Gourdin Begins Work for Olympic Pentathalon--Farrell Calls His Chances of Being One of Four Americans Good

"Although it is difficult to tell so early in the season, it looks to me now as if he were one of the four," said Coach Farrell, commenting on Gourdin's chances of being one of the quartet to represent the United States at the Olympic Games in the Pentathalon this summer. "He holds the world's record in the broad jump, of course, and is very good in all the other events."

Gourdin, a star member of the 1919, 1920, and 1921 University track teams, is at present a third year Law School student. For the last two or three weeks he has been training at Soldier's Field in preparation for the Olympic try outs.

Legendre, a former Georgetown track ace, Pentathalon winner in the Penn Relay Carnivals for three consecutive years beginning in 1919, and winner last year of the National Pentathalon Contest, is, according to Gourdin himself, his most dangerous opponent. In the 1923 Pentathalon event Gourdin came second, but won in 1921 and 1922. Gourdin also rates both West, the champion of last year's and this year's Penn Carnivals, and Osborne of the Illinois Athletic Club strong contenders.

A summary of Gourdin's best times and distances upholds Coach Farrell's prediction. His world's record of 25 feet 3 inches in the broad jump practically assures him first place in that event. In the discus he won the championship of the New England District last year in the Amateur Athletic Union contests with a throw of 129 feet 11 inches. His best records in the other events are 175 feet in the javelin, 22 1-5 seconds in the 200 meter dash and 5 minutes 5 seconds in the 1,500 meter run.