Madam, - The late Bob Tisdall won the 400 metres hurdles in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics running on an old-style cinder track in clunky track shoes. Seventy-two years later, his world record time of 51.7 seconds would still have been good enough to win our recent 400 metres hurdles in the National Championships, by some eight metres.
Even the time he ran on grass in Croke Park in order to qualify for the games would have been good enough for third place at the same Championships. Truly a remarkable athlete. I wonder what times he would have set running on a modern track, wearing designer track shoes, with access to todays training methods and all the back-up that the present day athlete enjoys. - Yours, etc.,
CON HEARTY,
Prospect Lawn,
Dublin 18.