CHAMPION SPRINTER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21972, 1 December 1934, Page 13

CHAMPION SPRINTER

PROFESSIONAL'S VISIT

TOLAN'S ENGAGEMENTS DOMINION COACHING QUESTION Eddie Tolan, of Detroit, Michigan, former world's amateur champion sprinter, passed through Auckland yesterday on the Monterey. In Australia he will take part in professional matches with Austin Robertson, the Australian champion, and J. Macfarlane, of Scotland. , The fact that the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association had discussed the possibility of engaging an American to coach New Zealand athletes was mentioned to Tolan, who saicl he would seriously consider an offer to coach in the Dominion after his races in Melbourne.

Tolan is well knowji for his series of record-breaking races, in which he finally scooped the pool at the last Olympic Games at Los Angeles, where he won the 100 and 200-metre events. Holder of the world's record of 9.05» for the 100 yds. and the Olympic and world's 100 metres time of 10 3-10s, Tolan would - be a great asset to New Zealand athletes.

Tribute to Alan Elliot

"I remember Alan Elliot, of Auckland, quite well, and lid ran splendid races at Los Angeles," said Tolan. "George Golding, of Australia, was another runner who impressed me. Robertson, the Australian, came over to the States to race me last year in a series of professional match races, but he was unfortunate in spraining a tendon, and so was unable to race at the last moment. That was a pity," grinned Tolan, "as I had worked myself up into almost perfect shape in anticipation of,meeting him."

The ratfes in Melbourne will tak« place about Christmas, and Tolan said he thought he needed a little more time to get ready than was available. "The boat decks were too hard to train on, and when I tried, I blistered my feet," he remarked ruefully.

Coaches at Universities In answer to a query as to whether the average American university had coaches m sport, Tolan stated that many had up to five highly-paid men. Football, of course, was the most specialised game, but athletics was well encouraged and catered for. Tolan is now a law student at the University of Michigan, 38 miles from Detroit. He originally took up medicine, but found that the work he had to do to help him in college interfered too much with his hospital duties. Law work interested him, and he intended to finish his course.

"Diet does not worry me at all except a few days before a big race, and then I cut out fatty meats and potatoes," continued the visitor. "Otherwise I just eat plain ordinary food, and plenty of fruit and vegetables. The days of the food faddists in sport seem to be over. Almost every champion I meet nowadays gives the same answer as regards diet, and their performances speak for themselves. "I turned professional when I had a good enough offer," frankly stated the world's fastest human. "As an araateur I had my bare expenses paid, ar.d was generally out of pocket. Guess I ought to have bet!ri a tennis player to have mode money as an amateur!" Tolan added with a very broad smile.

Tolan has always run on cinder tracks, and so the Australian grass will bo new to him. However, he thought he would sS&n get used to them, especially if they were not too dry and hard.