EMPIRE GAMES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 82, 30 December 1937, Page 3

EMPIRE GAMES

"Spike.")

Performances at the Trials Compared RECENT H.B. FORM

(By

Depleted fields and public patronage greeted the Napier Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club last Thursday evening, tne pre-Uiiristmas rush of wc%k being the cause, but v despite these factors the meetxng proauced the smartest mile that has been run on McLean Park for more than a year and the finishes in the other events were of the closest imaginable, . Ealph Longley turned on the mile highlight, running the distance o£/ 35 yards in 4min 30 2-5secs. The timo when one comes to measure it with Pullar is nothing extraordinary, but Longley did his job in classy style, and bearing in mind that he has not had much preparation so far this season, it was most encouraging. R. Morley, of Hastings, ran the halfImile in jnst over 2 minutes, coming with a well-sustained sprint over the concluding stage. He came out again in the mile, but did not take part in the finish, a not very surprising circumstance. Ian Biekerstaffi collected • the 300 yards and was placed second in the 120 yards to Tucker, but many considered that the judges had erred. Reverting to Morley for a moment, it appears certain that before January is ended he will be breoking 2 minutes for the 880 yards, and there are not many runners in this country capable of performing that feat. Grant MacDonald, of Gisborne, Edgar Form and Arthur Milne, of Napier, are the only runners in this centre during the last ten years who have broken 2 minuter* for this distance. Fourth Succeesive Win. In the women 's event Miss M. Martin recorded her fourth successive victory, a fine series for a first-year runner. At present her style is far from perfect, but she gets over the ground. Ian Driscoll, after fonr wins in a rdw was well . back in the mile walk. Despite his early successes there is mwre than a suspicion that he has lost a little of the speed of f ormer seasons. Cyclist's Dash Returns, The cycling events drew fair fields with W. Williams, although not an actual winner, showing some of his oldtime dash. An improver in this branch 5(3 R. J. Anderson, of Hastings, who is due for a win any time now. The evening concluded with a high-

ly exciting li mile challenge match between R. Gollop and the Marathon runner, A. G. Hughes. Gollop created a great surprise by winning by three yards. Empire Games Team. Arnold Anderson, of t-nristchurcii, and New Zealand 440 hui'dles recordholder, has been added to the New Zealand team for the Einpiad. Just over two weeks ago he could not run the distance in 57secs, but last Monday be equalled his New Zealand record of 55 secs. For extra weight the newspaper report adds that it was on a "dead" track. The improvement in Anderson is truly amazing, and after seeing him in action in Wellington "Spike" is rather sceptical concerning the latest time. In Brisbane early this month F. P. McGee, of New South Wales, won the Australian quarter' hurdles title in 53$secs. and J. Park, of Victoria, was only inches behind the winner. While on the subject of Australian performances it would appear that H. S. Yates, of Victoria, will take a big part in the decision of the British Empire 100 yards and 220 yards titles. At the Australian championships held recently in Brisbane he Won the 100 yards and z20 yards titles the latter dn 21 4-5 secs. At the same meeting Ted Winter, who was over here two years ago, ti ed for first in 'the pole vault at 12 feet G inches, but was beaten m the jump off G. Backhouse won the 880 yards in lmin. 57 4-5secs., and the three milea event wcnt to W. Weiglitman in 14min. 56secs., just 49 seconds slower tban Cecil Matthews' great effort in Wellington. Australian Women. Con'trary to expectations the team to represent Australia in the women 's section is a comparatively small one. It comprises Misses Doris Carter, Isobel Grant and Elsie Jones (Victoria), Decima Norman and Joan Woodland (West Australia), Mrs Thelma Pecke (Queensland), and Jean Coleman (New South Wales). Decima Norman, the sprint champion, is tall, and slim, and at the Women 's championships held- in Melbourne she won the 100 yards in 11 2-5secs. and the 220 yards in 25 9-10 secs. She was most popular with the large crowd present who gave her the nickname "The Trump." In the 90 yards hurdles Miss I. Grant, running against a strong breeze, won in 12 4-3 secs. Taking the performances broadly the Australia appears to be on a par with that of this Dominion, but iieither approaches in some respects the South African and English standards. Of course, the climate will trouble cornpetitors from those two countries and they may not produce their best in consequence. , In the javelin, high jump and brnad jump the New Zealand women have great prospects of suesees. Performances Compared. The following table will assist readers to judge for themselves the prospects of the New Zealand team: —

MEN'S EVENTS. Empire Record 1934 Games. N.Z. Trials 100 yards P. Williams (C.) A. W. Sweeney (E.) Quinn 1930. 9.9secs. losecs. lOsecs. 220 Yards S. Englehart (S.A.) A. W. Sweeney (E.) Q. Quinn 1930 21.8secs. 21.9secs. 22 4-5secs. 440 Yards G. Rampling (E.) G. Rampling (E.) H. Tyrie s 1934. 48secs. 48secs 50 l-5secs. Mile J. Lovelock (N.Z.) J. Lovelock (N.Z.) T. Allen 1934. 4min. 12.8sec. 1 4npn. 12.8secs. 4min. 32secs. 120 Hurdles Lord Burleigh (E.) D. O. Finlay (E.) p. F. Sharpley 1930. 14.6secs. 15.2secs. 15secs. 440 )Hurdlea Lor'd Burleigh (E.) F. A. Hunter (Sc.) A. Anderson . 1930. 54.4secs. . 55.2secs. 55secs. High Jump J. H. Viljoen and E. Thacker (S.A.) No entry E. Thacker (S.A.) 6ft. 3in. . 6ft. 3in. Broad Jump L. Hutton (Can.) S. Richardson (Can.) No entry 1930. 23ft. 6$in. 23ft. e^in. Pole Vault S. Apps (Can.) S. Apps (Can.) No entry 1934. 12ft. 6in. 12ft. 6in. Hop, Step J. Metcalf (A.) J. Metcalfe (A.) No entry . and Jump 1934. 51ft. 3Jin. 51ft. 3iin. Javelin S. Lay (N.Z.) R. Dixou (Can.) S. Lay 1930. 207ft. ljin. 196ft. llin. _ 197ft. Hammer M. Noakes (E.) M. Noakes (E.) H. Leckie 1934. 153ft. 3iin. 153ft. 3iin. 146fi}Shot Putt H. Hatt (S.A.) H. Hait (S.A.) No entry ' 1934. 48ft. lfin. 48ft. lfin. Discus H. Hart (S.A.) H. Hait (S.A.) J. Morgan 1934. 136ft. 3in. 136it. 3in. 126ft. 3in.