Rowing and Track Athletics (extract)

International Games That climate plays no inconsiderable part in deciding the results of international contests, particularly those between Engli h and American athletes, is a fact vividly enough demonstrated by the many instances in which athletes have gone complete!y off form on foreign fields, and testi– fied to almost unanimously by American athletes who have contested in England, and to a less extent by Englishmen who have competed here. As far as the ability to perform up to one's ordi– nary standard is concerned, Americans seem to be more hindered by the English climate than Englishmen are hindered by ours. To the high– strung American athlete the mild, humid climate of England is peculiarly enervating, and the longer he stay in it the worse his condition seems to get. Men who have kept in fairly good condition by exercising on shipboard, and then have contested a few days after reaching England, have done far better than those who have pent considerable time in becoming - as they hoped - acclimated. Englishmen, on the other hand, who have contested over here have become ner– vous, out of sorts, and have felt unfit generally, and yet have surprised them elves by performing a well as they hal ever performed when feel– ing in good condition at home. The conclusion which this suggests is that there is something in the American climate - by which in this place 2E