Athletics of To-Day 1929

The Walks 179 longer distance established world's records for 9 miles in I hour 7 mins. 37! secs., and IO miles in I hour IS mins. 57t secs., while Webb returned I hour I7 mins. 3I secs. for the full course. Larner is seen finishing this great walk in No. 4, Plate 23. Webb was then a man of thirty-six years of age, He was born at Hackney in I872, and had a "variegated" career behind him. At twelve years of age he went to sea and after knocking about the world for some years joined the Army and was with the Cavalry in the British retreat from Dundee to Ladysmith during the South African War. Later he took a job with Messrs. Faulkners, the tobacco importers, and turned his attention to walking. He won the English 2 miles in I909 and Igio and the 7 rrules in Igo8, Igog and I9IO, Lamer returning to take the title in I9II. At the latter distance, Webb, in I9IO, set the Championship record at SI mins. 37 secs., which still remains unbroken. But the old soldier never won a world's championship. At the London Olympiad he was overshadow d by Larner. At Stockholm, I9I2, when forty y ars of age, he was beaten by less than II secs. by G. H. Goulding, anada, whose walking in the Olympic heats four years arlier had created a very favourable impression. In I9I2 the only Olympic walk was at Io,ooo metres, for which oulding return d 47 mins. I4! secs., but in I9I5 he reduced the world's 7 miles record to so mins. 40f secs. Meanwhile, T. E. Hammond, a Stock Exchang cl rk, had in I907 walk d from London to Brighton an back (I04f mil s) in I8 hours I3 mins. 37 secs., H. V. L. oss, in Igog, ha covered 52 miles, London to Brighton, in 8 hours II mins. I4 sec ., S. . A. Schofi ld had set up n w figures from 22 to 25 miles in I9II, and E. . Horton had alt red the records from SI miles in 8 hours 8 mins. zst secs. to 73 miles in II hours 59 mins. I9 i secs. in May, I9I4. We were then at the beginning of th rise of the foreign walk rs, and the British mpir ceased to provide Olympic champions. On July zgth, I9I3, Altimani ernando, an Italian, made noteworthy performances, starting with half a