Athletics of To-Day 1929

The Sprints- I oo to 3 oo Yards 53 Plate 6) H. M. Abrahams. Edwards (No. 2)) approaching the end of a tremendous 220 yards, is a picture of the absolute poetry of motion) combined with presentation of perfect form. The other) or American type of sprinting is that shown in No. 4, Plate 7) of C. W. Paddock (all in white). It is rather like the exaggerated fore-leg knee action of a champion trotting horse. In the fir t stride both typ s of sprint r cover from 2! to 3 yards and take short rapid strides for the first ro yards, after which the stride is lengthened out. The Americans rais the knees straight forward with a good lift and allow the lower leg and foot to swing through naturally (see o. 4, Plate 7)) the foot coming down at the full length of the stride. The arms swing obliqu ly up– wards and forwards, each hand coming in turn with a sort of upp r-cut punch t a point in front of the opposite shoulder, or the middl of the eh st. The hands are not eh ck d at the hips, as in the English style) but swing back the whole way. In both styl s th body is carri d leaning f rward about four inches in front of the lin of the hip . FIG. 4· The rucial t st corn s in roo yards some– \ h re b tw n the 65 and 75 yard marks. It is th r n1o t m n take th second br ath) and, as one br ath is x 11 d and anoth r inhal d) the f t mu t made to b at hard r against the ground or th sp d will d crease. Th -y ay to learn proper sprint-breathing is t go so yards at top sp d) drop to quart r mil form and br athe for 20 yards, and th n fini h out th last 30 yards at top sp d. Th furlong runners should try to go 75 yard all out on one breath) r lax the sp d and br athe for 30 yards) and th n sprint forth rest of the furlong. . rom the breathing mark in an actual race the thing to do 1s to pitch the body forward to th fmi hing angle (A.E., ig. 3),