Athletics SEASON'S PROSPECTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 29, 28 October 1937, Page 13

Athletics SEASON'S PROSPECTS

"Spike.")

Hawke's Bay Athletes with Empire Games JHopes THE AMERICAN C0ACH

(By

With the Empire Games set down for Sydney next February there is much to interest this province during the intervening months and athletes generally will he afoot in earnest next month for what promises to he for them a busy four months of competition. All cannot gain selection in the New Zealand team for Sydney, but we can hope with confidence that this centre will be represented, while for all there ig the prospect of good sport at the meetings in town and country close handy. The annual meeting of the Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay Centre will be held in Napier early in November when it is. confldently expefetcd that the centre will make application for the NeW Zealand track and 'field championships of 1938-39 to.be held in this pro.vince, For this year the championships have been allotted to Canterbury, but the N.Z.A.A.A. cannot forego the claim of this centre for the following year. The N.Z.A.A.A. has now decided that this year's titles will be cohtested in March, and coming after the Empire Games there is the prospect that they may not attract all the 'stars hecause of the qnestion of leave frofia employment, Originally it was intended that the New Zealand titles would be contested in December and the subsequent change has aroused the ire of the Otago Centre^ who at its annual meeting suggested that all centres should "fire" their delegates resident in Wellington and appoint a fresh lot. It was only a year ago that Otago could see no wrong-'in the N.Z.A.A.A. and now they can see nothing right, The American Coach. In Welliugton the centre with landablo intent has orderpd an American coach at a cost of £600 plus cxchango. The sclected man has the highest credonlials, aud it is expocted that he will leave America on Novomber 11 and stay in New Zealand for four months. In the excitcment of the moment a "feeler" was put out to ascertain if Hawke's Bay would contribute £3Q0 and have the coach for half the time. This proposition will, no doubt, be discussed at the Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay centre 's annual meeting nex% month, but it is difficult to see from where the money required is to come. Certainly it Would provide the one thing necessary in athletios, for there is no doubt that in the art of coaching on the proper lines we are sadly lacking. One * of ihe duties that will no doubt be set down for the American will be that of instrueting the eoaches of this country. By this method only can the visitor's stay here be made one of lasting benefit. Empire Games Hopes. Coming closer home the prospeets of local representation in the Now Zealand teanj. for the Empire Games is already aronsing interest. Bill Fitzsimmons, of Napier, national ehampion 100 and 220 yards sprinter, appears to have good claims for selection, and he has been busy with his training since last *August. A sprinter is bound to be selccted and he will need to be at his best for the trials to bo held in Wellington on Deoomber 11. Unless some previously unknown quantity bobs up, the Napier man 's chief opposition ai> pears most likely to come from Graham Quinn, of Gisborne, aud from an age point of view there is more chance of improvemeut coming from Quinn than any other sprinter who eompeted at the last national championships when the Gisborne man was second in' both sprints. Sayers (Auckland) 440 yards, Boot (Canterbury) 880 yards, and Pu* lar (Otago) milc, appear threo likely members of the team. Frank Sharplcy has been attending to his training jn compauy with Peter Begley, and it is pleasing to note that the former has thrown ofl? all signs of the injury that undoubtedly robbed him of the 120 and 220 hurdle titles last March. However, he has to do the job all over again and in Wellington at the trials to gain selection must convinoingly defeat the present ehampion Bowie and reeord good time in the process. As New Zealand women 's ehampion over hurdles, Miss Rona Tong has but to repeat last year's times to be in the selection and this for her should prove an easy task. There are to be no walking events at the games and so we are deprived of one who would be a certainty for selection otherwise. Inquiry is at present being made to ascertain if thero are to be e,ven unofficial walks on the programme. Should there be any then | lan Driscoll will go over. Thus we have Miss Tong and Fitzsimmons, Quinn and Sharpley with undoubted prospeets of being included in tiic New Zealand team, and if P. Begley and Kt'ic Phillips have made any progress since last season in their epeviftl events they too will b® givcu an

opportunity at the December trials and the same applies to R. Longley, of Porangahau. Marathon Trial. There is to be a marathon u-ial in Auckland next month some tiine, and it is tlie intention of A. Hughes, the Napier harrier ehampion, to go up and try his paees against the nortlierners. Any runner with hopes of selection must be capable of running the 26 miles and 300-odd yards in 2 hours 55 min. or b(!tter. Tlie winner of the trial in Dunedin rau the distiinee in 2 ltours 53 min„ whieh time compares favourably with those of the Olympics,.