Summary of WMA Indoor Championships 2017 in Daegu
Track – Written by Bridget Cushen on 27/03/2017
A safety warning issued on 22nd to South Korean football fans travelling to China for the following day’s World Cup qualifier in Changsha and China’s 50-strong Masters team being withdrawn two days before the Opening Ceremony; did not deter WMA’s largest ever Indoor, a record 4325 athletes from 73 countries entering a staggering 7,759 events, from competing in a very well organised and successful Championships and all returning home safely.
With only the Australians heading home from Daegu with more medals (124) than the 109 BMAF team total of 118, USA 108 and 68 other nations sharing in the spoils, the second World Masters Athletics biennial Indoor Championships to be staged outside Europe was a happy hunting ground for what was for so many their first WMA Championships and venture into Asia. Unfortunately, smog was in the air for the first few days and with 18¢ªC for the cross-country and outdoor field events on the second day, the cold weather left behind was soon forgotten. Team Managers Lynne Marr and Archie Jenkins were to hand to sort out age group teams as endless rounds of the 60m took place in the ultra-modern Indoor arena. After a 08.30 start, Joe Appiah took the silver medal behind the 1996 Olympian Matthias Sunneburn, Sweden, in the M45 long jump; Lynne Champion had led the British women’s field home in the cross-country, getting the individual silver in the W45 cross-country, the medals began to pour in. Daily results went viral.