Entry standards set for IAAF Beijing masters exhibition 400, 800
Be there or be square. Be fast and over 50, too.
Here’s the formal announcement:
WMA ATHETES TO COMPETE IN EVENTS AT 1AAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN BEIJING, CHINA, AUGUST, 2015.
After lengthy negotiations, between WMA, the IAAF and the LOC of the IAAF World Track and Field Championships, to be held in Beijing, China it has been agreed two Masters events will be included into the programme. These events will take place as a lead in to the evening competition on Saturday 29th.August, 2015.
The events selected are a Womens’ 50 plus 400 metres, to be run at 17.35pm and a Mens’ 50 plus 800 metres to take place at 17.45pm. It has been proposed that each event be a straight final with not less than eight athletes in the Women’s 400 metres and up to ten athletes for the mens’ race. Invitations to participate in the Masters events will be extended to those athletes who during 2014 and 2015 have run the 400 metres (Women) in 1.05.00 or better and the 800 metres (Men) in 2.06.00 or better. In addition several Chinese Masters athletes will be selected as reserves to fill any vacancies to ensure full fields in both events. Athletes details required:
Name: Address. DOB. Tel: E-Mail. Affiliate and Registration number.Copy of Birth Certificate. Personal Best in 2014-2015 with the meeting name, venue, date. Short Competitive background in more than 50 words.
Final arrangements for accommodation, travel, training, accreditation and associated matters are still being determined, however at this time athletes should be prepared to meet their own travel and accommodation costs. WMA will announce further information in these matters as soon as it is available. However it is suggested that athletes should plan to arrive in Beijing no later than 27August and depart from 30 August.
Athletes who wish to be considered for selection to participate in these events should submit their applications in electronic or written form to WMA Secretary Winston Thomas at the following address by 30th March:
4 Gate Croft
Hemel Hempstead
Herts HP3 9NA
GREAT BRITAINInfo@world-masters-athletics.org or winston.thomas1@btinternet.com
WMA sincerely thanks Cesar Moreno Bravo, the IAAF representative to WMA, for his dedicated efforts to make this inclusion of Masters events into the IAAF Championships a reality. We also thank both the IAAF Competitions Department and the LOC for their co-operation and guidance.Stan Perkins WMA President
9 Responses
A quick check of the world rankings shows there were 10 M50’s (and nobody older) who broke 2:06 last year, and 13 W50’s (and nobody older) who broke 1:05.
Those are going to be some tough lanes to fill.
Good point, tb; these are very tough standards. With athletes having to pick up their own airfare and hotel costs (see above), I guess they’re looking for competitors with some assets.
At our outdoor nationals, the only athlete in W50 even to break 1:06 in the last 5 years was the redoubtable Deb Hoffman, who ran a sparkling 1:04.74 in 2013. The times cluster quite well:
2014 1:06.15
2013 1:04.74 Deb Hoffman
2012 1:06.55
2011 1:06.57
2010 1:06.77
Not to be ethnocentric, but I do believe that the meet will need some Americans if all the lanes are going to be filled. Won’t happen.
Well I know in the 800 there are 2 Canadians itching to go after they clean up in Lyon.
With Renee Henderson and Jai Black running, the US would have two of the top seeds in W50 if they both choose to go. Renee ran 59.8 last year in May and Jai, 62.2.
Shows you how good Renee and Jai are. Unfortunately, as we have seen from past experience, the “possibles” often come nowhere near the “actuals” when it comes to exhibition races.
We’ll see. Two hotshot Canadians in the 800 and Renee and Jai in the 400 make for a very good start, but what we need is depth.
I wish they would entertain the notion of an age-graded race where the start line for each competitor is determined by his/her age. That way, there would be plenty of competitors, all ages in one race, and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser as 50 year olds compete head to head against 70 year olds. There is talk that age-graded exhibition masters races will re-appear at Mt. Sac this year after a long absence.
tb –
M50 800
15 inc. indoor sub 2:06’s 16 if you count a 49 year old who will be 50 this year. I used 2:06.05 as the cutoff. Sub 2:06 would be 15 total. Very tough standard.
AG M51 800 2:06 = 93.07%
AG F51 400 1:05 = 90.32%
I think that if one meets the standards, the airfare and hotel should be paid for.
Entry standards must be met by March 30. That does not give much time for those that have not met the standard to get into some quality 800s to hit their best time.
Those that qualify will they do both worlds and this meet? I would only be able to choose one. That is a long way to travel for just one race.
Regardless I will focus on the 800 and see if I can get my 2:08 down to sub 2:06.
How about american team sponsorship?
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