Len Platt achieved another notable success in the Northern championships at Hull last Saturday when he successfully defended both the long jump and hop, step, and jump titles he won last year.
Platt is of course one of the two or three best long jumpers in the country and he was quite expected to win this event, but there was some doubt as to how he would fare in the triple jump as he has devoted, little or no time to the hop step this season.
However, Len was in good form and won convincingly with a fine effort of 45ft. 2½ins., which is around the mark he was reaching a year or two ago when he was specialising in this event.
The long jump he won with a leap of 22ft. 9½ins. which although not up to his best standards still represents fine jumping indeed. Len has had some trouble this season in the timing of his run up and not for the first time this season, he achieved a distance of nearly 24ft. with a 'no jump'.
These two wins were both more or less expected as particularly in the long jump it is only at national level that he is likely to be beaten, but this is probably as opportune a time as any to stress that these and many other successes, have been due not only to natural ability but real hard work.
Platt's general fitness and stamina can be judged from his recent feat of winning four titles in one afternoon at the Cheshire County championships which involved being in action virtually all the time.
The only other Wallasey competitor in the Northern championships was Carl Gee, who did extremely well in his first season of real competition by taking 5th place in the discus and 4th place in the shot. His 118ft. 6ins. in the discus was a particularly good effort and together with his 32ft. 8in. in the shot, represents a performance which must be encouraging to an athlete who is still improving.
Applications for membership to the athletic club should be sent to: secretary Carl Gee, 78 King Street. Tel: 5129, or for the women's section, to: Miss Jean Massey, 200 Seaview Road. Tel: 6455.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 27/06/1953 by R.M.
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