ATHLETICS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 266, 22 August 1936, Page 2

ATHLETICS.

SOME JUMPERS Cornelius Johnson, who set a record mark for the high jump at the Olympic Games recently, met at the Princetown College sports in U.S.A. on June 13, Walter Marty, of Fresno State College, California, then the world record holder. Marty was beaten in the high jump by the negro athlete, Johnson, Compton Junior College, who cleared 6ft Bin without any difficulty. He decided l to have a crack at Marty’s world record of 6ft 9£in, 4ut the take-off became too wet to secure a hold. .Marty jumped badly. He hit the pole - at every jump and finally went out at 6ft 4in. Eddie Burke, another negro,, cleared 6ft Gin, but could not manage the higher jump. Johnson, who is 6ft tall, is a clean effortless jumper. Before he makes his jump he crouches low, walks towards the jrole. for a few steps, and then with a little skip breaks’* into a slow, springy run and then does a leap like a pole vaulter. He keeps his feet together and turns his feet slightly as they clear the bar. He never loses his balance as he lands. Only onqe did he touch the bar, and that was at. 6ft Bin, when he let his hands drop a little too soon. The bar was placed at 6ft for the start of the event, and Johnson did not even bother to take a run to clear it. -