Athletics of To-Day 1929

Athletics of To-day had reduced the American 100 yards Championship record to 9! secs., B. ]. Wefers, Georgetown University, bringing the I.C.A.A.A.A. record down to the same figure in 18g6. At the English Championships, however, such a time was never recorded until G. H. Patching, of the South African Olympic team, took the A.A.A. title in 1912, while even time was never beaten at the Oxford and Cambridge Sports until A. E. Porritt, O.U.A.C. recorded 91 11 secs. in 1925. It now remains to be seen what new, and, one expects, revolutionary principle will be evolved for the production of yet faster times. It has been suggested that, since even and regular striding is inseparable from success in the jump and high hurdle races, the sprinters would achieve better results by learning to cover the 100 yards di tance in exactly the same number of strides each time they run it. Abrahams finished usually on his left foot, but added a stride in his two fastest races. Both he and Harry Hutchens strided 7! feet at top speed. A noted theorist advances th propo ition that since of two men starting together, th one running and the other hopping, the one who hops will always b ahead at ten yards, after which the runner comm nces to catch him up, a series of experiments in hopping starts would probably lead to the discovery of a new form, provid d the athl te can accomplish a smooth transition from a hopping action to a run within the initial ten yards. These sugge tions seem far-f tched at first sight, but even more surpri ing propositions have proved practicable in the past, and something may yet be evolved along these lines. As I have pointed out in earlier pages of this book, the 220 yards distance was not rais d to champion hip status in England until 1902, and has never yet gained admission to the Oxford and ambridge programme. Th r were, however, some good furlong men in the early days, as is proved by the annals of the L.A.C. Meantime our concern is with the 100 yards sprint rs. The first winner of the Oxford and Cambridge 100 yards