AMATEUR ATHLETICS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 January 1939, Page 3

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

MILE CHAMPIONS MEET WIN FOR BOOT OF CANTERBURY. PULLAR RUNS GOOD SECOND. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. As expected, the mile short-limit handicap event was the highlight of the special athletics meeting at the Basin Reserve, Wellington, on Saturday, and at which the two Australians, Best and Backhouse, competed. In the two invitation sprints Best was poorly matched, but the mile was the finest race seen on the ground for years. The Canterbury and New Zealand halfmile champion, V. P. Boot, won in 4.14 3-5, a second slower than R. A. Rose's 1926 New Zealand record time, and the fastest mile ever run in Wellington. W. A. C. Pullar, a former national mile champion, was second, eight yards away, and Backhouse third. Best was not opposed in the sprints by G. Quinn, Wellington, the New Zealand champion, and the other Wellington sprinters were not up to the Australian’s standard. Though not an exceptionally fast mover out of the starting blocks, which he used for the first time, Bests long driving stride and easy action made his pace look deceptive. In the 100 yards he ran with the field till 25 yards from the tape, when he shot away with an amazing burst to win by four yards from Eastwood. University, A. Welpy (Masterton) was third. Eastwood ran second to the Australian also in the furlong, in which Best held the lead all the way, and increased it after the turn into the straight. He won by five yards in 21 3-5, equal to New Zealand record time. Eastwood finished strongly. C. Robinson was third and W. Fulton fourth. Besides the three scratch men, the Wellington runners. Mackay, Bourgeois and Mostyn, started in the mile, all off 50 yards. They were 40 yards ahead after the first lap, when the order of the scratch men was Pullar, Backhouse, Boot, a yard separating them in each case. The gap was reduced to 15 yards at the half-mile. Backhouse had the quickest stride, but both Pullar and Boot were running easily. Pullar was making the pace, having run the first quarter in 02, and the half in 2.71. After the third lap, covered by Pullar in 3.14, Backhouse seemed to be affected by the pace, but Boot was showing no strain. After 150 yards in the final lap Backhouse quickened his pace. The other two stayed with him. and, with 150 yards to go, Boot astonished the crowd by shooting away from the others without apparent effort. Backhouse was unable to cope with such a burst, but Pullar still had an effort left and passed the Australian, who finished slowing up. Pullar's time was 4.15 3-5.