Why? The Science of Athletics

376 WHY?-THE SCIENCE OF ATHLETICS Sherring, Canada, who had won the Marathon at the Athenian Celebration that year, and beat him by no less than six laps in I 5 miles. Another pocket edition of an athlete is that grand veteran, J. E. Fowler-Dixon, Great Britain, whose world's record of 40 miles in 4 hours 46 mins. 54 secs. has stood unbroken since I884. On the other hand, there is A. F. H. Newton, of Natal, a slightly built man of not much under 6 ft. in height, who ran his first race when he was thirty-nine years of age, and who holds eight world's amateur road records from 29 miles I408 yds. in 3 hrs. 8 min. 37 secs. ( I924) to IOO miles in 14 hrs. 22 mins. ro secs. (1928), including the London to Brighton 52 miles record of 5 hrs. 53 mins. 43 secs. Where hurdling is concerned, the old Hurdlers axiom resumes its no-rmal form, for at this game the good big 'un will certainly always beat the little 'un, no matter how excellent his technique may be. Robett Simpson, U.S.A., Earl Thomson, Canada, former world's 120 yards hurdles world's record holders, and Joe Simpson, Great Britain, world's students' 400 metres hurdles record holder, were tall, powerfully_built men. The American and the Canadian stood e·· ft. I in. and weighed I85 lbs., while the Englishman stands 6 ft. 3 ins., weighed I90 lbs. in his prime, and has a leg measure– ment of 37 ins. from heel to fork. On the other hand, Percy Beard, U.S.A., present holder of the world's r 20 yards hurdles record of I 4 If 5 secs., although very tall, is of a comparatively slight build, while Glenn Hardin, U .S.A., who has a new world's 400 metres hurdles record of 50 3/5 secs., stands, like Lord Burghley, Great Britain, Olympic victor and record holder in I 928, well under 6 ft. in height and has a fairly closely knit frame. For success in high hurdling all authorities are agreed that perfection of technique, combined with height and length of leg, count far more than exceptional speed. The