Pullar Runs Fast Mile at Wanganui

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 1, 2 January 1940, Page 2

Pullar Runs Fast Mile at Wanganui

SEVERAL MANAWATU SUCCESSES The New Zealand mile champion, W. A. C. Pullar (Masterton) was on the scratch mark in the mile event at the open amateur athletic and cycling meeting held by the Wanganui Club on Saturday evening. The two back-markers next to Pullar were from the Kia Toa Club (Palmerston North), G. J. Annear, on 50 yards, and A. Fell, on 75. Annear’s handicap was too severe on him, but he ran well until he collided with another runner. Fell went into the lead at the start of the last lap and he was soon closely followed by Pullar, who was running better than when he appeared in Palmerston North a week or two ago. Fell led to within, about 50 yards of the tape, where Pullar overhauled him with a fast sprint to win in the excellent time of 4min. 21 2-ssec.

C. H. Matthews (Christchurch), who recently did 4min. 21 l-ssec., is the only New Zealander to run a faster mile this season. Pullar, Matthews, V. P. Boot and T. Allen have been invited to attack the world’s record for the fourmile relay on the fast Masterton track later in the season. To succeed each runner he will have to do 4min. 19sec. or better for the mile he runs. All four have shown themselves to be capable of that in past seasons, and two of them at least are shaping that way now, and the other two are expected to soon follow suit.

Although beaten by a better man on Saturday night, Fell ran a good race, equivalent to about 4min. 29sec. off scratch. A tall, well-built athlete, Fell will develop into a first-rate miler when he learns to unwind a stronger sprint at the finish.

In winning the half-mile at Wanganui, C. McVicar (Kia Toa), the Manawatu champion, ran his fastest race of the season. He started from the back mark (35 yards) together with the promising Wanganui junior and one of the best juniors in New Zealand to-day, E. Harris. Harris was much quicker off the mark than McVicar, who is overinclined to let the rest of the field get away from him at the start, and at one stage Harris had gained about 10 yards. McVicar ran confidently, however, and coming into the final straight drew abreast with Harris and K. Johnston, whose handicap was 45 yards. McVicar won by little more than a foot from Harris, with Johnston third in an exciting sprint to the tape. The time, Imin. 57sec., was quite good as there were a large number of competitors and the winner did not always have the inside running. F. D. Morgan (Levin) won the 100 and 220 yards; his performance in winning the 100 off six yards in lOsec., in the heat and the final, was most commendable. Morgan has developed into one of the best sprinters in Manawatu. His style is effortless and almost perfect, and it is predicted he has a promising future. Another Manawatu competitor at the same meeting, D. Hopkirk (Kia Toa), who is only 15, won tho schoolboys’ 100 yards sprint and 440 yards walk. H. Temperton (Kia Toa) was third in a heat of the senior 100 and beaten by inches for third place in the final. He jumped ISft. 7in. in the long jump, but his best is over 19ft. While competing in the high jump, R. L. Kay (Kia Toa) caught his leg with his spiked shoe and had to have stitches in his calf. Officials of the Wanganui Club are very interested in an inter-club contest which is to be staged at Palmerston North on January 31, between the Wanganui, Marton, Dannevirke and Kia Toa Clubs. All four clubs will be strongly represented, and while the Kin Toa Club have the advantage of the meeting being held on v their own ground, Wanganui should have a big say in the proceedings, for they possess a number of West Coast (North Island) Centre champions and are strong in all events. They have the centre’s senior and junior champions for the half-mile in P. Wallace and E. Harris, and the centre long jump champion, M. Shewan, who have done 21ft., and also cleared sft. 4iin. in the high jump. They also have a number of good sprinters and field event exponents. One of the most popular Wanganui athletes is A. J. (Mick) Darby, who, even though in his forties, has the vigour of youth. On Saturday he won the 220 yards hurdles, the 440 flat, and tied for first place in the high jump, clearing the bar at sffc. a height which many half his age cannot jump.