Athletics and Football (extract)

A MODERN CHAMPIONSHIP MEETING 59 and erect, and his legs shootingstraight out; but a high action is often more taking than successful. The field is made up with two other Londoners, J. A. P. Clarke and Bessell, neither of whom is much in the hunt to-day, though Clarke has done some fine times at a mile. When the pistol firesHaines dashes off with the lead at a hot pace but with laboured action ; Robinson hanging close behind him. The first lap (half the distance) is completed in 55 -5- sec., Haines moving by this time withgreater effortthan ever. When another hundred yards are passed, however, Robinson spurts byhim, and going up the back stretch seems to have the race at his mercy. Meanwhile Howard is creeping up, gets to Haines' shoulder at the top of the ground, and when the three enter the straight, 120 yards from home, Robinson is half a dozen yards in front of the other pair. Howard shoots away from Haines in pursuit of the leader and gains slowly upon him, but Robinson, who is clearlytiring, can still keep his long stride, which brings him home a couple of yards in front of Howard in 1 min. 59 sec. A fine race and a fine performance is the opinion, for both men are clean run out, and to beat 2 min. is what only some seven or eight amateurs have ever been able to do. Next come the heats of the 100 yards race. Ever since 1868 at the championship meeting the track has been roped off with iron posts and cords, so that each runner may have a clear course to himself. Just nowsprinting is watched with peculiar in­ terest, as there are four runners on the path, Cowie, Ritchie, Wood, and the new celebrity Wharton, of each of whom his friends aver that he is ' the fastestman who ever put on a shoe.' Cowie, for the three last years champion at this dis­ tance, has unfortunately broken down in training by a sinew givingway, to the intense disappointment of the public, who, however, are looking forward to seeing Wharton, of Darling­ ton, who is a ' coloured gentleman.' The first heat, with Cowieabsent, attracts little attention, and is won by Shaw,of Hereford. In the next heat Ritchie, the Bradfordcrack ; Wood, who trains on his farm in Norfolk; Levick, a speedy little