Coaching and Care of Athletes

THE MILE AND 1500 METRES years when he was running as second string to J. F. Comes at Oxford University Lovelock attained no great distinction as a miler, but when the match between the English A.A.A. and Oxford University took place in 1932 Comes decided to leave the Inile to Lovelock. That day the New Zealander, beseeching his pace-maker to go faster, returned for his respective 440 yds. laps 57·4 secs., 64·6 secs., 74 secs., and 56 secs., to establish a new British record of 4 Inins. I 2 secs. The incredibly slow time of the third lap proved what Lovelock was to be capable of in the future. A year later in America he met Bill Bonthron, and a new world's record went on the books. Bonthron led at the end of the first lap in 6I·2 secs., with Lovelock showing 6I·4 secs. At the half-distance Lovelock led Bonthron by r'o sec. in 62·2 secs. At the end of the third lap their times were· equal at 65· I secs., but Lovelock covered the last lap in 58·9 secs., Bonthron taking 6o·I secs. So that, although both beat the previous world's record, Lovelock's time was 4 Inins. 7·6 secs. and Bonthron's 4 Inins. 8·7 secs. In the Olympic Games of I932 Lovelock had won his heat in the eliminating trials of the I500 metres in 3 mins. 58 secs., but was unplaced in ttJ.e final, which was won by L. Beccali, ofltaly (wear– ing No. 33I in Plate XXIV, Figs. 70 and 7I), in the new Olympic record time of 3 mins. 5 I ·2 secs. Comes was second, Edwards, of Canada, third, and Cunningham fourth. · It was from the day of his defeat at Los Angeles, I fancy, that Lovelock made 1,1p his mind to win the next Olympic title, and to that end subor~!nated all his other athletic activities. Everything from that moment onward was to be a building-up process. It was of no importance whether intervening races were won or lost. For example, in 1936, when S. C. Wooderson won the Southern Counties mile championship in the new British record time of 4 Inins. Io·8 secs., Lovelock elected to run in the half-mile. He lost the English open mile championship that year 'comfortably' to Wooderson, who returned 4 mins. I5 secs. I think this losing ofraces to Wooderson was part ofLovelock's policy. I do know that he secured information from all over the world as to the ability and the probable tactics ofthe men he would be likely to meet in the Olympic final at Berlin. 'Jhat he put that knowledge to good use is proved not only by his victory, but by the world's record of 3 mins. 47•8 secs. which he created, equalling approximately 4 mins. 4'45 se~s. for a full Inile. His I500 metres record still stands, but the Inile figures set up by Lovelock, 2 43