MILE RECORD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 February 1939, Page 6

MILE RECORD

PULLAR FAILS IN GOOD EFFORT. SOME RATHER POOR PACING. A crowd of about 1500 at the Park Oval last night watched Bill Pullar fail, by 6 l/ssec, in a special attempt to equal the national mile record of 4min 13 3/ssec. The record was established on the same track thirteen years ago by Randolph Rose, also a member of the Masterton Club, when’ he set the seal on his fame bybeatingthe American Lloyd Hahn. The track was hard, dry and' fast and there was little or no wind. The failure of one of his Wellington pacemakers to draw him out over the vital third lap robbed Pullar of what chance he may have had of cracking the record. Not only did the Wellington runner fade out, but for part of the journey he forced Pullar to take the outside running. As far as pacemaking went, full marks must be credited to young Wyeth, of the Masterton Club, who went under to Pullar in the last three yards. Pullar ran a good race and it was not his fault that he failed. His scorching pace over the first lap, which he' cut out in 59secs, was particularly fast. He clocked 2min 4sec for the half mile, at which stage his chances of breaking the record looked fairly bright. He flopped, however, over the third quarter, which took him 69sec. He had to do an even 60sec when the bell rang, but the best he could do was 67 4/ssec. Pullar was not unduly distressed at the finish, but gave the impression, often seen in race horses, of having run himself into the ground over the early stages. (

The Masterton Amateur Athletic Club is to be congratulated on making arrangements for the special attempt. Four watches agreed on Pullar’s time of 4min 20 4/ssec. Rarely are records broken in special attempts. They lack the real competitive spirit that brings the best out in a runner, while the effect of crowd psychology is also missing. OTHER EVENTS. Other events decided at the meeting resulted as follow:— 100 yards: McPherson 1, Foreman 2, B. Faulknor 3. 220 yards: Martin 1, McPherson 2, C. Wyeth 3. High jump: Hunter (Hutt), A. Curtis and B. Faulknor, sft. Ilin., equal, 1. Long jump: A. Curtis 1, B. Faulknor 2, Bodie 3. 75 yards ladies: Miss J. Grantham 1, Miss N. O’Neil 2, Miss J. Cairns 3. . 100 yards ladies: Miss M. McPherson 1, Miss W. Nyhan 2, Miss N. O’Neil 3. Schoolboys’ j-mile: Doyle 1, Olsen 2.