“HUMAN BULLET”

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 167, 11 April 1935, Page 23

“HUMAN BULLET”

World Champion Runner EDDIE TOLAN AT AUCKLAND After racing at lOst. 81b. at Bos Angeles when he won the world amateur 100 and 200 metres titles and at lOst. 51b. in Australia when he won the world professional titles, Eddie Tolan, known as the “Human Bullet," sent the scales to list. 6ilb. at Auckland on Saturday morning, reports the Star. Tolan was passing through by the Monterey on his way back to his native Detroit, Michigan. -Yes, I certainly had to run to beat those Australian boys, and I am gladll was able to make the trip. lhe title alone was worth all the travelling, he Sal He was asked his opinion on the relative difference in the speeds of cinder and grass tracks. “About 14 to 24 yards, emphatically stated Tolan, who is of the opinion that cinders are much faster. He thought that it was mainly because of the difference in the pull and drive ot the legs on impact with the surface, and believed that sooner or later athletes in New Zealand and Australia would have to get used to the cinders “if they were to compete successfully abroad. “The distance man is not 'handicapped to the same extent, as his style is so much different, and as his feet travel closer to the ground they do not find the drive so all important,” he said. “In my opinion, Austen Robertson is the best of the .Australian professional sprinters,' and I believe that he is nearly 14 yards better all round than lom Roberts. But don’t tell Australians that,” lie smiled, “as they believe Roberts is the better man.” Training Methods. Training methods varied greatly in Australia and America. He believed that too much emphasis was placed upon, “rubbing down,” and they did more running to get fit than Americans did. He was not totally against “rubbing, but thought more scientific planning of training schedules would help for success than a lot of heavy track work fallowed by an hour’s massage. The tracks were not very good an Australia, compared with the average U.S.A, stadiums, and the .management of meetings was different in lots of ways. Sprint heats were the order of the day in professional sport, and no interest or encouragement was given to field events and jumping, as in amateur meetings. “The Australians like this system, however, and great enthusiasm'is evinced as the various heat winners contest semifinals and then finals. “Don’t let anyone tell you that Australians can’t run,” emphasised Tolan. “Why, Roberts, Banner, Robertson and others are wonders, when you consider that their times are put up on uneven grass tracks in the heavy night air m in l ‘Tolan’s opinion they would be hard to beat anywhere if running under semiOlympic conditions. “I went to nearly every amateur meeting in Victoria of any adcount while in Australia, and must say that in Backhouse they have a wonderful miler. “Your own McLachlan, of Dunedin, is a great runner, and both Backhouse and he would be greatly welcomed in the U.S.A. They are the type of speedy miler we enjoy, and they certainly have the natural ability. Great All-Rounder. “Jack Metcalfe, of Sydney, that great all-rounder, is good enough to be in the first four to five at Berlin in 1336, and he certainly is the goods, continued T When asked about the general all-round athletic talent in Australia he was not at all encouraging. . “No better than„any gobd'-higlr school talent back home, h said. • This is not so good when we consider that these are senior athletes, bu. Aucklanders will well remember the ‘clean up’ of our best athletes heie in January last, when Dr. Lamb’s twelve Canadian secondary school boys were competing. • . „ “I know Japanese athletes will be a big draw if they visit New Zealand, Tolan answered to a question, “but don t you think it would be better to get athletes who could teach your athletes more?” • He went on to say that although Japan held the world’s hop, step and jump record and bad great pole vaulters anil sprinters, they were still very much in the “learner” stage, and he considered that it would be better to get over some other nationality of equal class who had originated ideas in athletics, instead or copying them. “Their swimmers, of course, are in a different category,” he said. He liked Auckland very much and only wished that he could spend more time here. His future prospects were in the air. but it was probable that Australia would send a runner over to attempt to wrest the world’s title from him in the near future. He lias ambitions towards film work, and will be in-Los Angeles on his way home? '■< '