Perth 2016 organizers forecast modest-sized world masters meet
A smaller and gentler worlds is coming next year, according to a Western Australia report (get used to seeeing “WA” everywhere). “More than 4,000 athletes are expected to descend on WA for the World Masters Athletics Championships to be held in Perth next year,” said a local outlet. That’s half the 8,000 at Lyon this past summer. “Last Monday marked exactly one year before the tournament kicks off, which is set to be held in the Ern Clark Athletic Centre in Cannington, as well as the WA Athletics Stadium in Mt. Claremont. The WA athletics stadium will be the main stadium and will feature track events up to 3000m steeplechase, as well as jumps and throws. Ern Clark will be used for the 10,000m and 5000m run and walk events, as well as some throws.”
From left are marathoner John Gilmour, walker Lyn Ventris and middle-distance runner David Carr. Photo by Stewart Scott from Clip Media
The report continued:
There will also be a marathon and half marathon run around the banks of the Swan River.
It is the first time Perth will hold the championships in its 41-year history, with Melbourne (1987) and Brisbane (2001) the only other Australian cities to have previously held it.
One athlete who will be competing is 83-year-old runner and Bicton resident David Carr.
Carr is now retired after previously working as a high school principal and teacher in the southeastern suburbs of WA.
Even at 83, he still keeps fit and won four events in Lyon in France at this year’s world championships.
“I would run six days per week, and I go to the gym as well,” he said. “We are so lucky to have it here (in WA); the home ground advantage is wonderful.”World Masters Athletics president Stanley Perkins said he was excited to bring the championships to Perth.
“You’re never too old to do masters athletics, you can only be too young,” he said.“The interest in people coming from around the world to Perth surprised me,” he said.
More than 4000 athletes and 3000 supporters will attend, with two-thirds of them expected to be international.
5 Responses
Isn’t “smaller and gentler” a euphemism for “much too far away for most athletes from Europe and North America to attend?”
“smaller and gentler” also means less competition. Easier to win medals….still $1500 round trip..
Ha, ha. Like that. Never pictured anything Aussie as “smaller and gentler.”
WMA prez Stan Perkins of Australia likes what he sees:
http://www.world-masters-athletics.org/news/582-perth-2016-one-year-to-go
this will be the biggest track and field spectacle that Perth has witnessed since they hosted the Empire (Commonwealth) Games there in 1962…amongst other highlights, Peter Snell ran 1:47.64 and 4:04.58 for double gold…cannot wait to visit Perth in 2016
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