Sidney C. Wooderson, of Blackheath Harriers, who became one-mile world record holder in 1937, and thus established himself as England's No. 1 ranking athlete, added the half-mile world record to his name in 1938. and in a year when England possessed a considerable number of outstanding athletes he easily retained his pride of place.
The one-mile world record holder opened the year in surprising fashion by winning the Kent County Cross-Country Championship over seven miles, in spite of well-meaning people advising him not to run over the country. The well-meaning people, however, kept well in the back-ground when they saw Wooderson win the Amateur Athletic Association's one-mile championship for the fourth successive year, in 4mins. 13.4secs.. without being at all extended! Then, in August, came his never-to-be-forgotten half-mile world record, set up at the same venue as his one-mile world record twelve months before, namely, Motspur Park. Harold Abrahams put in some grand work with a stop-watch and the microphone, and clocked Wooderson' s first quarter mile in 52.6secs. a time which Abrahams, and everyone else for that matter, though was far too fast for him to stay the distance, and gain the record. "The Jimmy Wilde of Running." as he has been called, however, staged a most dramatic recovery and running strongly finished amidst a frenzy of excitement to lower the world record by two-fifths of a second, his new figures being 1min. 49.2secs. The second ranking athlete of 1938 is unquestionably Cyril A. J. Emery, of Achilles A.C. and North Staffordshire Harriers. Not a newcomer, but an old Cambridge Blue, who has made a big improvement since taking an appointment at Caldy Grammar School, and strangely enough, as the following record shows, like Wooderson, he believes in mixing track and cross-country running. He was runner-up in the English Cross-Country Championship, won the International Cross-Country race, the Amateur Athletic Association's three miles championship, the Midland Counties one mile championship, the Liverpool & District half-mile championship, and in addition to some fine running for England on the Continent, he set up new English native record figures for two miles.
After these two come a whole host of athletes who performed very prominently during the year. D. O. Finlay, who won the A.A.A's. 120 yards hurdles championship for the seventh successive year; J. T. HoIden of Tipton Harriers, with a dazzling record in big cross-country races, took the English championship for the first time. Wallasey's Alan Pennington did not make many appearances, but ran the celebrated Godfrey Brown very close in the A.A.A's 440 yards championship, being beaten by a foot in the fast time of 49.2 secs. A lot more would be heard of Pennington if it were not for the fact that he is running in a period when England has never been better off for sprinters and quarter-milers. Then there is the Manchester athlete, C. B. Holmes, England's fastest runner, who after some brilliant running in Australia, during the centenary celebrations there came back and only made a few appearances on English tracks during the year.
Turning to local affairs it is interesting to note the progress made, by Wallasey Athletic Club. The end of the last cross-country season was marked by several fine team efforts, including third place in the Marathon relay race. Further strength was given to the senior team when K. Westmore, the brilliant University distance runner, joined the Club towards the end of the season.
During the summer, N. Marples ran conspicuously in open handicap miles, winning twice and being placed twice. B.O. Kivlin was second in the Northern Counties' hop, step and jump, in addition to showing his prowess at sprinting, long and high jumping. Since the commencement of the present, cross-country season, Wallasey Athletic Club has won far more awards than any other Liverpool & District Club, and with the number of fine distance runners which the Club now possess the forthcoming cross-country championships should find the Wallasey teams well to the fore.
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Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 07/01/1939
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