Athletics (British Sports Library)

CHAPTER II SPRINTING DISTANCE runners may be born, but all great sprinters are, undoubtedly, hand made. The material, however, must be there. The first and perhaps the greatest determining . factor to look for in the sprinter is the long, flat– sided thigh, with the muscles bulking big both above and below ; add to this a short lower leg and you have an athlete who cannot help sprinting well, provided always that he has the quick, restless temperament, representing the sort of concentrated energy which, in expending itself rapidly in one glorious burst of speed, reaches the maximum locomotion of which the human being is c_apable. In the past we have seen many great little sprinters such as Walker and Applegarth; but, all things else being equal, the good big 'un will always beat the good little 'un. The ideal sprinter shows muscular strength in all his body, combined with nervous energy and activity. He should be tall, fairly heavy, and well 86