Athletics: How to Become a Champion, Paperback

This is the long-awaited reprint of the highly-acclaimed book 'Athletics: How to become a champion' by Percy Cerutty, world renowned coach to Australia's greatest athlete, Herb Elliott, winner of the 1500m at the Rome Olympics in 1960. First published in 1960, this book, a classic in its time, has been out of print for 50 years. The books is full of details and ideas for optimum athletic training with specific advice for various distance and field events within the track and field discipline. This book garnered much praise when it was first published. Today's athlete and coach has much to learn from the wisdom of this outspoken and at time controversial figure. Cerutty describes the training regime at his Portsea, Victoria, athletics camp. The book includes historic images of a young Herb Elliott training under the master coach. Republished with permission from the family of the late coach, this book will inspire and encourage today's young athlete who dreams of Olympic triumph, just as Herb Elliott did in 1960.

Percy Wells Cerutty was a controversial figure in Australian athletic circles in the 1960s. Ahead of his time, he advocated a revolutionary approach to athletic training that included dietary advice as well as a hard training regime. He insisted on a win at all costs mentality but felt that athletes should enhance their natural gifts. His most famous pupil was Australia's greatest middle distance runner Herb Elliott, regarded by many as the greatest middle distance runner of all time.