ENGLISH ATHLETICS

Northern Advocate, 16 April 1932, Page 12

ENGLISH ATHLETICS

BIG IMPROVEMENT. Thu* rapid improvement In English athletics which lias taken place since the war can bo traced largely to the “.supermen" athletes that the universities have produced during that period says a writer in an Liiglisli paper. Of the Oxford men, B. O. D. Rudd, winner of the Olympic 4(J(I metres, 1920, and such distance and crosscountry men as E. A. Montague, one of Great Britain’s finest steeplechasers, will not soon be forgotten. But it is Cambridge that has produced the remarkable sequence in H. B. Stallard, G. M. Butler, H. M. Abrahams (Olympia 100 metres champion and record holder, 1924), D. G. A. Lowe (Olympic SOU metres champion and record holder-, 1!)24 and 1!)2S), and the hurdlers, Lord Burghlcy (Olympic 440 metres low hurdles champion and record holder, 1928) and G. C. Weightman-Smith, who, although he failed to win the Olympic final at Amsterdam in 1925, yet set the Olympic 110 metres high hurdles record at 14 3-ss, in one of the heats. And, finally, there has been R. M. N. Tisdall, winner of the 440yds flat and 120yds hurdles, long jump and shot at the last Oxford and Cambridge sports, who has proved of too happy-go-lucky a disposition to attain to the world ’s championship laurels which should be. still within his grasp.

Where are the successors to these stars of the universities* track and field teams? At the moment all eyes are centred upon J. F. Comes, the Oxford president. In 1930 he won the Southern Counties mile in slashing fashion, returning 4min 17scc, and that lie is getting back to the top of his form is obvious from liis fine running in the relays against Cambridge.