Anthem sprint

SIR – Czech athletes (report, March 31) complain that their national anthem, at 45 seconds, is too short to enable them to celebrate properly.

May I suggest that they do a deal with the Italians, whose anthem lasts 1 minute 40 seconds, and borrow some of theirs? This would cheer the Czechs, and the rest of us would be spared the seeming interminability of the Italian anthem, impressive as it is. Tim Hayes

Wells, Somerset

SIR – I’ve always thought a great benefit of our National Anthem is its brevity. Sung at a beat per second it comes in at about 43 seconds, even allowing for the usual rallentando towards the end. Added to this, it’s an easily-sung, memorable tune. Beethoven liked the tune enough to write a set of variations on it. Denise Hurst

Poole, Dorset