Coaching and Care of Athletes

THE JAVELIN THROW Stockholm in I9I2 won the Olympic title for right- and left-hand aggregate with 358 ft. II·86 ins., throwing with his right hand 200 ft. I'57 ins., and with his left hand I58 ft. 10·.29 ins. The present world's best-hand record of 253 ft. 4! ins. was made in I936 by Matti Jarvinen, Finland. At that time he was over thirty years of ·age, stood 6 ft. 2 ins., and weighed I4 stone. In I 93 7 he was still throwing within a small distance of his own world's record. It is significant that at the Olympic Games of I9I2 eleven of the first twelve places in the orthodox style were taken by Scandinavian throwers, Kovacs, Hungary, occupying third place. Kovacs was twelfth in the two-hand aggregate style, the first eleven places beirig taken by Scandinavian athletes, with Finns occupying the first three places. When the next Olympic Games were held at Antwerp in I920 Finns occupied the first four places with their total permitted entry. Klumberg, Estonia, was fifth, Lindstrom, Sweden, sixth, but America took seventh and ninth places, Fin– land won again in I924 and I932, with Sweden successful in I928, while Stoeck, Germany, won the I936 title. It is only fair to say, however, that Jarvinen was competing in I936 with a badly strained back. He lost a great deal of distance because he could not get his spear to go straight-a most important matter, since the rule provides that all throws shall be measured perpendicularly to the scratch-line or the scratch-line produced. 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 . FT. INs, I48 gp I57 2 I43 6 I62 I I ISO I I53 4 I78 5 I99 7 229 o 2 There have been good javelin-throwers of small stature, such as 1 The javelin used at the Public Schools Championships is the standard youth's pattern, measuring 7ft. 6! ins. in length and weighing 21 ·6 oz. 2 At the Olympic Games in 1936 the title was won by G. Stoeck, Germany, at 235 ft. 8! ins. from the Finns Nikkanen and Toivonen, both of whom beat 232 ft. A. Terry, U.S.A., exceeded 220ft. for sixth place, and the next six placed men beat 200ft; 2 B 385