Pete Mulholland writes: “One of the most unusual sights seen at the Championships is the calm figure of Bill Collins standing – almost to attention – as his crouching opponents await starter’s orders. To the uneducated observer, Collins looks out of place: until the gun fires that is. Without the benefit of being propelled from the blocks he is away before he rest of the field get into an upright position and the opposition are left scrapping for the minor positions.”

Pete continues:
“I come out easy and go for it,” Collins admitted after recording his second brace of world records in what has been an amazing week for the Houston star, who also confesses, “I still feel the effects of my groin strain when I lift off.”
The opening round of the M55 60m dash (that’s the only word for such a short distance) Collins ran 7.46s to shave his very recent world record of 7.47s set in Houston.
The final was something else: this time he didn’t just shave it but gave it more of a ‘short back and sides’ to put the record out of sight with an astonishing 7.34s.
It took a while to sink it but to carve 12/100ths of a second over such a short distance is unbelievable.
This feat, added to his first one day world record 200m double two days earlier – and there’s the 400m beckoning – will make the judges task an easy one when they meet at year end to decide the ‘Master of the Year’ awards.
On a day that saw the track devoted solely to 60m, four additional world records were set in the field events, the highlight being when W45 Brigitte Van de Kamp, NED soared over 3.36m in the pole vault to add just 1cm to the mark set by Dawn Hartigan, AUS, when winning this title in Sindelfingen in 2004.
Another W45 came good in the triple jump as Catherine Seilac, FRA bounded out to 11.08m to add 6cm to the record.
Also in the triple but at the other end of the age scale, W80 Johny Valien,USA, added 12cm to the record set by her compatriot Margaret Hinton almost two years ago while Mary Wixey, GBR, set an inaugural W85 mark of 3.61m.
A margin of 3/1000s of a second is probably quicker than a blink of the eye but that was all it took in the decision to award gold and silver in the M50 60m.
Both Kerry Smith, CAN, and David Elderfield, GBR, were give the same time of 7.35s which led to rumours that both athletes would be presented with a gold medal.
However, a study of the photo finish gave Smith the race.
“I dipped, where Dave didn’t,” admitted Smith, who added to his 200m victory scored earlier in the week. “I learnt my lesson from Steve Peters who dipped ahead of me to take the 100m in San Sebastian.
Although initially disappointed not to take gold, Elderfield, who admitted, “I’m really here for the 400m,” was cheered to discover that he had set a European record, the previous owner being a certain Dr. Peters with 7.42s. It could have been interesting if the absent Peters, unbeaten over his last 18 championship races, could have been in attendance.
Spare a thought for W40 Janice Pryce, GBR, a winner of Championships at European level. With an opening triple of 10.65m, an opportunity of a medal was on the cards. Come the second jump, Janice fell in such a manner, she was rushed to hospital with a snapped tendon.
Adding to the ‘war zone’ effect was another Briton in the shape of M45 Michael May, who after completing his 60m heat stumbled on the track incline as he headed for the ‘crash barrier.’
Taking the full brunt of his body he fell awkwardly with a broken shoulder as a result. Keen athletic that he his, Mike still intends to leave on Monday to Melbourne to watch the Commonwealth Games.