Letter from NZ Amateur Athletic Association 1963

Phones: Office 46-430
Private: 16-444
Secretary: C.I.W. ARCHIBALD B.Sc A.P.A.N.Z.

P.O. BOX 741
Telegrams: “Amathletic”

New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association
HUDDART PARKER BUILDING
POST OFFICE SQUARE,
WELLINGTON

22nd March, 1963.

Mrs. R. McCarthy,
514 Pepper Street,
Hastings.

Dear Mrs. McCarthy,

Thank you for your letter of the 4th instant, regarding your athletic career in earlier years. Yes, I remember you quite well when you were representing Hawke’s Bay, and indeed I was present at many a Championship at which you were competing.

It is a little difficult to get details of events 30 years ago but I have been able to find a few particulars which I hope will give you what you want.

In the Empire Games in 1938 at Sydney, you were third in the 80 metre hurdles. The results being shown as under:
B. Burke   (South Africa)   1st
I. Grant   (Aust)   2nd
R. Tong   (N.Z.)   3rd.

You were also a member of the N. Z. Women’s Relay Team at these Games, the distance being 220, 110, 110. The team consisted of M.J. Mitchell, D.L. Strachan and R. Tong and the placings were as follows:
Australia   1st
Canada   2nd
England   3rd
New Zealand   4th

In regard to your performances in New Zealand, here are some particulars.

1935
Established N. Z. record for Women’s Hurdles
12.4 seconds.

2.

1937
Established another record
12 seconds

1936/37
You appear to have won your Centre championship 100yd. event   11.8 seconds

1934/35 and 1935/36
Hawke’s Bay/Poverty Bay won the 440 yd. relay and although the personnel is not named presumably you would be a member of that team.

It seems quite a while back to the days when Norman McKenzie revived athletics in Hawke’s Bay and it is interesting to read your name among some of those which were particularly prominent in the relatively early years of women’s athletics in New Zealand.

With good wishes and kind regards,

Sincerely yours,

H.I. Austad

hia’pm.