BARBARA BURKE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21180, 29 October 1938, Page 11

BARBARA BURKE

South African Athlete Who Was On Scratch at Thirteen

South Africa’s foremost woman athlete, 20-year-old Barbara Burke, first started athletics when she was a tot of six years old. Running against girls her own age she was never beaten, even as a child. So good was she’ that at the age of 13 she was back on the scratch mark with the fully-grown women sprinters of her province, Transvaal. Miss Burke, who is very modest and shy, even to the point of not wishing to tell of her best performances, looks an athlete of the first water. You should hear the praises of her ability from her own team-fellows.

Funny thing. Babs hadn’t been over the sticks until 1935, when she first found that her natural speed, steady stride, and keen judgment were just asking to be used over the hurdles. So she went at the job with her ears back. Practice made perfect. She tried to make her clearances with “nicest” possible style. The “nicest” being the most rhythmic, effortless and economic. You can take it from us the style is “nice” all right.

She takes three strides between hurdles.

Her ambition is to take on a vocation of physical culture teaching. Hitherto she has not worked at any occupation. The cold weather in England put her pretty much into her shell, and she did not strike her true form here.