BRITISH ATHLETES SLIPPING

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 139, 2 September 1927, Page 10

BRITISH ATHLETES SLIPPING

A survey of the A.A.A. Championship results suggests that we are much where we were, states an English writer. 11. H. Ilodge was a disappointment in the sprint races, but only for the reason I had foreseen. He does not get away quickly in the first 15 yards, and until the little Poly sprinter can do that he will not beat men of the Olympic class. Guy Butler, in the furlong, as he so often has, had a great race against the winner. He never gives in; but that is a different thing to winning. When he failed at the 250 record I felt he would not quite win the championship. Me might have done better in the quarter, but only to the extent of making Lowe find a little bit more. Lost Art.

These, then, are our only approach to Olympic sprinters on the meeting’s form, bar J. E. London, who, however, is not likely to improve so much in the sprints as in the high jump if only he would give more serious attention to that. But we cannot be at all sure of the position next spring.

I remember that Matthevvman and Nicol were flying in 1923, but not a year later. Douglas Lowe, of course, stands out in quarter and half, and perhaps dwarfs the rest, but which among these look like moving upwards. Only Leigh Wood. The half-milers are old hands.

We are better off in the mile and four miles, having in Langridge, Randall, and Moore in the mile. Frith and Oddie in the four newcomers who may presently be good enough for anything. In writing that the winner of the two miles walk was the best of a moderate lot, I appear, not for the first time, to have put my head in a hornets’ nest, but that does not trouble me in the least. I know my subject, which is more than Mr Wickington does when he suggests that the time, 14min 21 3-ssec, is indicative of class. Old Hands.

It will be sufficient to say that when Ernie Webb won the seven miles in 51.37, and gave what that very severe judge, Harry Venn, described as the best exhibition of fast and fair walking he had ever seen, or expected to sec, Webb walked two miles in 14.10, and went on for another five.

Really good track walking is a lost art. In the last seven two mile races before the war 14 minutes was beaten. It has never been since, because we have never had a really fast track walker; so those may be excused who think a slow walk fast; but they must not expect me to agree.