Why? The Science of Athletics

164 WHY?-THE SCIENCE OF ATHLETICS DECATHLON SCORING I9I2-I934 Olympic Record up to and including I9I2 scoring 1000 Points. I Other performances scored at the rate of:- Ioo Metres Long jump I6lbs. Shot High Jump' 400 Mets. I Io M. Hurdles Discus Pole Vault Javelin 1500 Mets. 10 3/5 secs. 23'934 ft. 50'394 ft. . 6·331 ft. . 48 ·1 secs.. 15 secs. I{8'326 ft. I2'959 ft.. 200'I3I ft. . 3 min. 56 4/5 secs.. I/5 sec. 2/5 in. 2/5 in. 2/5 in. I/5 sec. I/5 sec. 2/5 in. 2/5 in. 2/5 in. I/5 sec. equals 47·6o points " 2'45 " " I I4 " 7'52 " " I9 " " 0'38 " " 5'4 " " 0'275 " " I'20 " By that reckoning, therefore, the I oo yards in I o sec:s. (representing the actual scoring distance of IOO metres in I I secs.), would be worth 904.80 points, the high jump of 6 ft. would count 846 points and the pole vault of I 2 ft. would get 841.4 points. Under the new Finnish Points Scoring System for all events the sprinter, high jumper and pole vaulter would still be placed in the same order of merit, but the sprinter would score 843 points, the high jumper 8I6 points and the pole vaulter 758 points, so that there is a distinct divergence in valuations in the two systems. Finnish Points Scoring System The Finnish system is of major impor– tance at the moment, since it represents the last word in computing and comparing athletic ability, both individually and as between the exponents of different events. The Finnish Table was adopted at the Twelfth Congress of the International Amateur Athletic Federation I934 and will in future be used for scoring the points in all Decathlon competitions. I propose, therefore, to reproduce the explanation of the system which prefaces the Scoring Table for Track-and-Fields Events* which has been compiled, and is published, by the Finnish Athletic– Association. "The table aims to satisfy the claim that any performance in any event should be credited with as many points as an 'as good' * This excellent book can be obtained from the Hon. Sec., Amateur Athletic As~ociation, I I8 Chancery Lane, London.