Alberto Zanelli of Italy running the 3rd leg of the 4x100 relay.
After a 10-day run, the curtain has come down on the 2011 World Masters Athletics Championships.
Was it worth the hype? Was Sacramento a worthy host? Was it fun?
Yes, yes, and yes!
What About the Weather?
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote here about drug testing for the upcoming World Masters Athletics Championships that will be held this month in Sacramento.
It was nice to see in this morning’s Sacramento Bee, Sam McManis giving it the full treatment. McManis does an excellent job of picking through the various facets of the issue.
The money quote from elite masters runner Pete Magill:
“Like it or not, the perception of drug use among all athletes is out there,” he said. “It’s important that, as a group, we submit to drug testing to fight that perception. Any time now anyone has a great performance, the first thing people think is not, ‘That’s a great performer.’ They think, ‘That guy has a great pharmacist.’ “
I couldn’t agree more. It’s a definite “must read.”
The World Masters Athletics Championships (AKA World Masters Track and Field Champs) are a little more than a month away and there is excitement in the air. It’s a little like you’re a kid waiting for Christmas, except maybe you’re hoping that Santa Claus is going to bring you that massive track meet you’ve always wanted!
(I suppose I should task the interns with rounding up some better metaphors.)
Most of the venues are pretty easy to figure out. One world-class track is pretty much the same as another. The critical question for most of the events is: What’s the weather going to be like? (It’ll be July in Sacramento so the odds are good it will be warm and sunny.)
The World Masters Athletics Championships (AKA World Masters Track & Field Championships) are coming to the good old USA this July, for the first time since 1995.
As exciting as that is, you should be thrilled to pieces to know that they will be held right here in River City! (Right here!)
I know what you’re saying: “But I’m only 37! I’m too young to be a masters athlete!”
Well, fortunately for you, you sprightly younger person, for purposes of the Masters Track & Field World Championships, a masters runner is anyone 35 or older!
This coming July, Sacramento will be hosting the Masters World Athletics Championships (AKA Masters Track and Field World Championships).
If you had a chance to watch or run in last year’s Masters National Championships you know what a great event this should be.
While it may seem a bit early for me to be writing about a July event, registration closes on April 24. You can register online now, and event management says that more than 900 athletes had already registered as of March 23rd.
For track and field, a masters athlete is anyone over 35. There are events from the 100 meters to the marathon, plus the field events, and the venues will be centered around California State University Sacramento.
