Success in Athletics and how to obtain it

CHAPTER XIX THROWING THE JAVELIN ONE of the greatest advantages that a man who takes up this event can possess is height, for the man who is tall will be able to swing his body well back from the hips without any danger of the rear end of the javelin coming in contact with the ground. Javelin..:throwing is not altogether a matter of strength ; knack and suppleness in the body move– ments play a very large part in the game as well. From these few remarks the reader will probably have formed his own conclusions ~s to the physical attributes of the javelin-thrower. He should be tall, strongly, but not too heavily made, his body lithe as a panther's, and he must have perfect feet, or he will not be able to run fast enough. Given that he is tall and well formed without being heavy, and has a fair turn of speed, all the rest will come with practice-much practice ! What has been said to the pole- and long-jumper as to takirig-off and getting the " run up " right should be read by the j~velin-thrower, for it is of the utmost importance to him to get his "throwing-point" as near to the "throwing-board" as possible without overstepping the latter. Practically all the success of javelin-throwing de– pends on the elasticity of the body, which must be bent very far back, as will be seen from the photo– tSz