Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-27
AMERICA TO SEND
2OG|RL ATHLETES
Experiment at Amsterdam
viii Be Watched With
Great interest.
BY TED MEREDITH.
Famous Runner. World and Olympic
Champion


Champion.
Women viii compete in the Olympic
games at Amsterdam this Summer for
the first time Heretofore the only de-
partment of the OlympicS where WON.
en- have competed was in aquatic sports
but this Summer the United State:
alone will send 20 girl athletes for the
track and field.
Five events are scheduled for the
women-lo0 and 500 meter runs, run
ming high Jump, discus throw and 400
meter relay.
Women owe the credit for their ad-
mittance TO this part of the games &c
Herr Lange of Germany. president OF
the DeutSches Sports Behorde, body
which corresponds to the amateur ath-
ietic unions III other countries.
In proposing a separate women'S
track and field meet in the Olympic
program. Herr LANCE declared the idea
was To benefit that sex by competitive
sports. Place winners in the women
events will be scored the same as the
mems events. but will be separate from
the mems score in the final tally for the
entire Olympic totals,
Cause Of Much Debate.
There has been a lot of discussion
from different angles The one angie
which has interested me is the advis-
ability of women running such strenu-
Gus races of 500 meters
Many of the medical men closely con-
nected with athletics in the United
States have held that the long races
were harmful TO women. For that rea-
son they have limited them to running
100 yards in most meets. In Europe
the opinion has been different. and we
find the girls of France and other coun-
tries running croSS-country races IN
addition to the middle distance runs,
We shall see this Summer the reaction
TO such competition over 500 meters.
Girls have made great progress since
the war in track and field athletics.
Europe boasts of woman athletes better
than those of the United States. Ger
tainly the woman middle distance run
ners are better because Of the diScour-
agement such runs receive in the united
States.
England had a girl do half mile in
minutes l8 seconds. and the German
record is one second better than that.
The best mark ever made in the United
States is 2 minutes 81 AS seconds.
Canada has two woman Sprlnters who
can run 100 yards in IL seconds. Rosa
Gross and Fanny Rosenfeld. They ap-
pear to be the best of the known per-
formers and are 2-5 seconds better
than Helen Filkey of Chicago, the best
United States record holder.
Lillian Copeland of Pasadena Athletic
Club is the best all-round athlete in
the United States. She holds three
American records, discus, javelin and
shotput. The discus viii be the only
event in which she can display her
wares at Amsterdam. but she is capable
of i03 feet or more in that.
Eta Cartwright Star.
Eta Cartwright Of California is one
OF the leading sprinters from the United
States and has eQualed the record OF
Helen FiIkey of II 2-5 seconds.
Catherine Mcguire. St. Louis, holds
the American high jump record OF
feet 10 inch and is out for the team
this Summer She viii find hard girl
TO beat in Jean Shiiey, Haverford High
School. Haverford. Pa. who is training
under Lawson Robertson, head Olympic
coach, and Is doing around feet con-
Sistentiy.
Canada also viii shine In the high
lump, having girl jumper who mas
cleared S feet 2 1915 inches.
This part OF the Olynpics viii be
more or less of an experiment this Sum-
Yner. If IL is well received it viii con-
tinue. but IL its reception Is not good
I would not be surprised to see the
international Federation give 1t the ali.
as 1t has several other departments OF
the games which became DISTINGUISHING
part of a now too full program.
fcopyrIsht. 1879. in All Countries by North
American Newspaper Allance9