Prospects of Olympic Year.

Olympic year invariably produces athletic performances unexpected on the previous year's form, and 1936 in New Zealand has been no exception. Regularly each month the Council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association meets in Wellington, and with almost monotonous regularity it has to scrutinise applications made for performances bettering existing figures. Prominent among the records by New Zealanders to get official recognition this season are the following (previous records given in parenthesis):-

C. H. Matthews, 2 miles, 9 min. 17 3/5 sec. (9 min. 20 1/5 sec.); C. H. Matthews, 3 miles, 14 min. 18 3/5 sec. (14 min. 27 1/5 sec.); V. P. Boot, 880 yards, 1 min. 54 4/5 sec. (1 min. 54 4/5 sec.); V. P. Boot, 1,000 yards, 2 min. 14 3/5 sec. (2min. 15 1/5 sec.); 220 yards hurdles, P. F. Sharpley, 25 2/5 sec. (25 3/5 sec.); A. T. Anderson 440 yards hurdles, 55 3/5 sec. (55 3/5 sec.); E. Munro, women's discus throw, 91 ft. 7 ½ in. (no previous record); A. A. Cameron, discus throw by a New Zealander, 139 ft. 3 ½ in. (139 ft. 2 in.); D. Strachan, women's broad jump, 17 ft. li in. (16 ft. 6i in.); Canterbury team, 1 mile relay, 3 min. 34 sec. (3 min. 35 2/5 sec.).

In addition to the records passed, the following performances, although officially checked, were not accepted through certain rules not being complied with, e.g., course not surveyed after and on the day of the race, or application forwarded more than one month following the date of competition:-

C. H. Matthews, 2 miles, 9 min. 20 sec. (9 min. 20 1/5 sec.); V. P. Boot, 880 yards, 1 min. 53 2/5 sec. (1 min 54 4/5 sec.); B. Forbes, women's high jump, 4 ft. 11 in. (4 ft. 10 in.).