N.Z. ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIP.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 65, 17 March 1903, Page 4

N.Z. ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIP.

The contributor of Athletic Notes to the Auckland Herald, referring to the above meeting, says : " Although financially a failure, the meeting was not without interest from an athletic standpoint, and it is gratifying to note that in certain of the events the performances were sufficiently high-class to warrant our looking forward to the New Zealand representative team for the next Australasian championship—to be held in I Melbourne—givinga good account of itself in competition with the picked athletes of the Commonwealth States L. B. Webster, the popular young New Plymouth athlete, will clearly be our "king pin" when the invasion of Australia comes to be undertaken. His performances at Dunedin were in every way worthy of the champion that he is, and none will be~ grudge him the triple crown—looyds, 220 yds, and 440 yds champion of New Zealand. In the 100 yds the coastal crack is credited with even time, and although I am not in a position to dispute the point I must say that it comes rather in the shape of a surprise to find 10 sees, hoisted as tha time for a race in which Stubbs, of Waugariui, runs iuto second place—beaten only by a foot by the winner—on a track that is certainly not as fast as the Auckland Domain ground. Of course there re no reason why Wel:ster should not have improved since 1 last saw him run; in fact, his other performances on the day point to improvement, while Stubbs may be a better man than we gave him credit for, hut all the same 1 am just a lit sceptical. On the other hand lam prepared to accept the times in the 220 yds (22 2 53.) and 440 yds <SO 2 ss), as my experience of Webster, and I have seen him run several times, has satisfied me that he is a better min over either of the latter distances, and more particularly over the quarter mile course. In going to the front ac the outset and winning comfortably by half a dozen yards in the 440 yds in 50 2 55., thus equalling the New Zealand record established by W. T. Mac-' pherson, N.S.\V., the young champion was responsible for a performance of which he may justly feel proud. Report says that he would have beaten the colonial record had lie been rushed, and I am quite prepared to give credence to this. In the same form, and allowing that the changed climntie conditions and sea trip do not inlet fere with him to any ex--tent. we may expect to hear of the West Coast crack setting the A ustialians a merry pace in the 220 yds and 440 yds championship in the next Australasian gathering."