Athletics (British Sports Library)

CHAPTER V THE HALF MILE THE half-mile distance provides us with yet one more bone of contention to worry away at thoughtfully. · The performances of men like Meredith and Rudd, mentioned in the last chapter, make one wonder if it is not best to combine this distance with the Quarter Mile, especially as Meredith holds world's record at both these distances. On the other hand, there are a whole bevy of runners who have combined the half- and one-mile runs in both training and competition with the greatest degree of success. At the Olympic Games of London in 1908 M. W. Shepherd, U.S.A., took the 800 Metres (874·9 yards) in 1 minute 52f seconds and the 1,500 Metres (1,640 yards) in 4 minutes 3f seconds. At the Antwerp Olympiad in 1920 A. G. Hill, the British Mile record holder, won the 800 Metres in 1 minute 53t seconds and the 1,500 Metres in 4 minutes 1! seconds. A study of the physical make-up of a number of 99