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MASTERS ATHLETICS SPRING 2013.
represent the NVAC at some of the BMAF
meetings some years ago.
Bridget Cushen
CHAIRMAN’S
REPORT –
ARTHUR KIMBER
Since the last issue of Masters Athletics the main focus
has been on indoor competition, with great success for responses on whether or not you think this is a good idea.
British athletes – twelve world records broken in the
month of March.
At the BMAF championships at Lee Valley five athletes set
seven world records. W65 Angela Copson reduced the
1500m mark by over twelve seconds to 5:39.96 on the
Saturday, and on the Sunday the 3000metres by over ten
seconds to 11:52.82. W75 Evaun Williams also set two
records, hammer with 36.83 and javelin with 26.42.
Two 400metres records were broken by W55 Caroline
Powell running 62.11 and W60 Caroline Marler, 70.26, while
W55 Laura Mahady ran 2:29.66 to break the 800metre
record. Dave Oxland in a very competitive and exciting race
reduced the M60 1500metre mark to 4:35.52.
At the European Indoor Championships in San Sebastian ten
world records were broken, five by Britons. Angela Copson
won six Gold medals, improving two of her times from Lee
Valley by running 5:36.88 for 1500metre and 11:49.53 for
3000m. Laura Mahady took almost two seconds off her Lee
Valley 800metre time with 2:27.84, W50 Wendy Laing set a
world high jump best of 1.57 and the 4x200m. W60 team of
Nancy Hitchmough, Caroline Marler, Anne Nelson and Moira
West set a world record of 2:10.44. At an award ceremony in
San Sebastian, Angela collected her trophy for the best
European female athlete of 2012. Her start to 2013 has been
even more impressive. The British team took fourth place in
the medals table behind Germany, Spain and France.
The other main event was the BMAF Cross Country
Championships in Sunderland, where M60 Mike Hagar stood
out by winning his age group, and beating all the M50 and
M55 athletes. Two newcomers, M35 Phil Hinch and W35
Julie Briscoe, made excellent debuts, Phil winning by 25
seconds and Julie by seven seconds.
I wish you all a good summer, if we get one!
SECRETARY’S
REPORT. BRIDGET
CUSHEN
Race Walking
The IAAF has mooted the idea of imposing a time penalty on
walkers who receive a warning rather than the current
draconian 3-cards and you are out in Race Walking. The
walker might get a, say, 20/30second off the track or move to
the infield period and then re-join the race. It is not a new
idea, rugby has the “sin bin” and the biathlon also has a
penalty clause for rules infringement. Ian Richards and I had
a talk on this in San Sebastian where, sadly, so many BMAF
female 3km walkers were DQ’d, some for the first time ever;.
Ian suggested we put a proposal on the agenda for the
World Masters Athletics General Assembly in Porto Alegre
asking WMA to introduce this at their biennial
championships. The Masters have been the innovators in
many rule changes i.e. more events for women, and with
such large international fields at WMA Championships it
would be an ideal test area before being rolled out to all age
groups. Ian has kindly offered to co-ordinate all your
The deadline for Proposals for the WMA General Assembly
is July. The comments and opinion of our walkers are
welcome, let Ian have these as soon as possible, email
ian.richards-home@tiscali.co.uk.
What about being moved to the outside lane for a prescribed
distance (Editor).
Peers hear of BMAF work
During a debate on health and exercise in the House of
Lords last December, Baroness Rachel Hayhoe-Flint - she of
women’s cricket fame – paid the following tribute: “The sport
and recreation sector is working hard to engage with those of
senior years. To give some examples, the British Masters
Athletic Federation delivers opportunities for older people to
compete in disciplines such as cross-country running, race
walking and sprinting. The oldest participant to date in the
seniors master games is 92 years of age, so there is hope
for us all yet.
Anti-Doping
There was one positive test in Zittau, the M45 Polish triple
jumper Wieslaw Pietka has now been suspended for two
years from 23/8/12 and the results updated.
Peter Duhig, Overseas Entries Co-ordinator, has been sent a
CD of the results from Zittau, if you would like a copy,
contact him.
Porto Alegre
The Organising Committee are seeking Ambassadors to help
promote the Championships. You are asked four questions
(see our website) on your reasons for going and asked to
submit a photograph. We hope to see more British athletes
join the other smiling faces on the Porto Alegre web site.
AGM
Our AGM will be held this year on the 14 September, the first
day of the Track & Field Championships in Birmingham. If
there are any Proposals or nominations for office, these
should be submitted through your club to the Honorary
Secretary at least 30 days before the meeting.
Dramatic finish in M45 800 m Final in San
Sebastian, I think the horse nearly made it!
(Picture from Bridget Cushen, comments by
editor!).
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