OLYMPIC LURE

NZ Truth, Issue 1142, 20 October 1927, Page 12

OLYMPIC LURE

Stimulus To Athletic Prowess

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Auckland Rep.) With winter sports back on the shelf, all eyes turn longingly to the sunny months of summer with the sports arena and its strings and tapes. NOT only will New Zealand provide the scene fbr the Australasian championships, but back of all athletic effort will lurk the thought of Olympia and the New Zealand team for the world's Mecca of sport at Amsterdam. Auckland intends to take a fair share in both these all- important fixtures, and when the curtain rises on the stage on Labor Day the play will be intensely serious. Among the local athletes hope runs high and the one or two turns- out during the winter have been useful and thoroughly enjoyed. All the prominent' figures of last season will be "in the running" with the exception of A. C. Garlick, holder of the 440yds hurdles title, who unfortunately contracted a foot injury which is likely to impede his career. If there is any sphere of athletics in which Auckland is weak it is in field events. The north cannot boast a decent "heavy" all-rounder who can seriously be regarded as a likely champion. Prominent in this section has been D. H. Grant, an athlete who shows promise with the hammer and shot, but has some way to go before notching championships. The same applies to J. W. Shirley, S. Wade and E. S. Willis so far as they have performed with discus and javelin. Practically all three have made this department, more or less, a side line.

AUCKLAND'S HOPE

Of sprinters, however, there is a bright prospect and distance men are in fair supply. J. W. Savidan will carry all the hopes of most Aucklanders so far as the longer journeys are concerned, and no doubt he will be a right worthy candidate. He holds the Dominion titles for one, two and three miles, but this season will meet stiffer opposition in the bigger competitions than he did when he won his present honors. Savidan is a handy quarter-miler to the bargain, and a plucky and determined runner to boot. Rose and the Victorian, George Hyde, who are mentioned for the Australasian championships, will both find Savidan a tough customer if they meet him. Cross-country racing has kept G. Kells and F. Cooper in the limelight, and both are capable "peds." who seem pretty certain to sport Auckland's colors this season. J. W. Shirley has the jumping fairly well on his own, but found a challenger over the hurdles in B. M. Murray. The meeting of the pair next month will be a keenly contested affair. It is only a year ago since A. J. Elliott burst into prominence as a sprinter, and in the meantime he has provided stiff opposition for th=s Dominion's best. His strongest opponent in Auckland is L. C. Williams, but though the latter got in ahead of Elliott for the N.Z. title, which Leadbetter retained last] season, Elliott had two previous wins over Williams. | Taken altogether, Auckland is looking forward confidently to the season's doings on the track.