Feb. 2018:

John Dawlings: Fosbury flop versus scissors. I think that the western roll and the straddle (which seemed identical to me) were the preferred techniques for the good jumpers when I was at school. Dick Fosbury hadn't come along then.

Louis Parperis: We had to jump into a sandpit, too, John, which would have resulted in a broken neck for anyone attempting a Fosbury flop! The high jump at the start of this video clip ought to have been run as a handicap event as the little lad was giving away getting on for half a metre in height to the lanky lads.

Watching that reminded me a bit of Iain Turner, who, despite being Tolkien's inspiration for Bilbo Baggins, was the most prodigious high jumper and long jumper, regularly winning both events as well as being one of the best sprinters in the school, especially over 220 yards. I'd have liked to have seen him run against Usain Bolt, not because he would have given him a run for his money, but because it would have been extremely funny, though nowhere near as funny as when John Price ran in the mile on Sports Day in 1970 and sprinted from the gun on the first lap, much to Taffy's fury. The sprint didn't last long and I'm not even sure if he completed the first lap but it made me and many others cry with laughter as Mr. Built For Comfort made his mad dash around the track. The only way it could have been any funnier was if he had been carrying his infamous briefcase.

John Dawlings I remember John Price's mile run. Mind you, I bet he suffered over the last three laps. I wonder how on earth his house (Corners?) selected him.

Iain Turner certainly was fast. When I finally got into the school first XV it was when Taffy Evans moved Iain off the wing to scrum half to make way for me. I think a few opposing scrum halves got a bit of surprise as to how quick their opposite number was!

Grant Baldwin: I was the little lad in the clip Louis. Being so short at the time, I found the only way I could possibly achieve my best and therefore compete against the taller lads was to use the Fosbury technique. My big tactical error, perhaps, was in teaching the tallest jumper, Mich, how to do it, too. I reckon I could have moved up to 2nd instead of 3rd if he had stayed with the scissors. I really love the shot of our height differences toward the end of the film though. I did eventually start growing beyond Hobbit size I'm happy to say.

Iain Turner: Louis, we had it tougher in our time. We had to jump in feet and inches and run in yards .... and there was more of them!