Athletics JAPANESE VISITORS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 6, 22 January 1937, Page 12

Athletics JAPANESE VISITORS

Hawke's Bay to Have SixDayVisit THE L0VEL0CK FASHI0N The New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association is now galvanised into acfxvity concerning the visit of the two Japanese athletes, K. Murakoso and K. Togami, and it has issued to centres a proposed itinerary. It is uncertain at the moanent whether they will land at Auckland or Wellington, but the suggested programme includes a visit to Hawke's Bay, and unUke previous tourists they will be in this district for six days, The visitors will spend ten or twelve days at port of arrival to attaip. fitness and then proceed to Canterbury for one week, after which a similar period will be spent in Otago. Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay is next on the list, and it is proposed that they arrive her© on Tuesday evening, March 2, and deparf, for Auckland on March 8, where they will compete at the national championships on March 12 and 13. Each centre will be required to deposit a guarantee of £25 with the profitB also from meetings at which the Japanese appear. At the moment it is uncertain what restriction will be placed on their appearances, but the local centre officials hope that Dannevirke, Hastings, Napier and Gisborne will all have an opportunity of seeing the visitors in action. At first K. Togami was advertised as a hurdler, but it now appears fairly certain that he is a jumper, a branch of the sport to which the sons of Nippon appear peculiarly adapted. Rain Spoils Sports, Elsthorpe' s big day on Thursday last week was completely spoiled by rain, campetitors staying away in large numbers. Runners were in scarce supply and the conditions wero too bad to merit comment. The officialB were forced, due to the lack of a suitable emergency date; to carry on and the public support jn the circumstances was excellent. The Napier Club wa# similarly unfortunate on the evening of tho same day, and Waimarama suffered on Saturday although they did experience a fine day. At this meeting only five male and five female competitors turned up, ahd the races were somewhat farcical from a competition poxnt of view. The rather rough natur© of the fcrack, however, did not prove a brake to W. J. Fitzsimmons, who conceded long starts to the opposition in the 100 yards and 220 yards and then won 60th in gallant style. "Fitz" is now approaching top form, and he could concede any opponent in the" Bay three yards over the .100, that is excepting Graham Quinn, of Gisborne, Lovelock Fashion, Centres throughout the Dominion are beginning to wake up to the fact that Jack Lovelock se.t a new fashion when he visited his native land. Here we have the season half gone and there has been very little first-class effort on the part of the stars. All are hanging back for the national championships, chexishing the hope that they will then, like Lovelock, .turn on sometbing that will startle the natjves. All appear to have forgotten that racing in com-* petition, and plently of it, is required to produce the fitness and other essenibials that help to fiuc9R9. iii Napier, L. O. McLachlan provjdes a strikintf instance. He has been most assiduous in his' training,. but all attempts to persuade him to appear in competition have failed so far, but he promises to run in public next month. "Lachic" insists that his schedule will land him at the post at Auckland on March 13, tit to run the mile of his life. He may be right, but this Lovelock fashion of running one race is not much good for the clubs or public who Hke to have a preview of the coming champions in order that they may judge for themselves, and if satisfied then work up a little enthusiasm over their prospect. In Auckland last Saturday "Sticky" Bainbridge won a 440 yards from scrateh in 50 3-5secs. with the promiting A. S. Sayers, also off scratchi, a foot away. Harold Brainsby, of Auckland, the best hop, step and jump artist the Dominion has produced to date, is again concentrating on this event, and I am assured that in training he has reached 50 feet. He should provide great opposition for Metcalf, the Aussie, at next year's Empire Games. Dates of Meetings. Runners and cyclists, t.ake note ! The following are the dates allotted for meetings during the remainder of the season : — February 6.— Eskdale. February 13. — Dannevirke. February 20. — Taradale R.SA. Debruary 27.— Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay championships. March 3.- — Takapau Caledonian Society. March 6.— Puketitiri. March 13. — New Zealand champioB* ships, at Auckland. March 20. — Puketapu. March 27. — Tikokino.* •March 29. — Havelock North. April 3. — T© Aute.