Athletes in Action

440 Y.\RDS LO\Y HURDLES (3) Low Hurdling does not call for quite the same "snappy" clearance action which is required of the High Hurdler. .A tall, speedy man, of Simpson's type, may safely leave a margin of 6 ins. between the seat of his shorts and the top rail of the hurdle . The hurdle should, in fact, be taken, literally, in the athlete's stride, and with an elongated stride action. Therefore the full body dip, used by the High Hurdler, is not required of his Lm.v Hurdling brother. It is for these reasons that the Lm.v Hurdler's leading leg knee pick-up action, shown in Fig. 3 opposite, is not nearly so pronounced as that of Earl Thomson, \Vorld's High Hurdles record holder, as shown in attitude 2 of the composite High Hurdling picture on page 78 . The full fonvard-lean of the sprinter, as sho·wn by Simpson in Fig. 3, is excellent, and it should be noted, particularly, that no attempt is being made to introduce any- thing in the nature of a forward body-dip into the action at this stage . The knee pick-up, with thigh of the right (leading) leg held parallel to track surface and the holding back of the lower part of the right leg, as the knee r ises, is perfectly correct ; and Yery noteworthy is the full extension of the left leg, with the weight rolling through from the heel to the ball of the left foot in a strong ankling movement, which will finally enable Simpson to lift his body right up on to the t ips of the toes in the fina l take- off effort . l.n