ATHLETICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 166, 30 November 1912, Page 7

ATHLETICS.

A sporting writer in one of London's most noted papers recently made the following statement: —"It is by no means certain that Ihe Briton has even shone conspicuously as an athlete. As runner and jumper pure and simple the Briton has never really stood out." Pedestrianism, tooth professional and amateur, may be said to have been born in England (writes an English correspondent). The United States took up the game for our example, and based tlieir rules and early methods on ours. Our kinsmen m Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa also followed our example, whilst the revival of the Olympic Games led to European nations taking to athletics seriously. Thus England showed the way in what may be termed athletic sports as we understand them to-day. Without going too deeply into the subject, it may just be pointed out that 11. Hutchens, of Putney, is still regarded as the fastest runner the world has known. The fastest mile on record was run by W. G. George. A long string of records from 2 to 11 miles stands opposite the name of A. Slmibb. The 50 miles world's record is held by G. Cartwright, and G. Rowell and G. Littlewood share the records from 100 to 623 miles. All these men are English. Further, the world's long jump record is held by Pi J. O'Connor, and the hop, step and jump record by' D. F. Alienrn, of Ireland; whilst it is only recently that M. Sweeney's world's high jump record , was surpassed. Besides this, D. Horgan, M. Sheridan, J. Flanagan and M. J. McGrath, whose reputa- j; tions as weight', and hammer-throwing n record-breakers are world-renowned, | were all born within the British Empire, ji They are but a few who might be nam* v i cd, and one also naturally thinks of YV. i Cummings, J. White, F. E. Bacon, H. (' Watkins, G. Crossland, S. Thomas, J. ! Banks, T. F. Conneff, C. E. Larner, E. J. ij Webb and G. Goulding as a few of the J British-born athletes who have "held, or I; still hold, world's records for running or || walking. Facts .point to just the oppo- j| site to what the writer referred to states, |i but whether we shall continue to show up equally as well in the future is quit|? another nwt'tsr. Other nations are,npw ' entering into the fray, and the competition is more keen than it used to M ' The point to remember, however, is that Britons certain have stood out pro- !. minently as runners and jumpers, and P if only proper enterprisers shown they ' will hold their own in future Olympiads.