Athletics (British Sports Library)

Jl CHAPTER VIII RELAY RACING IN other parts of this book it has been stated frequently that cross-country running is a fine fundamental for all distance work on the track, and it has also been pointed out that Great Britain owes much of her success in the distance depart– ment of athletics to our long-standing system of cross-country running. It is equally true that America owes the phenomenal success of her sprinters to the system of relay racing which has been so largely popularized in the States by the famous University of Pennsylvania Annual Relay Carnival. It is further significant that since the system of relay racing obtained popularity ·in this country, and especially at the Universities, we have produced, in H. M. Abrahams, the first British athlete ever to claim an Olympic sprint title. The value of relay racing is greatly enhanced iri that it provides competition for a great many runners, all of whom have to go the full distance, whereas, under the bad old handicap system., the sprinter might not be asked to run more than 90 or 120