Winter Athletics at the Domain

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 141, 5 September 1927, Page 7

Winter Athletics at the Domain

ROPER WINS THE SPRINT STEEPLECHASE TO GILCHRIST The Auckland Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club held the fifteenth meeting of its winter sports competitions at the Outer Domain on Saturday afternoon. It was again evident that the big football attraction accounted for the absence of many competitors. While the attendance was smaller than usual, the proceedings were as interesting as at any previous meeting. KEEN SPRINTING The finishes in all the sprint events were very close. In the first heat, N. Nilser. loked a sure winner, but Roper sprinted in to snatch the victory from him. A. E. Kerrisk beat R. G. Kirkwood for first place in the second heat, in which the veteran runner Alf Clarke was third. In the final the runners came up the field in a line, with inches between first and last, Roper winning by the closest of touches. Watt was second and Clarke again third. The time in all three races was 8 seconds, a fifth of a second better than usual, due to the improved track. A NEWCOMER’S RACE The 17 runners who faced the starter in the one and a-half mile steeplechase found the course more to their liking than usual. The track was dry, although humid atmospheric conditions prevailed. Barker, a stranger at the Auckland Club’s meeting, surprised everyone by running second after being well up all through. It is rare for a runner to do so well his first try.

J. W. Savidan reappeared for the first time since his Australian trip, but he -hardly took the steeplechase seriously, having a run to keep in form more than anything else. Green led the field round the first time, but slackened up latterly, and finished fourth.

Gilchrist, the winner, again displayed pleasing form. He was lying sixth the first time round, but picked up well after that. B. F. White looked a likely winner at the end of the first round, but he gave Gilchrist too much rope and was unable to take it in. PROMISING SHOT-PUTTERS

Two very promising shot-putters were again in action at the Domain on Saturday in D. H. Grant, the Auckland provincial champion, and H. L. Grey, the New Zealand University champion. Grant put the shot 33ft Gin and threw the discus 86ft, the former being a very pleasing effort. Grey’s distance for the shot was 31ft BAin. The following are the results: 75 YARDS HANDICAP First Heat H. S. Roper (3£ yds) 1 N. R. Nilsen (6yds) 2 W. Watt (11yds) .. 3 Eight started. Won by inches, with inches between second and third. Time, Ssec. Second Heat A. E. Kerrish (6yds) 1 R. G. Kirkwood (Byds) 2 A. Clarke (16.3yds) 3 Ten started. Inches both ways. Time, Ssec. Final H. S. Roper (3£yds) 1 W. Watt (31yds) 2 A. Clarke (3 6iyds) 3 Six started. In a close finish, Roper showed a fine turn of speed and won by the closest of touches. Clarke was three inches away third. Time, Bsec. PUTTING THE SHOT R. G. Kirkwood, 34ft 1 N. R. Nilsen, 34ft BJin 2 W. Stewart, sen., 34ft Sin 3 THROWING THE DISCUS E. S. Willis, 111 ft 2in 1 R. Phillips, 107 ft lin 2 N. R. Nilsen. 103 ft 6in 3 STEEPLECHASE About 1£ miles G. Gilchrist (50sec), Bmin 52sec .... 1 A. Barker, Smin 55sec 2 B. F. White (39sec), Smin 57sec .... 3 .T. Green (72sec), Smin, 57 2-ssec ... 4 E. F. Henshall (32sec), Smin 59sec .. 5