Coaching and Care of Athletes

CHAPTER XXIV THE BROAD JUMP THE broad jump or, as we say in England, long jump is essentially a speed plus spring event, success in which is independent of equipment or impedimenta. In these circumstances it is little short of astounding to think that initial championships were won in England (A. Fitzherbert, I866) at I9 ft. 8 ins. and in America (I. Frazier, I876) at I7 ft. 4 ins., whereas in I897 W.]. M. New– burn, a veritable Irish giant, beat 24ft., in I90I P. J. O'Connor, Ireland, jumped 24 ft. I If ins., and twenty years later 25 ft. was beaten at last by the American negro E. Gourdin, Harvard University, who reached 25 ft. 3 ins. In I928 S. Cator, a negro from Haiti, jumped 26 ft. t in. This record was beaten in I93I by C. Nambu, Japan, jumping 26 ft. 2-§- ins., and in I935 yet another American negro, J esse Owens, raised the world's record to 26 ft. 8!- ins. In I937 26 ft. was first closely approached by a European, when L. Long, Germany, jumped 25 ft. I I ins., and 25 ft. is no longer regarded as an extraordinary performance. Perhaps the most significant circumstance in this connection is that K. S. Duncan, Malvern, set the British Public Schools record at 22 ft. 5! ins. in I93I, and J. F. Lockwood (Qu·een Elizabeth's School, Barnet) raised it to 22 ft. 8 ins. in I937· Comparative performances for various classes of championships held in England, in international matches, and at the Olympic Games are as follows : Public Schools All universities Individual counties Northern District Midland District . Southern District . English A.A.A. International matches Olympic Games Fr. INs. 21 4 21 7 20 9 21 7l 20 7 22 4! 23 0 23 ot 25 71 The build of the world's record-breakers who have been 1 At the Olympic Games in 1936 J. Owens won at 26 ft. st ins., five others beat 25ft., three more did better than 24ft., and three exceeded 23 ft. 9 ins. 363