Athletics of To-Day 1929

The Growth of Modern Athletics 35 enough to win an event. The Japanese runners and hurdlers too shaped remarkably well. Another great factor in the development of British athletics is to be found in the remodelling of sport in the Services. Twenty years ago the majority of rank and file athletes in the Army were professionals, the prizes at regimental sports bejng invariably in cash. All that has been altered since the War, and to-day the soldier who embraces professionalism can find no playmates inside the Service. I well remember in the Aldershot Command of pre-War days the paucity of sports grounds. But in rgzg there are ro7 football and hockey grounds, 27 cricket pitches, and go tennis courts, to say nothing of the splendid Central Athletic Ground, which, with maintenance, etc., has cost upwards of £72,ooo. The money, however, has been well spent, since the Army is beginning to give us many first-class athletes. Both in the total of entries and in the standard of perform– ance an exceptionally high level was maintained at the seventh Olympiad held at Antwerp in rgzo. The successes of the British Empire in the 400, Boo and rsoo metres individual races and in the Steeplechase and r6oo metres Relay were not the only surprises of that Olympiad, for it was only through the adventitious re-introduction of the 56lb. Weight Slinging event that America avoided sharing the premier honours in athletics with Finland. At Paris in r924 British improvement was even more pro– nounced. New world's records were stablished by Eric Liddell, Great Britain, 400 metres, 47! secs., and A. W. Winter, Australia, Hop, tep, and Jump, 50 ft. rr fr ins., while H. M. Abrahams, Gr at Britain, equalled the lympic roo metres record of roJ secs., and D. G. A. Lowe won the Boo metres. Upwards of z,ooo athletes from forty-five nations took part in the athletic section of the programme, and the highest level of achievement that has ever yet been aimed at was attained. The United tates, her national confidence a little shaken by the experiences at Antw rp, sent to Paris what was probably the greatest team of super-athletes that has ev r been