Deadline extended for Budapest worlds; entry lists are posted
Like the swallows returning to Capistrano, you can always count on deadlines being pushed back for major international masters meets. The latest is Budapest. Despite a USATF statement that “the entry deadline is February 3, 2014 (no exceptions),” the LOC says: The deadline to enter for the 6th World Masters Athletics Championships indoors, to be held in Budapest between 25-30 March 2014 has now been extended due to the significant interest the event has attracted. The LOC has been receiving entries since the middle of December, yet many affiliates have indicated that more athletes are looking to sign up to the event that offers two 200m tracks under one roof. … The LOC has to receive the entries and the payments by midnight Central European Time on 17 February 2014.” Interest may be significant, but methinks money is the crucial issue. They need more entries to make it. A couple days ago, entry lists were posted. So far, no Olga Kotelko, the WR machine who turns 95 in March. She might be the oldest entrant.
The LOC site further says:
According to the registrations, the most popular events are the 200m, half marathon, and the 60 m, the least popular events are the pole vault, the weight trhow and the hammer throw. Based on our database, Germany have the most candidates (222 athletes at this moment), second place is Great Britain and Northern Ireland with 194 patricipant (sic), the third is Russia with 142 athletes.
Haven’t seen a breakdown by nation. But you can search the entire list.
Several dozen Americans are entered, including superstars Bill Collins, Bob Lida, Kathy Martin, Jeanne Daprano, Rita Hanscom, Steve Robbins, Thad Wilson and Antwon Dussett. Great to see Emil Pawlik still in the game at M75.
9 Responses
Kevin, for years I have described the total number of entries to the various events as “event entries.” To estimate the number of actual entrants (competitors) in masters nationals I have used 2.3 events per entrant, and that number has served me extremely well.
The use of 2.3 makes a great deal of sense beyond its actual utility, as many people enter 2 events, some specialists enter just 1, and enough people enter 3 or more to bring the average up to 2.3.
Applying this to your current estimate of 5400, I am guessing there are about 2348 human beings entered. Going the other direction, to get 5000 entrants one needs about 11,500 event entries.
I’m currently seeing 4879 entries by 2249 athletes.
Two years ago the nimber of participants was 2700, which was a big record.
@tb: Thanks for digging that up. To the nearest tenth, that is 2.2 events per entrant.
@Weia: I had no idea that the turnouts for this meet had been so small … For comparison, at the US masters indoors last March in Landover there were more than 1000 entrants, almost all of them from the U.S., a nation in which track and field is considered relatively unimportant.
One would think that an international meet could draw a minimum of 4000 masters athletes from around the world, but apparently that is not the case.
2694 athletes, 5784 entries, two weeks to go.
…and now over 3000. So the record got biggerer. One third of entrants, by the way, entered just one event. Germany has by far the most attendees.
3304 athletes. Time for a new lede, “Too many athletes? Oh NOES!”
3818 athletes, seven hours to go.
Looks like 3875 are coming. Half from Germany, Hungary, Italy, the UK, Spain, and France. The other half from sixty-odd countries.
Leave a Reply