From July 26th to August 11th will be the Summer Olympics in Paris, France. To commemorate the occation, I have a cute pop-up book, “Pop-up Olympics: Amazing Facts and record Breakers” by Robert Crowther, published 1996. There are all sorts of popups, pull tabs, along with records and facts of various events of the summer Olympics.
I also have a very interesting book of one of the events of the summer Olympics, one that has been there since the modern beginnings of the Olympics. I have “Race Walking: a Primer of the Sport” by Hugh W. Innes, printed in 1910.
Race walking was a big sport back then, and this book gives us the wonderful history, along with tips and rules about walking properly. There are a bunch of diagrams that help us move along with grace and speed. One walker was shown how to walk eight miles in 59 minutes. There were long distance tips along with short race advice. One can read a chapter on judging rules.
There are a bunch of advertisements as well, for the walking athletes. Things like “Brand’s Savoury Meat lozenges-a meal in your vest pocket.” Or Brand’s Beef Tea Tabules.” There is also ‘Frunut, a concentrated blend of natural fruits and nuts.” and “Caribee, queen of West India Liqueurs” All tasty and nutritious items, but I think the Caribee Liqueur had rum in it.
There is good news and sad news in race walking news for the 2024 Olympics. There are Mens and Womens twenty kilometer walks, and a new event this year, a mixed relay Thirty Five kilometer race.
In the last American Track and Field qualifying event before the Olympics, in Eugene Oregon, the third-place finisher on the women’s side was 58 years old, Michelle Rohl, mother of five, grandmother of one. She competed in the Olympics in 1992 (13th), 1996 (20th), and 2000. First place winner was Robyn Steves. In the men’s race, Nick Christie came in first, Allen James, who competed in the Olympic games in 1992 and 1996, finished 14th. He is 60.
The bad news is no one in Mens or Womens made the qualifying Olympic time to guarantee entry. Nor were they high enough to meet the top 22 teams, the second way to get in to the race, just too many other higher teams. For the new event this year-the 35 K mixed relay race, USA Robyn Steves and Nick Christie were on the bubble but Sweden and another country just bumped them, last week. This will be the first year since 1904, that Americans will not compete in Olympic speed walking. (An American Rachelle DeOrtega is racing for Puerto Rico, but they are considered separate country entry from USA).
There are several young up and coming stars that do show promise in future, but there is not a big American draw for talent. Perhaps in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles…
Or, we root for breakdancing, another first time event in Olympics this year. We have to be good at that. Well, USA is competing in breakdancing. The USA men are rated 5, 6, and 10. The women 10, 14, and 44.
Let’s all get ready for the “joy of victory and agony of defeat.”
Librarytomes 