ATHLETICS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 49, 28 February 1939, Page 4

ATHLETICS

TITLES WON AND LOST OTAGO CENTRE'S MEETING WIND AFF ECTS TIMES [ Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, Feb. 26. Athletic titles were lost and won at the Caledonian Ground on Saturday afternoon, when the Otago track and field championships were decided in hot, sunny weather, before a large crowd of spectators. The only feature that tended to mar the meeting was a strong northerly wind, which met the runners in the straight and interfered with some of the field events. Numerous excellent contests for the titles and several surprises occurred during the afternoon. One of the outstanding athletes was H. D. Ramsay (Otago University), who established a new Otago record for the 220 yards hurdles, which he won against the wind in 26 3-ssec., 2-ssec. better than his own Otago record. Ramsay also ran in great!" ' ■.'■’ed style to take the 440 j lies title from J. L. W. Ger’: Service) in the fast time usee., only l-ssec. out-

side W. .C. Pullar’s record, established in 1934. In calm weather he probably would have clipped more off his own record for the furlong event and established the record for the quarter.

The only other record to go by the board was that for the medley relay, the' University team winning the event in 3min. 41 4-ssec., 2 3-ssec. better than the Anglican Club's record run in 1935. Thrilling Finishes in Sprint Events C. McGregor, the 18-year-old Anglican junior, ran an outstanding race in the 100 yards to defeat the University champion, A. R. Duff, and the titleholder, R. H. Mottram, in the good time of 10 2-ssec. against a strong wind. One of the best performances of the afternoon was that of H. .1. Tyrie, the powerful Civil Service and Empire Games runner, in retaining his quarter-mile title in 51 l-ssec„ Isec. outside his Otago record and a fast time in the trying wind. He won easily by eight yards. The halfmile and mile events produced exciting finishes. T. Allen, the Empire Games athlete, did not start in the 880 yards and the race resolved itself into a duel bebtween the title holder, R. McLachlan (Civil Service) and the improved Anglican runner, G. Davie. The slight Civil Service man won by a yard in 2min. Isec. No less exciting was the mile, in which L. J. Logan (Auglican). who had run a well-judged race, defeated Dickison (St. Kilda) by inches in 4min. 35 4-ssec. Later in the afternoon Dickison won the three miles convincingly in the good time of 15min. 28sec., after a slow pace had

been set by the field in the early stages of the race.

The New Zealand champion walker, R. J. Watson (Civil Service), showed his great fitness in winning both the walking titles in good time. He had fairly strong opposition in the mile event from L. F. Gerrie (Caversham), but won comfortably in 6min. 55 1-5

sec., almost 4sec. better than his winning time at the national meeting last year. He had to walk the three miles alone .but covered the distance in the satisfactory time of 25min. 39sec. A feature of the field events was the success of the North Otago athlete, A. A. Cameron, whoh won three events and was third in another. He recorded 21ft. 7-Mn. in the broad jump, 44ft. Ilin, in the hop, step and jump, and 122 ft. in throwing the discus. A surprising happening was his failure to qualify for the final rounds of the shot putt, in which he recorded 41f.t. 2in. last year, whereas the event was won by J. H. Opie (Otago University.' with 38ft. liin. L. Vosailagi (Otago University) retained the high jump title after a

jump-off with the brilliant Anglican junior, M. Barnett. P. Souter (Anglican) gained a popular win in the pole vault, in which he cleared 10ft. 3in., and M. R. Spillane (North Otago) won the hammer throw against the wind, registering 144 ft. lOlin. V. Newall (Anglican) encountered unexpected opposition when defending the javelin throw title, and retained it by only 24 Hnches. The runner-up was R. McKenzie, a brilliant North Otago junior, who had turned 17 years the preceding Saturday

AUCKLAND ATHLETIC MEETING

TWO RECORDS BROKEN ANOTHER EQUALLED f Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, Jan. 26. Two records were broken and one was equalled at the Auckland provincial athlrtic championship meeting on Saturday afternoon. The added attraction of a grand parade of about 3000 athletes, men and women, which was a fitting climax to the physical fitness week campaign in the city, brought a large attendance. New figures were created by C. L. Main, in the putting the shot event of 40ft. 3’in. He bettered the previous best distance by A. Bissett in 1923 by 95in. J. G. Leckie, the New Zealand representative at the Empire Games in Sydney last year, registered 151 ft. lin. in the hammer throw, a distance which substantially improved upon the record, held by A. E. Sutton last year, bby nearly 30ft. A pole vault record of 10ft. 6in., registered by N. S. Beauchamp in 1935 and J. Fergusson in the following season, was equalled by J. Alker. The inter-club points competition was won by University, with Technical second. Results:— 440 Yards.—W. Goosman 1, M. C. Baker 2, M. L. Hill. 3. Time, 52sec. Hop, Step and Jump.—R. O. Johnson 1. B. T. Robertson 2. H. A. Parsons 3. Distance. 44ft. sJin. Hammer Throw.—J. G. Leckie 1, S. W. White 2, A. E. Sutton 3. Distance, 151 ft. lin., a record. Three Miles.—R. L. Waters 1. V. Ambler 2, L. B. Clarke 3. Time, 15min. Bsec. 440 Yards Hurdles.—R. B. Joyes 1,

H. D. Hall 2, V. R. Amoretti 3. Time, 58sec. Three Miles Walk.—R. S. Cameron I. C. J. May 2, G. Hawkesby 3. Time, 26min. 44sec. Pole Vault. —J. Alker 1, G. Brady 2, J. Ferguson 3. Height, 10ft. 6in. Broad Jump.—B. T. Robertson 1, N. W. Thom 2, F. A. Finlayson 3. Distance, 22ft. 3in. 220 Yards Hurdles.--R. B. Joyes 1, T. Bowie 2, F. A. Finlayson 3. Time, 26 3-ssec. 880 Yards.—W. Goosman 1, L. H. Johnston 2, H. D. Ball 3. Time, 2min. Isec. 120 Yards Hurdles.—P. T. Bowie 1, P. W. Day 2. Time. 16 l-ssec. One Mile Walk.—R. S. Cameron 1, C. J. May 2, E. J. Laird 3. Time, 7min. 20 4-ssec. Throwing the Javelin.—K. D. Gillespie 1, W. E. Coxhead 2. H. A. Crafts 3. Distance, 167 ft. Ilin. Pole Vault.—J. Alker 1, G. Brady 2, J. Ferguson 3. Height, 10ft. 6in., equals the record. Throwing the Discus.—W. S. Hookway 1, O. Bogun 2, J. Lynch 3. Distance, 111 ft. lOiin. One Mile.—S. J. Wade and O. Dare dead-heat 1. A. Mclnness 3. Time. 4min. 31 l-ssec. 220 Yards.—H. M. Emus 1. J. McManus 2, D. Flett 3. Time, 23sec. 100 Yards.—R. W. Cheater 1. J. H. McManus 2, T. E. Blockley 3. Time, 10 l-ssec. High Jump.—H. W. Mills 1. Height. sft. sin. Putting the Shot. —C. L. Main 1. K. B. Jerck 2. A. E. Graham 3. Distance, 40ft. 3 3-sin., a record. One Mile Medley Relay.—University 1. Ellerslie 2, Hamilton 3. Time, 3min. 46 l-ssec.