by Larry EderI love the Armory Foundation and what it has done for the sport in New York. I also think that Doug Logan is asking good questions, challenging the so-called, ‘traditionalists.” I do have an issue with the crucifiction of the Global Athletics group, who managed the meet with several different bosses over the past few years. Among their so-called partners are the ones calling for change in the meet.
The story below, from a release by the Armory and reported by Alfons Juck, applauding Doug Logan for challenging the traditionalists, sounds good. Changes are needed in our sport. Logan and Sanders working together should be applauded. To not accept the difficult situation that Global Athletics was handed, dealing with high school, college, elite and local events, is ludicrous. That the current management had several powerful groups to satisfy, would put ten nails in any coffin. I applaud the understanding of the need to change the meet, but then, let’s change it! Make it a professional meet! But, be careful which sponsors you throw out with the bathwater! For our sport to be successful, we need New Balance, adidas, NIke, PUMA, Saucony, Brooks, ASICS, all, who already contribute! All of those brands are involved in indoor track & field across this country, as well as outdoor, cross country and road racing. And be careful not to demonize previous attempts to keep the meet alive.
The Millrose Games had been compared to the Balkans-several little principalities fighting for control. The Games need to be in a two hour format, and perhaps the college, high school, and local can be managed as unique events in their own, but in asking hard questions, one must be ready for hard answers, such as there are no easy answers, stay tuned….
EME NEWS (OCT 16-17, 2009)
Dominguez wants to end after London
BUDAPEST (ESP): Spanish steeple world champion Marta Dominguez who was awarded on Saturday the title of European Athlete of the Year 2009 said the she wants to continue with her career until London Olympic Games 2012. But after that it will be over for her. But first goal is to succeed at European Championships next year in her home country. In 2011 her approach will be relaxed without any big goals. She also said she is not thinking about attacking the world record in the steeple. “Wins and titles are more important,†she was quoted.
OTHER NEWS
LONDON (GBR): Logos representing the sports of the London 2012 Olympic Games have been unveiled. The 38 pictograms, which come as a black and white silhouette or as a more dynamic outline, will be used on merchandise, signs and tickets, helping spectators find their way to their sport of choice when the Olympics begin in three years. Writes insidethegames.com. Sebastian Coe, the chairman of London 2012, said: “The pictograms will be a vital wayfinder for spectators at Games-time and will become recognizable come 2012.†The Olympic pictograms were first used at the 1948 Games in London. They have become a regular feature since the Tokyo Games in 1964.
NEW YORK (USA): Paula Radcliffe recovering from a bout of sickness will face a tough challenge from Salina Kosgei when defending her title in next month’s New York City marathon. Meeting organisers have announced the participation of the world class Kenyan who claimed a thrilling victory at the Boston Marathon in the spring. Radcliffe whose first triumph was in 2004, herself is currently recovering from tonsilitis which prevented her chasing a fourth IAAF World Half Marathon title in Birmingham last weekend. Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot who has won four Boston crowns has also been added to the men’s field for the race on November 1.
MONTE CARLO (MON): IAAF President Lamine Diack has become a Climate Ally and signed up to the “Tck Tck Tck Time for Climate Justiceâ€campaign. He joins former UN Secretary-General and President of the Global Humanitarian Forum, Kofi Annan, in his campaign for a fair, robust and binding agreement at the climate talks in Copenhagen in December. President Diack joins the rapidly growing campaign for climate justice just after the release of its new campaign song “Beds are Burningâ€, that has received almost 200,000 views since its launch on October the 1st. Writes IAAF.
SAN DIEGO (USA): New San Diego State women’s track and field coach Shelia Burrell (37, in 2001 world heptathlon bronze winner) announced her staff , and most notable is who isn’t on it. Not returning for a second season on Montezuma Mesa is Larry Wade, the former world-class hurdler whose hiring last winter drew sharp criticism from USA Track & Field CEO Doug Logan due to his links to doping. Instead, Burrell hired USDHS alum Boldizsar Kocsor from Hungary as her throws coach and Carjay Lyles to handle sprints, hurdles and jumps. Lyles was an all-America triple jumper at Tennessee and later coached there. Burrell was named head coach in July and at the time said Wade might be “a viable option†to stay on despite serving a two-year doping ban and reportedly meeting with a known steroid dealer. Logan called Wade’s appointment “extremely difficult to accept.†Writes local media.
KINGSTON (JAM): Jamaican media are giving more details to coaching situation of double olympic gold medalist Veronica Campbell-Brown. She splitted with her coach Lance Brauman and will train in Atlanta under the guidance of Anthony Carpenter. Also in the group world youth champion 2007 and world junior champion 2008 at 100 m Dexter Lee (18). Brauman who helps also Tyson Gay has described his separation with former two-time Olympic 200m champion Veronica Campbell-Brown as “no big dealâ€. They worked together for six years. The athlete did not comment on reports that Brauman wanted a raise in pay and that she felt she was not getting enough of the coach’s attention. “Coach Brauman has done a good job getting me two individual Olympic gold medals but the time has come to move on, I felt the need for a change,†the Jamaica Observer quoted Campbell-Brown as saying. Campbell-Brown’s husband, Omar, who is the defending Commonwealth Games 200m champion and Olympic and World Championships 4x400m relay silver medallists Shereefa Lloyd who, along with Lee and Campbell-Brown, are all managed by Atlanta-based agent Claude Bryan, will also train under Carpenter. Lee signed a professional contract in May this year, foregoing his final year of eligibility at Boys’ Champs, is presently finalising his requirements to commence courses at Life University in Atlanta, where he is expected to pursue a degree in business.
NEW YORK (USA): The Armory Foundation and USA Track and Field have formed a partnership to save the historic Indoor meeting Millrose Games (IAAF Permit), Armory Foundation president Dr. Nobert Sander, Jr. and USATF CEO Doug Logan announced at the New Balance Track and Field center. The Millrose Games is the oldest invitational track and field competition in the country spanning beyond 102 years. For the past four years, Mark Wetmore, president of Global Athletics and Management, has led the competition as meet director. For 70 years before the Schmertz family directed the meet after Fred Schmertz took charge in 1934 and turned the meet over to his son, Howard, in 1975. Howard Schmertz became meet director emeritus in 2003.
But the meet has been falling in attendance, entertainment level and competition even with Wetmore’s add some more excitement to the meet, showcasing the shot put and adding a collegiate 4×800, for example.
Logan though, who took over as CEO of USATF last year, already has proved to be a tough character that’s committed to returning track and field to the public eye and away from the grips of traditionalists. Both Sander and Logan said that there would be a push to give the meet a more local appeal and that they would improve the schedule, marketing and atmosphere of the event while keeping at Madison Square Garden. Sander also announced that 1996 Olympic 400 m hurdles gold medalist, Derrick Adkins, will serve as associate director of the Millrose Games. An advisory committee has been formed to assess and improve the quality of the meet which includes NBC’s Larry Rawson, Howard Schmertz, New York Road Runners’ president Mary Wittenberg. Dan Biederman, a pioneer in public and private urban management and who is responsible for the renovation of Byrant Park on 42ndstreet, was named chairman of the Millrose Games advisory board. Writes Armory Track website. The planned date for Millrose Games in 2010 is January 29.
NASSAU (BAH): World Championships 200m bronze medallist, Bahamian Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, has decided only to run the half lap event at major championships. Writes TrackAlerts.com. She, however, was quick to make it clear that she will continue to run the 100m on the circuit. Ferguson-McKenzie, the 2004 Athens Olympic bronze medallist over 200m and the reigning World Championships bronze medal winner in the same event, believes the distant is her stronger of the two and has targeted sub-22 seconds before she calls it quits.
KAZAN (RUS): Russian forum called “Russia – the Sports Power†will be held from October 22 to 25 in the Tatarstan´s main city of Kazan. Special guest will be also IAAF President Lamine Diack as Russian federation website says. The forum is supported by Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev and 1500 participants from different sports, regional governments and investors are expected. Also about 300 foreign guests.
PARIS (FRA): Return of 33 years old European marathon record holder Benoit Zwierzchlewski is planned for december possibly in Japan (Fukuoka) with the aim to prepare for European Championships race in Barcelona next year. He also wants to attack the European track 30 000 m record next weekend at Stade Louis II in Monte Carlo (October 24). The time he will chase is 1:31:30.4 from 1970 by Briton James Alder.
PRAHA (CZE): World record holder in decathlon Roman Sebrle thinks about his second sporting career. Already now a keen golfer set a plan in which after 2012 London Games which should be his last big decathlon event he wants to switch to newly accepted olympic sport. He started as a soccer player and wants to end as golfer. “I want really try to qualify for Olympic Games 2016 or 2020 in golf. I mean that seriously. Of course another question is my real chances. But you never know, I will try,†said Sebrle who still has some businness to do in athletics. “Yes I want to compete at World Indoors in Doha and European championships in Barcelona, this are my two priorities for next year,†said Sebrle (34).
RESULTS
BUREN (SUI, Oct 17): Eritrean Solomon Tesfamariam won a 11.5 km road race here after 39:04. Female winner was Swiss Corinne Zeller (45:06) beating Rosa Moreira of Portugal (47:36).
AMMAN (JOR, Oct 17): The first Amman International Marathon, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Amman municipality was dominated by Africans. David Kiptum was taking the first place in 2:20:48 ahead of Ethiopian Girma Beyene (2:21:39). Italian Said Boudalia was third (2:21:58). Ethiopia’s Tadelech Telila was the best woman in 2:51:39 ahead of her teammate Etaferahu Getahun (2:54:19) and Kenyan Lilian Chelimo (2:57:53). Around 12 000 runners representing 71 countries were participating in all races, the event also marked the 10th anniversary of His Majesty King Abdullah’s accession to the Throne.
Special thanks to Alfons Juck, EME News.
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