Personalities In N.Z. Sport

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 601, 1 March 1929, Page 7

Personalities In N.Z. Sport

Like a human whirlwind, A. J. 'Elliott, Auckland’s pride in the athletic world, pounded the 100 and the furlong tracks at the Dominion championships in Wellington last week, to show as clean a pair of heels to a classy set of representative sprinters »s has been seen for many a day. Yet three years ago A.J.’s feet had never seen tho inside of a running pump. Few athletes have had a more meteoric career. On Labour Day, 192 C, he faced the starter for the first time in open company. Four months later he was representing Auckland as its dual sprint champion against allcomers. There is perhaps a smattering of Irony in the fact that it was Lance Williams, the then century and furlong champion, who persuaded A.J. to join up with the Auckland A.A. and C.C., of which Lance was one of the ‘'heads.” Within a month or two of that, A.J. loomed up like something magic as Williams’s most serious rival for the sprint title of tho province. And A.J. clinched tho honours, although at the Dominion meeting held later Williams turned the tables. H.e then gave the game best, and A.J., without any opposition worth writing ftbout, commenced to reel off victory Piter victory. During the last three years he has Won every points cup that the Auckland Club has offered, and these include the Kohn Cup. Victor Ludorum, Jubilee, and Sportsman Cups. Also, for three successive seasons, he has been Auckland’s sprint champion, while last year he represented the province Pt the Australasian gathering. That fact that an athlete can fill every room in his home with trophies does not give any idea of the coml»ny in which he is competing, and

A. J. Elliott, N.Z. Sprint Champion, Has Had a Meteoric Sports Career

consequently does not always carry weight. Official times tell the tale, and A.J. lias some real sizzling hot ones to his credit. He has shattered evens twice this season, while he covered the furlong at the Dominion gathering last week in 22sec dead, a time which equals the New Zealand record

Mtnblished by another Aucklander, Seorse Davidson. In the 100 yards *Vthe recent Auckland championships he managed 9.9-10 sec. Last season Elliott showed signs of •‘running to bulk.” and many of his followers were afraid that his atnletci career niav be thus cut short HI, rtrlnt performances dispel any • ear of this and stiH greater things can be expected of him.