THE NEXT ATHLETIC TOUR

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 465, 21 September 1928, Page 11

THE NEXT ATHLETIC TOUR

M. Leadbetter To Retire

ONE of the chief reasons for the great interest that New Zealand athletic enthusiasts have shown* ia the athletic events of the Olympic Games is that an endeavour is to be made to arrange for an overseas team to tour New Zealand next season. The New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association arranges tours for two reasons: to increase public interest in the sport, and to educate New Zealand athlete* by competition and association with the champions of other countries. Before, the Games the relative merits of a tour by a British team and of one by an American team were discussed, but the results of this week’s great trials have eliminated the Americans. Why go to a foreign country for knowledge when the greatest exponents of track running are within the British Empire? Would it be possible to arrange for a tour of greater interest to the public than the tour of an Empire team? The talent from which such a team could be selected is amazing. There are Williams, of Canada, winner of the 100 metres and 200 metres; J. E. London, second in the hundred, and Rangeley, second in the two hundred, both of Great Britain; S. J. Atkinson, of South Africa, winner of the 110 metres hurdles; Lord Burghley, of Great Britain, winner of the 400 metres hurdles; D. G. A. Lowe, of Great Britain, winner of the 800 metres; and Ball, of Canada, who was second in the 400 metres —to name but the most prominent. Lowe’s retirement is announced, so that he can be counted out, and that is a great pity, for he would be a wonderful attraction in any part of the world. It is not likely that a big team could be got together, nor is it altogether desirable, hut a team of at least one champion from each of Great Britain, Canada, South Africa, and Australia would be a great attraction, and if it were possible to secure two men from each country, what a wonderful tour t would be! Undoubtedly there are many difficulties in the way of arranging such a tour, and if it were to be undertaken it should be arranged in conjunction with Australia. Perhaps New Zealand’s Olympic Gaines representatives could accompany the champions of the other countries on a tour of Australia, and two or three Australians—say J. Carlton, C. S. Stuart, and W. M. Whyte—could join up for the New Zealand tour. The value of such a tour could not be assessed from an athletic point of view alone. Could there be a finer movement tqwarde the strengthening of the bones of Empire, a better means of giving to the mass of the public—who, after all, take but passing heed of politicians and receive but a passing glimpse of princes—a graphic instance of the greatness of the greatest Commonwealth. Leadbetter Retires: Malcolm Leadbetter, Canterbury, New Zealand University, and Dominion champion over 100yds and 220yds, has decided to retire from the track.

Leadbetter started running at Wellington College in 1920, and in that year won the 100yds Wellington junior provincial championship. Little was heard of him from then until 1923, when he ran second to A. E. Porritt in the New Zealand ’Varsity hundred. The next year he met A. L. Lewis, then Canterbury champion, in a test to decide who should accompany the New Zealand team to the Australasian championships. Lewis winning by inches. In 19UK> Leadhetter beat the Australian star*, Lm Parker ang Norman Grehan,

in 75yds and 220yds test races, and ran .second to Parker in the New Zealand 100yds championship. He also won the two New Zealand University sprint titles. In the 1925-26 season he beat Jackson Scholz, 200 metres Olympic champion of 1924, who ran a deadheat third in the 200 metres last week, in a 100yds handicap in which Leadbetter received 2yds from the American. In that season, too, he won the University and New Zealand sprints double. For the 1926-27 season he was in Canterbury and he won the 100yds

Canterbury championship. At Auckland he ran what were probably the two best races of his career, to retain his two New Zealand sprint titles, registering the fine times of 9 4-ssec and 22sec.

Last season Leadbetter won his first 220yds provincial championship and retained his 100yds Canterbury title, won the 100yds and 220yds New Zealand University titles, and retained the Dominion double, his times being lOsec and 22 l-ssec. With Les Parker (Australia) he shared second place to J. Carlton (Australia) in the 100yds Australasian championship at Wellington last Christmas, and he ran third to Carlton and C. J. Lane (Australia) in the 220yds championship. In handicap races last season Leadbetter put up consistently fine performances. and he was timed to do 7 3-ssec for the 75yds, 9 4-ssec for the 100yds, and 22 l-ssec for the 220j T ds. He has put up a record for New Zealand in holding the Dominion 100yds championship for four years in succession and the 220yds for three years in succession. When asked by “Sprinter” if he had definitely made up his mind to retire, the New Zealand champion replied that he had, and added that probably the only thing that would cause him to reconsider his decision would be the bringing of “Jim” Carlton, the Australasian sprint champion, to New Zealand. Leadbetter would like the chance of another race against the big Australian, and if an overseas tour were arranged it is possible that he would go into training to meet the visitors. He is quite willing to give assistance to the sport by coaching, and in this office he can give very valuable service.

It may be that the New Zealand champion will find it very hard to resist turning out when the season begins again, but at present he is not anxious to do so, and it is possible that he will be too busy after Christmas to give his mind to the thorough training that is m necessary,