POLICY OF ATHLETE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 178, 14 August 1937, Page 16

POLICY OF ATHLETE

SHOULD THEY SPECIAUSE ? 0R SHOULD THERE BE FULL REIN TO ABILITY The young athlete frequently woniers whether he should concentrate on one or two events or allow his versatility free 'scope over a big range of events. . . In general in Australia, a promising man is required by' his club or his school to compete in a number of events, because the standard is not generally high enough to force him to specialise, comments a writer in the Sydney Referee. Some of the champions of international class were all-rounders." Jesse Owens won three events at the 1936 Olympic Games, 100 and 1000 metres and broad jump, and was one of tlie winning American relay team — allround performances. He has also eclipsed • the world's 220 low hurdles time, and had this event been on the Olympic programme Jesse would have carried yet another oak sapling of victory back . to Uncle Sam. Eulace Peacock, another American darky, rivals Jesse in the sprints, and the broad jump, and an injured ankle prevented a .very keen fight between the two in all Jesse's events at the Berlin Games. The world's record for- the high jump and the' Decathlon were Held by Harold Osborne for a long while. Osborne was an outstanding all-rounder, and, by the way, staged a remarkable come-back last season, twelve years atf er his world's record high- jump of 6ft. 85in., by jumping 6ft. 6in., and breaking the world's. standing highjump record of 5ft. 5in. held by R. C. E» Ewry (U.S.A.), a man who concentrated on standing jumps. Cornelius Johnson, another American negro, besides being co-holder of the world's high jump record, breaks 22sec. for 220 yards. Keith Browii (U.S.A.), as well as doing 14 l-5in the pole vault, has done 6ft.' 5iin. in the high jump, and is a good sprinter and hurdler. A cavalcade of champions like Gordon Dunn, John Lymari, Hart, Nambu Nu,rmi,. and many others, carry their colours for three or four events. If concentration means keeping to a( class or group of events, and does not mean restricting' attention to one or. two alone, a lot can be found in its favour. The athlete's physique obviously limits his scope. A field games man with the proportions of Gordon Dunn 6ft. 5in., and 18st 31b), or of Jack Torvenie (6ft. 5in., and over 20 stone), would be wasting time competing in mile races, asd would find gravity a tremendous obstacle in a high jump. While Wooderson, the English mile runner, would find his 85 stone very inaffective on the end of a 161b hammer. Bulk and Strength The field games men require bulk and strength. The distance runners require lithe, light bodies, stamina, an efiicient respiratory system, and a good heart in comparison to their size. • The distance runner and the middledistance runner, therefore, avoid these events which develop muscle, which is so powerful in spontaneous effort, but so superfluous in an enduring string of interrupfed small efforts. But with these exceptions the athlete's physique and aptitude &re all that limit his scope. Some Modification This statement needs some, modification, however. Most athletes can excel in one or two events only, and which those -are will probably become obvious early. These must receive fullest attention in training for style and should have first claims for the conservation of energy in competition. The athlete should arrange his exercises accbrding to the event or events of his choice. So the high-jumper must develop the suadracept muscles down the front of the upper leg, the pole-vaulter must develop his arms and shoulders, and the hurdler must do the special hurdling exercises that give his legs and body the necessary tlexibility. , But the i doing of other events does not interfere : with the style or condition of particular events, provided the athlete's body is trained to them. Obviously ,if one has been concentrating on the high jumps for weeks and then for the- first time that «ason throws a javelin or pole-Vaults, stiffness of tlie muscles Avill ensue. Variation of events is a good tonic, and there seem no more grounds for saying that diversified movements will impair the co-ordination of any particular movements in athletics than for saying it does so in dancing, acrobatics, or diving. Athletes Should Sprint No matter what event is the athlete's speciality, he should sprint both in training, and, if good enough, in competition. ' And it does not harm the sprnter to do some other events. The broad jump is the natural event for him, for only he can get thd necessary horizontal velocity at the take-of£ which underlies big ju.nps, The sturdy spnnter is 'avoured with further scope in the hop, step and jump. I • wonder how many realiy g oa jumpers and hurdlers, jsvelin thro ver,. and pole vaulters i ave been loct to, Australian athletics because some young chr.ps with sprin .lig ho^es have th-.n.ght that these e/euts would jar them, or have lacked the application to master movements a little difficult in the learning. The field games man can indulge any form of athletics. Sprint— it will smarten your movements; jump — that leg drive comes -in handy for the shot, discuss, and javelin; run — it will tono up your system wanwra your reaniratioH.