E. Ion Pool
Encyclopedia
Ernest Ion Pool was a British
athlete who competed in the Marathon
at the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris. He did not complete the race.
After he returned to England he wrote an article for the club magazine of the South London Harriers commenting on his experiences;
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
athlete who competed in the Marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
at the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris. He did not complete the race.
After he returned to England he wrote an article for the club magazine of the South London Harriers commenting on his experiences;
"The marathon turned out a dismal fiasco. The whole conduct of the race on the part of
the responsible officials, beginning with the tardy date of the announcement abroad down to
the smallest details providing, or rather failing to provide, for the convenience of contestants on the fatal day, and the entire absence of precautions to ensure fair play, can only be characterized by the one word “Presposterous” – with a capital P.
Add to this the non-sporting instincts of the French populace and it will not be necessary to cite fully the details of the troubles that invariably beset the strangers only bicycles and cars for obstacles.
At the best it proved a steeplechase, 25 miles is really too far for a steeplechase, but that was with mere circumstance. Suffice it to say that when the three placed men in last year's London to Brighton GAYP found it necessary to retire inside of four miles and Arthur Newton (a well known
long distance record breaker in the States), who was unwise enough to finish, took
longer than walking time to complete the distance, it shows that things were very, very wrong.
I could a further tale unfold...but 'no mattah.