 16, the open 100 and 220 handicaps under 16, and the under 16 long jump. In the 100 and 300 yards championship events I broke the school records and ran the 100 yards in User; and the 300 yards in 33 l-10isec. Altogther on the day I had won, including heats, 11 events. “After this I was- sure that I not only had outstanding ability as a swimmer, but also as a runner. A,s most good judges know, the both sports will not mix. I was very reluctant to give up swimming, through the circumstances related above, as I was very fond of it.

“The following year (1923) an the under 16 events at Xavier annual Sports I_won the 100 yards, 220, 440, long and hi ah jump championships, breaking the 100 yards and 220 yards records, running the distances in 10 4-ssec and 23 4-osec.

“This year was a particularly successful one for me at school, as I was also in the champion football and cricket teams that were captained by my old s’chool pal—the late Karl Schneider.

“In the combined public school events of 1924 I was successful in the 100 yards and 220 yards, and ran third in the 440 yards. The following year I ran in open company. Being only 16, the age limit at that time being under 21, I*was meeting boys'two or three years older than myself. In onr own school’s sports I won the 100 yards and 220 yards and was narrowly defeated by Teho Foster in tile 440 yard's. . . ' “I was overcome with joy when, in my first year in open company, I won the blue ribbon in the public schools’ sports. My time for the 100 yards was 10 3-ssec. I strained ray groin in this' event and was unable to start in the 220 yards and 440 yards events.

“The following year (1925) I won the 100, 220 and 440 yards and the long jump at our own sports and also won the treble at the combined sports—--100 and 220 yards and long jump. This year I showed a decided improvement on my times and ran the 100 yards in 10 l-ssec and the 220 yards in' 23sec. “My last year at Xavier (19261 was a gold year' for me. I was captam of the cricket, football and running teams. In addition to taking many wickets and kicking many goals, I won the 100 yards, 220 and 440, and long and high jumps, and was second in the weight-put. V broke the 220 yards record, covering the distance in 22 4-5 sec. and also broke the long jump record when I surprised the critics and myself bv doing 22 feet. In the public 'school sports I was again successful and won the 100 yards in 10 1-10 sec.

“On leaving school I joined up with the South Melbourne football and cricket clubs and intended to run as an amateur with the Carlton Harriers. However, the Melbourne Carnivals promoted the ‘Melbourne Thousand.’ and I entered. Receiving a liberal handicap I wais successful. “Inspired 1 " by this success I decided to nominate for the world’s professional sprint championship in 1928. I was defeated by a single point for the title by Lynch Cooper. Stimulated hy advice I decided to train seriously for the 1030 event, which I won rather handily from a field which included Cooper, Tim Banner, Tom Miles, A. McLennan, Hunter and Parker.

“Because of a breakdown I was unjable to defend the title last year, (when Tim Banner, one of the most popular and best sprinters Australia has produced regained liis title. “In October last year I began a long preparation for the championship, in the course of which I broke the world’s 140 yards record, running nine yards 'inside ‘evens’ at Wangaratta, and I regained the sprint title last March. This year I have, I think, reached the peak of my form.”