Athletics of To-Day 1929

so Athletics of To-day The starting position shown is that normally adopted by sprinters. It will be seen that the front foot is some six to eight inches in rear of the starting line and that there is approxi– mately twenty-four inches between the starting holes occupied by the feet (E and H, Fig. r). Some sprinters, however, prefer the cc Bullet" start, which is said to be faster, in which case the front foot (E) is moved back eighteen inches from the scratch line and the rear foot f 1 (H), although not altering its position, :--A---: is only twelve inches behind the front 15 1 t c foot. The chief advantage of the L""f R ((Bullet" start is that it enables the ! A! QF athlete to drive off from both feet. + Nos 2 and 3, Plate 5, show two ((Get I I G j I I I HA* Fxo. I. B C-Scratch Line. R&L-Po ition of Index Fingers. A--6 inches more th n breadth of shoulder . D-6 inches to 8 inches. E-Position of front foot, 6 inche to 8 inche behind scratch line. F-Po ition of knee of rear leg, level with ankle bone of front foot. G-Length of r r leg from knee to ball of rear foot. H-Po ition of rear foot. Set " positions. Note the eyes looking forward along the track, the back practically parallel with the ground, disposition of the fingers, which, with the front foot, support the weight of the body, both knees directly in ((line– ahead," and rear knee raised about eight inches from the surface of the cinders. When the starter gives the order (( Get et" the athlete must be car ful to let his weight go forward on to his fingers and to pr ss the front– kn w ll down b fore he raises the rear knee from the ground. printers must always remember that attention to the smallest details is of the greatest im– portance. Applegarth and many oth r fine sprinters used the hand position shown in No. 2, Plate 5, but addock and the more modern school prefer the (( tripod spread," with the thumbs further back as shown in ig. 2 and o. 3, late s. This position is said to give a man powerful support, while the advanced po ition of the finger decreases the tendency of the runner to fall forward as he waits for the pistol. Right up to the moment the pistol cracks every part of the bodymust be