ATHLETICS.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 364, 19 February 1937, Page 2

ATHLETICS.

I The Stratford Amateur Athletic I Club is to be congratulated on the manner in vhi ch it conducted its floodlight sports at Victoria Park on i Tuesday la£t. Starting and judging I left little to be desired. The ground | was in perfect order and the man•nr in which the timetable was ! i adhered to was very creditable, every event being run up to scheduled I time. It could be pointed out, how- - ever, that four field events is rather 1 many for this type of meeting. The • discus throw seemed hardly suitable for a night meeting and obviously caused considerable worry to the judges.

On p rformances at this carnival and Eltham. it seems that Stratford will be hard-pressed to hold its Taranaki premiership at the sub-centre meeting at Nev’ Plymouth on Saturday. New Plymouth is very strong this season, particularly in the running events.

J Ford. New Plymouth, seems to show improved form every time he runs. His performance in the 100 yards of lOsec. off five yards was an excellent ope and at New Plymouth on Wednesday night he put up the same time off four yards. B. Smithalso of New Plymouth, showed good form to win the final of this event at Stratford with a concession of six yards. Sullivan’s running was disappointing but he may be in better form on Saturday. R. Cuff is improving rapidly and may cause a. surprise. ** t * Boyle. New Plymouth, the limit man in (he 220 and 440 produced an unexpected turn of tpeed tn win both events with ease. This performance indicates that he would probably be better at the quarter and half-miles than nt his former favourite,| the mile and three miles. * * * B Thomas. Hawera, who won the half-mile in very convincing style, may be the principal of challenger of the present provincial champion in that‘distance,. Bennett of Havtra. ■* * * Interest will be added to the mile this year by the Lovelock photos trophy. Stratford is without a distance runner and the New Plymouth men W- Us and Morton will probably decide it be tween them. * * * Green of Hawera seems to be invincible in the cycling section but the Stratford riders Ludlam. Adams., Beere and Aitken are in good form and should annex a number of places. Hawkins of New Plymouth seems -to be the best after Green. The performance of the new' Stratford rider,j. F. Adlam, who won file liadlf mile i gives promise, for future years 1 .

Miss M. Knox failed to produce her best form on Tuesday and if she is to maintain her championhip honours at New Plymouth she will have to be in better nick. Lack of sufficient comp?tition in club meetings has been a big handicap to her training this season.

With two performances of sft 7in. W. Ireland, Stratford looks a moral for the Taranaki championship in this section, and will probably break the. record of sft 6?in. on Saturday. Bloor, Clapham and Lynch were not up to their usual form at the Stratford meeting. Lynch especially was

off colour, but he is nevertheless the most likely competitor to come second to Ireland on Saturday.

Stan. Lay showed a glimpse of h's old javelin form when he y’on th • event on Tuesday, off scratch, with a throw of 183 ft lin. He is.' certain to take the Taranaki title and may surprise Clegg in the New Zealand me ting at Auckland.