Athletics of To-Day 1929

I 54 Athletics of To-day the 400 metres Hurdles, in which F. M. Taylor, U.S.A., returned 52! secs., but had his world's record disallowed as he had not left all the hurdles standing, E. Vilen, Finland, being a very good second. And what is more, Andre, on the eve of the forties, very nearly qualified for the French Olympic team in 1928. In the years between 1924 and 1928 Lord Burghley dis– covered that the 440 yards was really his best hurdling distance, and he found too a fellow Cantab. to back him up in T. C. Livingstone-Learmonth. From 1926, in which year he beat his fellow Blue in 55 secs. after they had crossed the last hurdle together, Lord Burghley swept all before him. In 1927 Sten Pettersson, who in 1925 had made a world's record mark of 400 metres hurdles in 53i secs., came over to England from Sweden, but him Burghley disposed of in the semi-final of the A.A.A. Championships. In the final he beat a very fast Italian, L. Facelli, by 6 yards and equalled world's 440 yards Low Hurdles record of 541 secs., made by]. K. Norton, U.S.A., in 1920. There was a curious coincidence about this, for on the same afternoon but about five hours later, Johnny Gibson, Fordham University, won the American title in 52i secs., but that record did not go on the books until a year later. In the preceding April Lord Burghley and Livingstone– Learmonth had gone to America and competed at the Pennsyl– vanian Relay Carnival. There they met Johnny Gibson, who de£ ated them both by half a yard in the 400 metres Hurdle Race (No. I, Plate 2I) in 55t secs. The American was, how– ever, afterwards found to be ineligible to compete, and the race was awarded to Lord Burghley with T. C. Living tone– Learmouth placed second. Early in 1928 it was apparent that both the Cambridge Blues were reaching the top of their form, and at the A.A.A. ham– pionships Burghley again beat Livingstone-L armonth on the run-in in 54 secs. flat. That was not quit up to Gibson's still unaccepted world's record performance, of course, but still the British followers of athletics wer quietly confident that success would be obtained at Amsterdam at the end of that July. Their faith was fully justified.