Athletics of To-Day 1929

The Low Hurdles 1 57 pick up the rear knee to a height that is unnecessary over 2 ft. 6 ins. hurdles. Compare his cramped position with the freedom shown by his opponent. No. 4 provides an admirable illustration of how completely Lord Burghley keeps up the running action over the obstacle and how perfectly that same action is carried on at the point of coming to ground for the next stride forward after hurdle clearance. It should not be forgotten that the average length of leg of the type of man best suited to hurdle racing is 35 inches, so no difficulty should be experienced in " stepping " over the 30 inch hurdle used at the furlong distance, without altering the body angle ; and a 2! ins. lift, as already mentioned, should enable the same type of man to go comfortably over the 36 ins. obstacle used in the 440 yards race. Do not forget that the old-fashioned" sail-over" style will destroy the form, while a too-pronounced body-dip over the 3ft. and any body– dip at all over the 2 ft. 6 ins. hurdles imposes such a strain as will not allow the hurdler to cover the ensuing 20 or 40 yards on the flat between fences in good running form. At both distances the straight-ahead, front leg action must be used and at the longer distance the high hurdler's rear hip action is to be employed, but without quite so pronounced a pick-up of the back knee. In neither event does the rear knee rise above the level of the hips as it is carried forward to om– mence the first stride after the other foot has landed. The front leg action requires a pick-up of the knee first, with the lower leg hanging directly below it until the foot is stretched forward, with to s pointing straight up to complete the step– over (see Livingstone-Learmonth's leading leg action, No. r, and that of Lord Burghley, No. 2, Plate 2r). In the 220 yards event the body above the hips should not depart from the sprinting angle as the clearance is made. If the step-over is made correctly and the rear hip action is right, the whole clearance can be effected with the part of the body below the hips, but the rear hip action must be more of a swing than the snap up of the knee used by the high hurdlers.