ATHLETICS IN ENGLAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3381, 23 November 1911, Page 6

ATHLETICS IN ENGLAND.

NEW ZEALAND REPRESENTATIVE’S VIEW.

ISPECIAL TO TIMES.]

AUCKLAND, Nov. 22

Mr. Guy Hoskins, one of the New Zealand representatives sent Home to compete at the Festival of Empire sports, arrived in Auckland by the mail steamer from Vancouver last evening, on his way back to. Christchurch. He told a reporter this morning that the trip to America and the Old Country had been thoroughly enjoyable, and on all sides lie had met with hearty hospitality. Unfortunately the members of the team had been followed by bad luck, otherwise it was certain that on their past performances the N.Z. athletes would have made a good showing at the sports. In America Mr. Hoskins said lie was running well, and competing in various races lie went through unbeaten, and a challenge he issued to run any amateur over the half-mile and mile distance was not taken up. While training after the first week of his arrival in England he strained a sinew of the left leg, and the injury was of such a nature that his retirement from the track was permanent. Englishmen, said Mr. Hoskins, were good sportsmen and thoroughly impartial, and though they saw the championships . being carried away one by one by. visitors, the various winners in turn met with an ovation. The chief lesson of the visit, so far as New Zealand and Australia were concerned, was that it was futile to send other than a marvel to compete in the future. After the three weeks’ trip a runner really wanted three months to get fit again, and attention should be devoted to one man instead of a team. Amateur athletics in England had gone hack almost deplorably, due, Mr. Hoskins thought, to the want of system in training. The men were allowed to train anyhow, and though the Englishman was a natural runner, he could not survive on such a course. In Sweden an American trainer had been imported, and wonderful results were being obtained, and the local athletes would make a bold bid for the Olympic championships. American and Canadian representatives to contest the Olympics would he found very hard to beat.