Palmer Park, Reading, July 9, 1927
Phyllis Green, who had already set a world record in the high jump in 1925, defeated versatile Hilda Hatt at the British Championships (WAAA). She then attempted to reclaim the world record from Ethel Catherwood. Green successfully cleared a bar set at approximately the same height, but a precise measurement sealed Green's fate in one of her last competitions on the grass field at Palmer Park. In Catherwood's record-setting jump, the bar was precisely set at 1.5859 metres (5 feet 2 7/16 inches). Green's jump was measured at 1.581 metres (5 feet 2¼ inches). Consequently, Green's result was not accepted as equaling the world record.
Twenty-four-year-old Londoner Eileen Edwards sprinted to victory in both the 100 and 220 yards. In the curved race, she recorded a time of 25.8, equaling the world's best performance, though it was not officially recognized as a world record. 1927 marked Edwards' last year at the top level, as she was not seen competing in the Amsterdam Olympics the following year.
Medallists (NUTS)
Schlesier Kampfbahn, Breslau, August 7, 1927
At German championships, future Olympic champion Lina Batschauer-Radke of Karlsruher FV won the 800 with a world record of 2:23.8. However, the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) did not recognize this as an official record, so it remained only in the records of the International Women's Sports Federation (FSFI). Furthermore, Radke's result was relatively inferior to Edith Trickey's best 880-yard performance of 2:24.0 in 1925, which also was not officially recognized.
In Germany's top event, the discus, the same trio as the previous year took the podium places, though the order changed. Ruth Lange won, Charlotte Mäder threw to second, and Milly Reuter was unceremoniously relegated to third.
Medallists (Wikipedia)
Albee Stadium, Eureka, CA, September 3, 1927
At the US championships (AAU), Margaret Jenkins used a javelin doctored by Jonni Myyrä, who had fled to America to escape his creditors, and which lacked the official implement stamp. The coach of second-place Lillian Copeland protested this. Jennings then grabbed Copeland's javelin and, fueled by anger, hurled it to the world's best performance of 38.80 meters (127-4). It was not accepted as an official world record, so Germany's Guschi Hargus retained her record, which was only a few months old.
The American throwing medals were ultimately distributed amicably. Twenty-four-year-old Jenkins won the javelin and the baseball throw, while 23-year-old Copeland secured championships in the shot put and discus. At the Amsterdam Olympics, Jenkins was forced to compete in the discus, where she was eliminated in the qualification round, as the javelin was not on the programme. Copeland, however, threw the discus to a silver medal-winning distance, eventually crowning her career with an Olympic gold in 1932.
Nineteen-year-old Elta "Cinder-Elta" Cartwright won both the 50 and 100 yards on her home track. While travelling across the ocean by steamship to the Amsterdam Olympics, Cartwright was struck by seasickness. Recovering, her speed was only enough to reach the semifinals.
Medallists (Wikipedia)
1–4 (Track And Field Statistics)
1–4 (Track & Field News)
Old SCC Stadium, Berlin, June 12, 1927
The rules for women's hurdles were standardized in 1926, with the 83-metre hurdles replaced by the 80-metre hurdles. German Eva von Bredow took full advantage, setting the event's first world record of 12.8 in Berlin. This record did not stand long, as Czechoslovakia's Ludmila Sychrová sped to 12.2 just a year later during the Olympic summer.
World records tumbled at the international women's meet organized by the Charlottenburg club, even though none of the three record-breaking events were yet part of the 1928 Amsterdam Olympic Games. This didn't deter Augustine "Guschi" Hargus, who threw the javelin to an impressive 37.575 (123-3). The rapid rise in the standard of women's athletics in the 1920s was evident, as this throw improved the previous official javelin record by over 10 metres.
Britain's fastest woman and a two-time national champion in 1927, Eileen Edwards, capped off her season by sprinting to victory in the 200 metres at the Charlottenburg competition with what was then the world's best time of 25.4.
1–4 (Wikipedia)
Warsaw, September 4, 1927
Future Olympic discus champion Halina Konopacka once again took possession of the event's world record. She threw 39.18 (128-6) in Warsaw. The record had been "on loan" in Germany for just over a year. The tall, 1.80m (5-11) Polish thrower managed to hold onto the record even longer, as she improved it to 39.62 (130 -0) in the Olympic year, a mark that stood as the world's best until 1932.