ATHLETICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 November 1926, Page 4

ATHLETICS.

NEW PLYMOUTH CLUB. EVENING MEETING. The New Plymouth -Club commenced this season's evening meetings last night, when the first of a series of six meetings was held. To make competition more even the races have been divided into sections for juniors, maidens and seniors, and prizes will be given to those gaining the greatest number of points in each section. A number of visitors were present from different clubs, and the fields in each race were large in .comparison with past years. The junior two laps race proved a great event as all competitors were off the same mark. Robertson took the lead in the first lap. but was displaced by Gorringe early in the second. In the final sprint for home Tottey, a Hamilton boy, went out and won by about five yards. The senior ICO yards proved to be a sterling tussle between Norris and Medley, the former winning by inches. In the maiden 100 yards .Shrimpton won, but was just ahead of Pankhuret, who spoilt his chances by looking round. “Mickey"’ Julian proved too good for the rest of the field in the 880 yards senior, and beat Nelly by about five s yards. The results were: — Junior Two Laps.-—F. J. Tottey 1, H. Gorringe 2. C. Robertson 3. 100 Yards Maiden.—Shrimpton 1, J. Pankhuret 2, T. W. Taylor 3. 100 Yards Senior.—Norris 1, Medley 2. Ineull (Hawera) 3. 880 Yards Senior. —Julian (50yds). 1, Kelly: 40yds) 2, Head (50yds) 3. Time, 2min 24see. The evening meeting next week will be held on Monday night on account of the Hawera meeting being on Wednesday night. * THE FLYING FINN. NURMI DEFEATED. Berlin, Sept. 11. Bare results of the two great races dealt with below were received by cable. Three marvellous distance runners finished a race here to-day so close that less than two seconds marked their finish. Dr. Otto Peltzer, the German crack, took the 1500 metre race at the Charlottenburg Sport Club. Emil Wide ,of Swollen, was second, and Paavo Nurmi, of Finland, was third. The German flyers time was 3niin 51 eec, a world’s record, breaking the previous mark set by Nurmi in Finland on June 19, 1924, when he ran the distance in 3min 52.65 cc. Wide's time to-day was 3-min ol.Ssec., and Nurmi’s 3min 52.8 sec. More than 25,000 German spectators went frantic when Peltzer was announced the winner. The national anthem , was sung in a mighty chorus. As the crowd carried the champion on their shoulders to hie dressing room, an aeroplane swooped to within fifty feet of the ground and dropped a garland of roses accurately on Peltzer’s shoulders. At the beginning of the race Nurmi took the lead with his characteristic stride, Wide running second and Peltzer third. This order was kept for almost half the race, when Nurmi fell back to third and in that order they continued until the last fifty yards, when Peltzer with an unexpected lightning spurt bounded to the front and breasted the. tape a yard or so ahead of Wide. . Berlin, Sept. 12. Twice in two days worhl running records were smashed here. Ernest Wide, tlie flying Swedish schoolmaster, elipped eight seconds from A. Shrubb’s two-mile record made twenty-two years ago, covering the distance in flmin 1 2-ssee. Paavo Nurmi also bettered Shrubb’s record, making the two miles in flmin osec. The distance was measured in miles instead of kilometres in order to establish an official world record in accordance with the Anglo-American system. Practically everyone of the 25.000 fans knew someone would break a record owing to the splendid form of the leading contenders. The race began slowly, Goodwin, an American, leading half a lap, but Wide and Nurmi soon outdistanced the rest so badly it looked as if they were standing still. Nurmi led after the first 1000 yards. When the bell sounded for the last lap, Nurmi was going like a wonderful timing machine. Wide flashed into a great sprint, winning by about fifteen yards.