ATHLETICS MAGAZINE

May / June 2009

Taylor Milne Interview

Brent McFarlane, Edmonton Legacy, Indoor Rankings, Steroid Double Standard, Inside Track and Canadian Women's Triple Jump

Publication Mail Agreement Number: 40069570

$3.00 +

tax

SHARP EDMONDS SHARP, LLP Web www.jumpstartathletics.com

Meet the Canadian Company Americans have Discovered!

Free 1-877-437-3885 Fax 780-435-4161

Chartered Accountants 111 Railside Road Suite 201 Don Mills ON M3A 1B2 Telephone: (416) 441-6357 john@sharpaccountants.com John Sharp, B.COM C.A. Don Sharp, B.COM C.A. Joe Edmonds, B.COM C.A.

Athletics Ontario and International Fun and Team Athletics are excited to continue a partnership which will see the development of Fun in Athletics programs across Ontario. Fun in Athletics is a track and field based program for kids between 6 and 13 years of age, providing them with an opportunity to run, jump and throw in an exciting, challenging and rewarding environment. Skills developed though Fun in Athletics can easily be translated to other sports and activities.

If your club or organization is interested in becoming involved in a Fun in Athletics League, or just interested in a local demonstration, please call the Athletics Ontario office at: 416-426-7215, or email us at: ontrack@eol.ca

Edmonton Legacy

A Coach Remembers

10

by Sasha Nagy

Brent McFarlane

Seeing Double on 'Roids 12

The Thing About Europe

by Andrew Maloney

27

by Kris Mychasiw

2009 Canadian Indoor Rankings 14

Taylor Milne

28

by Paul Gains

by Cecil Smith

Upbeat Brent

19

30

by Paul Gains

Brent McFarlane figues prominently in this issue

Inside Track

by Cecil Smith

Return Undeliverable Mail Blocks to: Athletics Magazine, 3 Concorde Gate, Suite 211, Toronto, Ontario, M3C 3N7 Advertising Disclaimer: Any ad for products, or statements regarding such products, appearing in Athletics Magazine should not be construed as an endorsement by Athletics Magazine.

Rel-Event History

Women's Outdoor Triple Jump

by Roman Olszewski

www.runningnetwork.com

4 22

Cover photo: And interview with rising star Taylor Milne (Photo: Claus Andersen) This Page: Tyler Christopher set a new Canadian record indoors this year (Photo: Claus Andersen).

T

Athletics said: “I am delighted that Kevin will be joining the new team at UKA. He is without doubt one of the best coach educators in the world and his experience means we can move the crucial area of coach development forward very quickly.

Inside

rack by

Cecil Smith

UKA Head of Coaching - The Press Release Announcing Kevin Tyler to Britain

UK Athletics (UKA) announced that Kevin Tyler has been appointed as Strategic Head of Coaching and Development. As founder of the Canadian Athletics Coaching Centre, he has developed a world class reputation for creating innovative and effective programmes for Coach Education, Athlete Development and Youth Development.

Tyler is a leading international coach in his own right, most recently coaching Tyler Christopher to 400m gold in the 2008 IAAF World Indoor

Championships. But, it is in his role as a coach of coaches that he has had greatest impact. He has created a global online education resource ‑ widely credited as one of the leading websites in the world for athletics coaching: www.athleticscoaching.ca Kevin Tyler said: “I am so excited to be taking up this post with UK Athletics, which I believe is an organisation that has the potential to lead the world of athletics and coach development. We need to create an environment where coaches, at every level, are excited about being involved in the sport, and feel valued.”

Niels de Vos, Chief Executive, UK

Athletics

May / June 2009

“Kevin is an outstanding coach, but his real reputation is as a coach of coaches who makes things happen. He will lead all areas of elite coach education and development and will work closely with England Athletics to ensure there is a consistent and relevant approach to coaching throughout the sport.”

Tyler assumed his post at UK Athletics in February 2009.

The Brooks Programme While the Brooks programme is burgeoning, there has been a ripple when long time employee Scott Hopkins, after about 30 years of service at Brooks, was unfortunately released. For many years, Hopkins was the person most people associated with when they needed some

type of sponsorship. He was always friendly, cheerful, had an acknowledgement here, a smile there. As people say, he was a nice guy.

BMP Race Results: Jan 18: Andrew Smith, Houston Marathon, 5, 2:16:14 PB; Feb 7 Matt Loiselle Indoor Meet, Ottawa, 5000m, 2, 14:18.00 PB; S. Hetherington, 3, 14:18:71 PB; Feb 22 Matt Loiselle Gainsville Marathon, 1, 2:26:49 PB; S. Hetherington, 2, 2:28:05 PB Usain Bolt to Run in Toronto On June 11, Toronto and the surrounding areas would be treated to a Festival of Excellence Meet at Varsity Stadium in Toronto, where the headliner will be the world and Olympic record holder, Usain Bolt, featured in a special 100 metre race. It should be noted that this is not a one race competition but rather a one day affair.

Organizer, John Carson of Cambridge will also be launching an event in schools called “Run Like Lightning” which is a collaboration of not for profit Organizations such as “Kiwanis International”, “Run For Life” and “Bracelet of Hope” an initiative in Waterloo. This is designed to raise awareness of the work that people do with regard to the HIV virus in different countries.

For those people who may not be aware, John Carson is the person who organized the Cambridge Classic Mile.

“This is a new meeting and we are very happy to participate and give the many Jamaicans living in Canada the opportunity to see Usain compete,” said Ricky Simms, Bolt’s agent.

Reports in January indicated that the Jamaican superstar’s appearance fee would be $250,000 US. Sprinter Carried Enough Drugs to ‘Kill an Elephant’ British sprinter Dwain Chambers

says in his autobiography he was a “walking junkie” with so many drugs in his luggage that he feared being arrested while going through airport security in Miami.

Chambers, who served a two-year ban for doping from 2003 to 2005 details his drug use in the book ‘Race Against Me: My Story’. In an excerpt printed in Britain’s Daily Mail, Chambers says he was scared of being arrested at Miami International Airport.

“There were enough drugs in there to kill an elephant and I didn’t have a clue whether they were legal or not. I was a walking junkie,” Chambers writes. “I had tubes of stuff that were known only to me as ‘The Clear’ and ‘The Cream,’ along with a few bottles of EPO and HGH, which were in ice packs as they needed to be kept cool.”

Chambers, the first athlete with connections to BALCO founder Victor Conte to test positive for the previously undetectable steroid THG, says he started using the drugs after meeting Conte in 2002.

“He said I had the potential to be a gold medallist, he could make me the fastest man in the world. He put me at ease, explaining the benefits of a new designer drug, tetrahydrogestrinone (THG),” Chambers writes. “The devil was sowing the seeds for my conversion to the dark side of athletics: a world of deceit and lying.”

Chambers won a bronze medal in the 100 metres at the 1999 world championships, but he failed to finish in the top three at the 2000 Olympics or the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton.

Chambers tested positive for THG in 2003 and was banned for two years, but he returned and won a gold medal with Britain in the 4x100 relay at the 2006 European Championships.

Note: At the time of writing, the IAAF with their lawyers were evaluating whether or not to bring charges of disrepute against him. They do have a rule Athletics

May / June 2009

May / June 2009 Published by Athletics Magazine.

Athletics Magazine is the official magazine of Athletics Ontario. The opinions and views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the Association.

Managing Director: Cecil Smith Editor: John Craig Technical Advisor: Roman Olszewski Advertising Director: Bernard Eckler Editorial Assistant: Hazel North Subscriptions: Wendy Lee Athletics is published eight times per year. Issues are dated January/February, March/April, May/June, July, August, September/October, November, December.

Subscription rates for eight issues: Canada (except NS, NF, NB) 1 Year $18.50+GST = $19.43, 2 Years $34.00+GST = $35.70, USA $22.50, Airmail (excluding USA) $42.00, Overseas Surface Mail $32.00, Newsstand Price $3.00+Tax. In NS, NF, NB, 1 Year $18.50+HST = $20.91, 2 Year $34.00+HST = $38.42 Editorial information from John Craig, Editor, Athletics Magazine, 3 Concorde Gate, Suite 211, Toronto, ON M3C 3N7 (416) 426-7215.

Advertising information from Bernard Eckler, Advertising Director, Athletics Magazine, 3 Concorde Gate, Suite 211, Toronto, ON M3C 3N7 (416) 426-7216.

Email: eckler@eol.ca Subscription information from Subscripton Dept., Athletics Magazine, 3 Concorde Gate, Suite 211, Toronto, ON M3C 3N7 Fax: (416) 426-7358, E-mail: ontrack@ eol.ca, URL: www.AO.ca No material published in Athletics Magazine may be reproduced in any form or language without the written permission of the Editor and, if granted, Athletics must be acknowledged.

Printed in Canada Publication Mail Agreement Number: 40069570 PAP Registration # 9821 ISSN 0229-4966 GST #104002357RT “Indexed in the Canadian Periodical Index”

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program and the Canada Magazine Fund, toward our mailing and editorial costs.

that states ‘disrepute to the sport’. This outburst may come under this rule.

Special Security Task Force for the Commonwealth Games A special task force for the security of athletes and spectators at next year’s Commonwealth Games in New Delhi is being formed.

Already an extra 5000 police will be hired to enhance security during the Commonwealth Games, scheduled for October 3-14 next year. This is India’s biggest sports event since the New Delhi 1982 Asian Games. Security has heightened since the terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team in Pakistan.

The IAAF “Whereabouts System” While acknowledging the burden placed upon athletes, the IAAF believes that the whereabouts system, which currently involves athletes providing a 60 minute testing slot 7 days a week, is both proportionately fair as well as absolutely mandatory for the effective fight against doping in sport.

Athletes in the IAAF testing pool have been providing similar whereabouts information since as early as 1997. It is only now in 2009 that many other sports, countries, and athletes who have never had such a system in place, and rarely done any out-of-competition testing, are starting to realise the work involved and the effort the IAAF and its athletes have gone to over the previous decade. The IAAF is proud of its athletes who have been providing their whereabouts information, and been tested out-of-competition for longer than those in any other sports.

Stakeholders are constantly demanding that the IAAF does all it can in the fight against doping. The most important part of our response to these demands is the out-of-competition doping control programme to which the IAAF provides approximately 2 million USD of funding each year. The basis of this programme is that an athlete can be tested at any time

of the year and in any place. Without receiving accurate and complete whereabouts information then this task becomes impossible.

The IAAF also acknowledges that for many athletes, the process of providing whereabouts is difficult and time consuming. There is no hiding from this reality. Clean athletes who do all they can to promote the fight against doping are concerned that they may be sanctioned for missed tests. The IAAF believes these are legitimate concerns and cannot ignore them. It is not the intention of the IAAF or these new rules to punish athletes for administrative errors, but to test them effectively. This is why extensive measures are put in place to guard against unintentional whereabouts failures.

World Champions, World record holders, and the Athletes Commission support the wherebouts system. The opinions of these athletes is relatively similar that the whereabouts requirements are a burden upon them and are sometimes difficult but they fully support the system and will do anything they can do to rid the sport of doping, even if that means providing their whereabouts for one hour each day.

MDS Nordion (Ottawa) Offers CN$100,000 World Record Bonus Organizers of the Ottawa MDS Nordion 10K are offering a bonus of Cn $100,000 should either the male or female winners break the IAAF ratified world records for 10km, a task made one-second harder by Micah Kogo’s 27:01 clocking in Brunssum. The race is scheduled for May 23 in Ottawa, Canada.

“The Ottawa Race weekend is a world class event,” said Manny Rodrigues, Vice President, Run Ottawa.

“So we’ve put together a world class prize to attract the sport’s top runners to Ottawa.”

Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain holds the women’s world record of 30:21 set in Athletics

May / June 2009

2003 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Last year, the MDS Nordion 10-K attracted more than 8,400 runners, and the race champions were Julius Kiptoo of Kenya and Emebet Bacha of Ethiopia in 28:37 and 32:43 respectively. The event records are 28:12 (John Halvorsen, NOR< 1988) and 31:24 (Grace Momanyi, KEN, 2005).

Coaches of Athletics Canada Teams ANATOLIY BONDARCHUK Lead Coach, High Performance Centre Kamloops Throws Sex: Male Hometown: Kamloops, BC Language Spoken: English Events Coached: Throws He was the national team coach in the Solvietic system for 16 years He was the national team coach in Kuwait for 11 years He has been in Canada since March 2005 EARL CHURCH Transition Leader Para‑Athletics Sex: Male Hometown: Welland, ON Language Spoken: English Events Coached: Throws and Jumps 2004/2000/1996 ‑ Paralympic Games 2002/1998/1994 ‑ IPC World Championships HUGH CONLIN Director/ Head Coach, Development Programs Sex: Male Hometown: Ottawa, ON Language Spoken: English Events Coached: Sprints, Hurdles 2008(HC) ‑ Commonwealth Youth Games 2007/2003 ‑ Pan American Games 2005/2001 ‑ Jeux de la Francophonie 2001(HC)/1999/1993 ‑ Pan American Junior Championships 2000 ‑ CAN‑USA Dual Meet 1996(HC) ‑ Ireland Junior Tour 1987 ‑ Summer Universiade (FISU) 1987 ‑ World Championships 1986 ‑ Commonwealth Games Current National Team/ Carded Athletes

Coached: Esther Akinsulie (200m, 400m) DEREK EVELY Lead Coach, High Performance Centre Edmonton Sprints Sex: Male Hometown: Edmonton, AB Language Spoken: English Events Coached: Sprints 2007/2003/2001 ‑ World Championships 2000 ‑ World Junior Championships 1998 ‑ Commonwealth Games Current National Team/ Carded Athletes Coached: Tyler Christopher (400m) Adam Kunkel (400mH) Pierre Browne (100m) Carline Muir (400m) Emanuel Parris (100m) ALEX GARDINER Head Coach Sex: Male Hometown: Winnipeg, MB Language Spoken: English Events Coached: Long Sprints/ Middle Distance 2004(HC) ‑ Olympic Games 2003(HC)/1993(HC)/1991(HC) ‑ World Championships GLENROY GILBERT National Relay & Sprint Program Lead Coach Sex: Male Hometown: Ottawa, ON Language Spoken: English Events Coached: Relay, Sprints Current National Team/ Carded Athletes Coached: Richard Adu‑Bobie (100m) Charles Allen (110mH) Personal Experience: 1997 ‑ Gold Medalist at the World Championships ‑ Men’s 4x100m 1996 ‑ Gold Medalist at the Olympic Games ‑ Men’s 4x100m 1995 ‑ Gold Medalist at the World Championships ‑ Men’s 4x100m 1995 ‑ Gold Medalist at the Pan American Games ‑ 100m 1994 ‑ Gold Medalist at the Commonwealth Games ‑ 4x100m 1993 ‑ Bronze Medalist at the World

Championships ‑ Men’s 4x100m WYNN GMITROSKI Lead Coach, High Performance Centre Victoria Middle Distance Sex: Male Hometown: Victoria, BC Language Spoken: English Occupation: Registered Physical Therapist MARTIN GOULET Chief High Performance Officer Sex: Male Hometown: Brossard, QC Language Spoken: French, English Events Coached: Middle and Long Distance 2008(TL)/2004/2000/1996/1992 ‑ Olympic Games 2007(TL)/2005/2003/2001/1999/1991 ‑ World Championships 2006/2002/1998/1990/1986 ‑ Commonwealth Games 1994(HC) ‑ Jeux de la Francophonie

2003 World 400m champion is Tyree Washington (USA) and the winner of the 2003 World Athletics final 400m is Michael Blackwood (JAM) IAAF Diamond League?

In 2010 a rejuvenated programme kicks off called the Diamond League.

The Diamond League will see the likes of sprinters Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell compete in 12 races a year across Europe, Asia and the US. The existing six Golden League event along other meetings will constitute the circuit.

Facing fierce competition the IAAF is desperate to appeal to new audiences and expand in Europe.

The new proposals will have the sport’s biggest stars, such as Olympic champions Bolt and Yelena Isinabyeva being engaged with centralised contracts and asked to commit to appearing in a minimum number of events.

LES GRAMANTIK Senior National Program Coach, High Performance Centre Calgary Sex: Male Hometown: Calgary, AB Language Spoken: English, Hungarian, Romanian Events Coached: Speed and Power

The final composition of the league will be confirmed at the end of the 2009 season.

DAVE GREIG Assistant Coach ‑ National Team Para‑Athletics Sex: Male Hometown: Windsor, ON Language Spoken: English Events Coached: Sprints

There will also be an IAAF “Diamond Race” in each event with points available throughout the season.

The athlete with the most points at the end of the series will be awarded a fourcarat diamond worth $80,000.

Jerome Young Stripped of 2003 World Championship 400m Gold The IAAF has cancelled Jerome Young’s results from the Birmingham 2003 World Indoor Championships (4x400m), Paris 2003 World Championships (400m) and the Monaco 2003 World Athletics Final (400m).

The new World Indoor 4 x 400m Relay gold medallists are Jamaica, the Athletics

May / June 2009

Other innovations in the new league will see athletes from 32 different athletics events having equal prize money with each meeting giving out $416,000.

IFTA Programs Athletics Ontario has recently been successful in obtaining a substantial 3 year, Sport for More grant from the Ministry of Health Promotion for the Northern Communities Project. This is a Bi‑Lateral Federal/Provincially funded project. This innovative project will involve taking IFTA programs and equipment into Northern reservations via “Drive‑in” and “Fly‑in” visits. IFTA will provide delivery services and the first

Competition Calendar for the Americas in 2009 - Additions

will have of coaches, meet directors and administo fill out a trators.

June 6 - Reebok IAAF Grand Prix New York City NY standard health June 14 - Prefontaine Classic IAAF Grand Prix Eugene, Oregon questionnaire Well done Earl, Geordie and Priscilla June 14 - Harry Jerome Burnaby BC (Clash with Prefontaine) before the trip. on your outstanding contributions to the June 8-12 - IAAF World Youth Champs Bressanone ITA Athletes are sport of Athletics.

July 31-2 Aug - Pan American Juniors Port-of-Spain TRI 18 years of August 15-23 - IAAF World Championships Berlin GER age and under Athletics Canada Chairperson September 12-13 - World Athletics Final Thessaloniki GRE will be asked Jean-Guy Ouellette October 11 - IAAF World Half Marathon Champs Birmingham GBR to obtain a December 4-5 Americas Half Marathon Champs US Virgin Islands statement from Athletics Canada has announced IFTA personnel lead by Sean Carrington their physician that long time chairperson, Jean-Guy will head North in the next few days. stating that they are in good health and Ouellette will not be seeking re-elecOT 1-4 pg ad -- 2008Catalog.qx6 2/5/08 8:15 AM Page 1 Much credit goes to Scott Haines, Head not at risk to travel and compete. tion as AC Chair come this May.

Coach, Keeper Athletics for pioneerOntario Sport Awards Ouellette is the longest serving chair ing the opportunity with local Reserve the sport has had since its inception in Communities. Limited equipment sponThe Ontario Sport Awards Ceremony the early 1900’s! Joanne Mortimore sorship to local communities will be prowas held recognizing those individuals the sport’s Chief Ex Officer states, vided by Northern Stores, a subsidiary of who have made a significant contribution “On behalf of AC’s membership, our the North West Company. We thank John to the growth and development of sport Branches and partners, I wish Jean-Guy Craig and Ivan Bunner for their vision in in the Province of Ontario the very best in his future aspirations” making this project happen and of course

Milt Ottey for supporting this project Coaches Earl and Geordie Farrell He was a graduate of the University during this busy period. each received the Syl Apps Special of Sherbrooke in 1971. He later worked Achievement Award. Priscilla Lopesat the University from 1979 until 2001 2009 Pan Am Junior Championships Schliep was also in attendance as she when he was named special advisor to - Selection Criteria was nominated for the Female Athlete the University’s rector. He more than of the Year.

Trinidad & Tobago, July 31-August 2, 2009. Travel Dates: July 28th - August Accompanying her was Anthony 3, 2009. See Athletics Canada’s website McCleary, her coach for full information of almost 11 years.

These criteria are set out to select DECADES OF The Farrells athletes who meet the following specific COACHING & COMPETITION have been involved objectives: EXPERIENCE WENT INTO with the Saugeen THIS COLLECTION… Track & Field club Team Objectives: To select the YOUR BEST PERFORMANCES based in Port Elgin most competitive athletes born in 1990 WILL COME OUT! since its formation or 1991 available who are prepared to in 1983. Having no achieve seasonal best performances at indoor facilities and the Pan Am Junior Championships.

Complete Line of only a dirt track in Field & Track Equipment the beginning the To provide a positive international Farrells helped build competitive and cultural experience for Vaulting Poles ♦ Shots the Saugeen club first year and returning national team Discus ♦ Javelins into one of the top athletes, and to prepare them for future Hammers ♦ Starting Blocks clubs in the provNational Teams with particular focus on And much, much more! ince. As impressive preparing for the Moncton World Junior as their coaching Championships in 2010. credentials are, Earl Write, call, fax or e-mail for a FREE Catalog: and Geordie must Team Goal: to match or improve P.O. Box 1674 ♦ Burbank, California 91507 also be recognized upon the 13 medal performance of the for their many other Ph: (800) 697-2999 ♦ Fax (818) 563-9705 2007 team. contributions to the sales@ontrackandfield.com sport; as instructors or check us out online at www.ontrackandfield.com Health Questionnaire: All athletes

Great Equipment Keeps You On Track

Athletics

May / June 2009

fullfilled the post’s requirements by not just having facilities built but also bringing to Sherbrooke a number of international and domestic events which must have also brought a huge economic impact to the town.

At the 1976 Olympics he was the associate administrative director alongside Larry Eldridge.

Athletics Canada Chairperson Gordon Orlikow Athletics Canada recently announced that Gordon Orlikow from Winnipeg, MB will be acclaimed as its new Chairman of the Board at the upcoming Annual General Meeting in May. With the voting polls now closed, Athletics Canada also announced that Hilary Stellingwerff from Sarnia, ON was elected as female Athlete Representative.

Gordon has been on the Board of Athletics Canada since 2006 and he has chaired the Personnel Committee since 1999. His commitment to Athletics includes experience as a volunteer, coach, official and athlete where he is a Pan-Am Games bronze medalist in the decathlon. He holds a master’s degree in economics from Queen’s University and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Manitoba.

In Memorium Klara Mach - It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Klara Mach, Gerard Mach’s wife of 60 years, who leaves behind a son and a daughter.

For those of you not familiar with Gerard, he was/is an internationally renowned coach who came to Canada from Poland in 1973 on a Rothman sponsorship, spearheaded by one John Hudson. Gerard’s mandate was simple, organise the sport in Canada and have Canada become successful at the international level.

His specialty was always the sprints/ relays, and it was these events that soon challenged the world and, within a few years he transformed the programme as, world records, Olympic, Pan Am, World Championships, Commonwealth Games successes started to come Canada’s way.

Gerard is 82 now, and yearns to become involved in a consultant capacity. He knows that he has the skills which can only help the sprint/relay programme. It hurts him to see the sport slipping away.

Fred Sayers (1929-2009) - Fred Sayers,

the founder of Sayers and Associates in 1962, died on February 26, 2009 at the age of 80. As his boys Chris and Scott competed in high school track and field (Martingrove C.I. and Etobicoke Striders), Fred got more and more involved with the Central Track and Field Association. He brought a business model to many aspects of T & F, including being the financial advisor for the 1972 Olympic Trials that were held at Scarborough’s Birchmount Stadium.

Fred became the President of COTFA in the early 1970’s and was instrumental in bringing various associations together to form the OTFA which has now become Athletics Ontario. A celebration of his life took place on March 13 in Mississauga.

Ian Anderson (Meet Director - 1972 Olympic trials) Nadine Ann Marie Halliday (Rogers) 1971‑2009 - The death of Nadine Rogers of West Chester Village, NS, wife of Malcolm Rogers occurred as the result of an accident on February 17, 2009 in Hubbards, NS. She was born in Jamaica and lived in Ontario before moving to Hampton, NB, twenty years ago. Nadine resided in Nova Scotia the past year where she was Director of Performance and Talent Management for the Province of Nova Scotia.

Nadine in her youth was a member of the Canadian National Track and Field Team representing Canada Internationally, most notably at the World Juniors in Bulgaria and the Commonwealth games in New Zealand.

e w l ed ll o b N ila liz Fu va na & bs A o s i

rs er B Pe mb our l u N Co

Specializing in custom race numbers for all events

Ph: (519)

253-9099 or (519) 252-4336 Fax: (519) 254-8935

Place an order by email: digital@borderpress.com Request a quote by email: darcur101@yahoo.ca

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2910 Curry Ave., Windsor, Ontario, Canada N9E 2T1 Visit us on the worldwide web at www.runningcount.com Athletics

May / June 2009

She was an active member of the United Way, Relay for Life, Run for the Cure, and spent time as a committee member for the John Peters Humphrey Committee, the Hampton Alliance for Life Long Learning, the Hampton Piggs Peak Partnership dedicated to address issues of HIV/AIDS in Swaziland, and was a proud mentor for Big Brothers & Big Sisters’ Stay in School Mentor Program, among other youth coaching and leadership contributions. Her most rewarding work was as a mother. k

Edmonton's National Training Centre T he legacy from the 2001 World Athletic Championships in Edmonton is a centre of excellence housed at the University of Alberta dedicated to raising the level of coaching in this country and around the world.

Less than five years after it was created, it has become a world leader in coaching training, and has overseen the emergence of several of Canada’s top sprinters under the guidance of coach and founding centre director Kevin Tyler.

But late last year, Tyler was hired away to lead coaching development for UK Athletics. As Great Britain prepares to host the 2012 Olympic Games in London, that country further girded for the mammoth task by hiring Canada’s top Paralympic coach Peter Eriksson.

The moves raised the question.

What kind of legacy is created when a country develops good coaches only to lose them to other national federations with the means and the will to pay them? Has Canadian track and field squandered its legacy from the 2001 worlds?

Tyler doesn’t think so. The eventual legacy and benefit of Canada’s hosting of the 2001 world championships for Canadian track and field is still to be written he says. Though he concedes he won’t be the one to write the final chapter.

“We established a good base of programs there,” he said, citing the high performance training group (Legacy Athletics) that includes sprinters Tyler Christopher, Adam Kunkel and Carline Muir. The Little Big Run he started 10

by Sasha Nagy

two years ago attracts more than 8,000 participants and the coaching resources at the centre reach coaches around the globe. It operates through a partnership with the University of Alberta, Athletics Alberta and Athletics Canada. There is no debt and there are ambitious growth plans in place.

Tyler says the Centre is well positioned thanks to a core group of excellent individuals to continue the programs he started. The Centre management committee includes Mike Mahon, Dean, Faculty of Physical Education & Recreation, at the University of Alberta; Susan Agrios, Les Gramantik, national team coach and Peter Ogilvie, Executive Director of Athletics Alberta.

“We’ve always had strong partners in the 2001 Legacy Foundation and the University of Alberta, in particular Jack Agrios and Dean Mike Mahon,” said Tyler. “Athletics Canada was always very supportive of the athletes program and then designated the centre as the sprint hurdle high performance centre in January of 09. Previously in 2008 the centre was named as the North American IAAF Coaches Academy.”

Tyler’s duties at the Centre will be split by Evely and Brian Kropman.

Evely will manage the technical coaching duties and take care of the athletes, while Kropman will focus on centre administration. According to Tyler, these two will ensure that the Centre will function without missing a beat.

“I think the centre under new leadership should continue to build on the programs that have been put in place.

The athlete program has enormous Athletics

May / June 2009

potential, and the website with the launch of the video component will not only entrench itself as the best coaching education site in the world, but will become self sustaining as well, with pay per view seminars,” he explained.

“The Centre is only 4.5 years old, so it is only in its infancy. The key is quality staff. As long as great people are involved there were always be good potential.”

Evely says the transition was made easier by the fact that he and Tyler had such an extensive working relationship.

“Kevin and my philosophy on training has pretty much been identical,” said Evely, who trained and competed with Tyler starting 25 years ago when they both attended Simon Fraser University.

“In that sense it was very seamless, it’s been great [working together] and it’s gone really well. I’ll certainly miss him.”

However, losing a top coach to another country stings, particularly in the run up to Summer Games. The irony of the situation is not lost on Evely.

“The fact that one of the biggest federations in the world just scooped two of our best coaches, says a lot about the coaching in Canada,” said Evely, in an interview. “That was why the centre was created, to act as a mechanism to enhance coaching in Canada.”

It’s a clarion call for Canadians, Evely says, on the need for more professional coaches in this country.

Whether people will see the loss of Tyler and Eriksson in that context

remains to be seen.

“That‘s the million dollar question. In my opinion, that is our biggest single challenge in the sport. It overrides everything else that goes on in the sport. That is our biggest challenge.

We do not have enough professional coaches at any level. If you look at our web site. We have tried to push that message in our podcasts and presentations. Where it has been appropriate we have tried to push that message.”

Evely says that too many people look to Athletics Canada to provide coaching funding. “There is only so much of that can come from the federation level. That is an issue that clubs have to deal with,” he said.

“I look at the success that I had in Kamloops, I look at the success that the [Ottawa Lions] is having, they have three full time coaches and a whack of coaches that are getting paid at some level. I look at the what Laurier Primeau is doing in Vancouver.”

“Where you see clubs that have decided they are going to make coaching a priority, and professional coaching a priority, you see success. It is almost a 100 per cent success rate.

“You do not see too many professional coaches at the club level in Canada that have been a disaster.

Where clubs have decided to make it a priority they have been successful.”

In his short time in Britain, Tyler has seen some similarities between the two countries.

“The sport has very similar issues across the globe, and the issues in Canada are not unique. Coaching is the foundation of the sport and it must be heavily invested in,” he said. “There needs to be a professional pathway for coaches that leads to paid opportunities should they choose to make it their career.

“There should also be a robust

coaching education program that encourages coaches to learn through their entire career, be it volunteer or professional. In short, the sport needs to create a culture that embraces coaching, because coaches create the environment for athletes to be involved in the sport.

“The need to focus on coaching is even more pressing now as many schools withdraw from the sport. Our athlete base is shrinking, and an investment in coaching is one solid means of combating this.

According to Tyler, there is no denying the importance in hosting a major games in terms of focusing resources on development. This was the context that brought him to the United Kingdom.

It is a path, he suggests, that Canada needs to follow.

“To date my UK experience has been very positive and has confirmed in my mind the value of hosting an Olympic Games. Much like Vancouver 2010, London has provided a huge opportunity and investment that can enable UK Athletics to reclaim its position as a world leader in the sport. This is both from a facilities and programming standpoint.

“Secondly, and more than anything else, world class programs require world class personnel. There is no shortcut around this fact. If you want to play on the big stage you must invest in people and ensure that your staff are truly the best in the world.”

In that regard, Canada appears to be a little bit poorer due to the loss of Tyler and Eriksson. It will come down to the strength of the foundation laid down by people like Tyler, along with the support from Athletics Canada to see that the 2001 legacy is realized.

To that point, Evely feels that they are headed in the right direction.

“Now we are quite well supported.

It is making a difference,” said Evely.

Athletics

May / June 2009

MASTERS ATHLETICS Canadian Masters Track and Field was founded in 1972 by Don Farquharson who was instrumental in forming the World body. The first World Championships were held in Toronto in 1985 and since have been held every two years. The next Worlds will be in Lahti, Finland in 2009.

As long as you are a member of Canadian Masters and over age 35 you can compete in any event. There are no guarantees for medals in the 5 year age groups but there is great competition.

The 2009 season begins with the indoor events through the winter. Ontario has 4 mini-meets all in Toronto followed by a provincial championship March 29th.

The other provinces also have indoor competitions planned. The U.S. Indoors Championships will be held March 20-23 at a very fast track in Landover, Maryland and Canadians are always welcome as long as they have Masters membership.

If the Worlds are not of interest, there are the Canadian Championships in Kamloops 17-19th July and the U.S. Championships in Oshkosh, Wisconsin July 9-12th. If nationals are not of interest how about provincials in most provinces; Ontario is slated for Toronto on July 21st.

Challenge yourself to get fit again and compete and experience that P.B. and shake hands with your fellow competitors.

Let the adrenalin begin!

Life Through Athletics & Athletics Through Life For information on Masters Athletics see our web site: www.canadianmasters.com or Contact Brian Keaveney at: masters@sympatico.ca Ontario Masters web site: www.ontariomasters.ca 11

Double Trouble Performance-enhancing double standards are troubling, leaving us to wonder, once again, about the may money manipulates our world.

by Andrew Maloney

T

wenty years after the Dubin Inquiry and only two years removed from the Mitchell Report, it is worth taking note of how far the fight against drugs in sport has come and reminding ourselves how much further there still is to go. The establishment of the World AntiDoping Agency and various national and regional anti-doping agencies is juxtaposed by the simple, undisputable fact that we still see two very different outcomes when athletes at the top of their respective sports are caught using performance-enhancing substances.

Athlete B was also one of the most highly regarded athletes in his sport whose performances were unparalleled in the history of mankind. He earned several promotional contracts and became the face of the sport in his 12

If Athlete A and Athlete B’s transgressions seem so similar, then why were Alex Rodriguez and Ben Johnson treated so differently? Why is A-Fraud still permitted to bring his nine-inning, travelling circus act to baseball parks across the country while Ben Johnson was denied his livelihood? Why are multi-millionaire professional athletes in certain sports drug tested at prescheduled times and informed ahead of time of a positive test, while many

Ben Johnson

struggling amateur athletes must give their whereabouts to authorities at all times and submit to randomized, out of season drug testing? The double standard and disparity that exists at the highest levels of sport is sickening.

Athletics

May / June 2009

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and its national counterparts should certainly not be blamed for becoming overly zealous in their enforcement of anti-doping regulations. On the contrary, randomized out-of-season drug testing administered by independent anti-doping agencies with actual clout in Canada, the United States, Europe and elsewhere was a positive development for the anti-doping movement as was the recent initiative by WADA towards an investigative centered approach to doping cases that doesn’t necessarily require a positive test for sanctions much like the criminal justice system doesn’t require a smoking gun for a murder conviction.

These two changes reflect two realities that should by now be readily apparent to any observer of highlevel sport. One is that self-regulation of doping cases and pre-scheduled drug testing is not an effective way to police sport. If that were the case, Ben Johnson’s 1988 Olympic Gold Medal would not have been given to Carl Lewis, who himself was caught using banned stimulants at the U.S. Olympic Trials that same year but cleared by the USATF for “inadvertent use” (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). The second is that the concept of guilt-byassociation is often the most effective example of circumstantial evidence at our disposal to detect the clean from dirty athletes. It is simply an implausible delusion to believe that Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery came to train in Toronto in the winter of 2003 in order to bathe in the healing waters of Lake Ontario, or that seventime Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong’s sought out notorious doping expert Dr. Michelle Ferrari for his expertise on vitamins and amino acids.

The problem is not that Ben Johnson or anyone else who violated the code of sport was mistreated by being punished to the fullest extent of the rules. The problem arises when this treatment so radically conflicts with how other athletes and other sports are treated. Anti-doping is intended to

Claus Andersen

Athlete A was one of the most highly regarded athletes in his sport, a man whose athletic prowess allowed him to accomplish things at an earlier age than any other athlete before or since. He earned hundreds of millions of dollars for his efforts and several millions more in promotional contracts. He was the face of the sport in his country yet came into notorious disgrace after a positive drug test was uncovered that put both him and his sport into disrepute in the eyes of the public. After coming clean to the public and confessing to breaking the code of his sport, Athlete A was permitted to continue competing with no punishment.

country. He too came into disgrace after a positive drug test was uncovered that put both him and his sport into disrepute in the eyes of the public. After coming clean to the public and confessing to breaking the code of his sport, Athlete B was banned from his sport for a period of two years.

deliver equity in an inequitable sports world, but that equity is hardly possible to achieve when one particular set of athletes from a particular country or particular sport operate under a different set of rules than others.

The simple fact is that baseball and most major professional sports simply have too much to lose financially by exposing their superstar players to the negative exposure that a positive drug test would generate. So after decades of putting their heads in the sands and pretending the problem didn’t exist, they were forced five years ago by the fallout from the BALCO and U.S. Congressional investigations to put together a drug testing program that at least pretended to tackle the problem.

The result was a farcical system that does not test players out-of-season, only tests players once per season and is randomized only if you can ignore the fact that most team trainers are given up to two days advance warning in some cases of drug testers arriving

on their premises. If anyone is dumb enough to be ensnared in this sieve of a dragnet, they are slapped on the wrist and told to sit on the sidelines for fifty games.

The drug testing protocols in other major professional sports, which are also self-regulated by the leagues, similarly have holes the size of small islands. The National Hockey League can boast as it did two years ago that 0% of its players tested positive for banned substances and baseball union chief Donald Fehr can travel around and pontificate that the baseball steroid problem has been “fixed,” but in reality this mindset of fantasy is fed only by the dollars it seeks to protect.

“The reality is that there’s too much money in baseball and in other professional sports to allow a more aggressive approach,” wrote two-time Olympic champion Edwin Moses in the February 2009 edition of Newsweek.

“There are too many vested interests, too many people who want to keep

things as they are. The players’ union wants to protect the players. There are corporate sponsors of baseball parks who don’t want to see their home team sullied by a positive test. Each club has a TV contract, players get paid millions and there are advertising revenues and seat sales.”

No professional sport that refrains from randomly testing athletes outof-season should be taken seriously.

Similarly, countries that refrain from regulation by independent national or regional drug testing agencies and fail to implement randomized out-of-season testing deserve to have their athletes shrouded in suspicion. Is there another way to proceed when human nature has repeatedly demonstrated to us that self-regulation is often analogous with no regulation at all? In many ways, Canada deserves the credit for leading the thankless fight against doping in sport and bringing many other countries and sports on board. There are obviously many rounds still left to go in this battle. k

Subscribe Today and Keep Up-to-Date on Track and Field New Subscription

Renewal

Canada (except NS, NB, and Nfld) 1 Year $19.43 (GST included) Canada (except NS, NB, and Nfld) 2 Years $35.70 (GST included) Athletics Canada member $14.00 (Registration No. ____________ ) USA 1 Year $22.50 Overseas Mail 1 Year $42.00 Overseas Surface Mail 1 Year $32.00 NS, NB, NFLD 1 Year $20.91 (HST included) NS, NB, NFLD 2 Years $38.42 (HST included) Name: _________________________________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________________ Apt: #: ______________ City: ________________________________ Prov/State: _____________________________________________________ Postal/Zip Code: ________________________________________________ Country: _______________________________________________________

Canadian prices include 5% GST (GST # 104002357 RT)

For Visa or MasterCard Service: Card # ________________________ Expiry Date: ___________________ Visa

MasterCard

or call 416 426-7217 and charge to your Visa or MasterCard

Send Cheque or Money Order to: ATHLETICS Magazine, 3 Concorde Gate, Suite 211,

Toronto, Ontario,

M3C 3N7, Canada

Athletics

May / June 2009

13

2009 CANADIAN INDOOR

RANKINGS

MEN 50 M 1. 5.73 Nicolas Marcozonaris Saskatoon 2. 5.76 Sam Effah Saskatoon 3. 5.80 Hank Palmer Saskatoon 4. 5.84 Emanuel Parris Saskatoon 5. 5.86 Shannon King Hamilton 6. 5.92 Jared Lewis Hamilton 7. 5.95 Neville Wright Saskatoon 8. 5.95 Phillip Hayle Hamilton 9. 6.01 Dree Ryan Hamilton

60 M 1. 6.60 Sam Effah Windsor 2. 6.64 Jarod Connaughton Ghent BEL 3. 6.64 Shannon King Regina 4. 6.65 Nicolas Marcozonaris Saskatoon 5. 6.66 Brian Barnett Saskatoon 6. 6.66 Ben Youssef Meite Windosr 7. 6.67 Anson Henry Houston 8. 6.68 Hank Palmer Sherbrooke 8. 6.68 Tyrone Halstead Windsor 9. 6.72 Emanuel Parris Edmonton 10.6.74 Jason King Windsor

200 M 1. 21.19o/v Jarid Vaughan Ames IW 2. 21.37o/v Sam Effah Seattle 3. 21.68 Daniel Harper Winnipeg 4. 21.88 Tyrone Halstead Toronto/Dec/08 5. 21.94 Oluwasegun Makinde Boston 7. 22.07 David Pedneault Boston 8. 22.10 Jared MacLeod Winnipeg/Dec/08 9. 22.21 Marlon Laidlaw‑Allen Toronto 10. 22.24 Aaron Brown Toronto

300 M 1. 32.75CR Tyler Christopher Karlsruhe GER 2. 33.64o/v Michael Robertson Ottawa 3. 33.85 Ben Toussef Mette Windsor 4. 33.90 Sam Effah Winnipeg 5. 34.10 Daniel Harper Toronto 6. 34.12 Quin Ferguson Winnipeg 7. 34.36 Kris Geyson Winnipeg 14

8. 34.50 Stuart Pearson Ottawa 9. 34.53 Ramon Monsour Ottawa 10.34.54 Brendan Dills Windsor

400 M 1. 46.08 Tyler Christopher Birmingham GBR 2. 48.83 Jonathan Reid Blacksburg VA 3. 47.55 Daniel Harper Winnipeg 4. 48.00o/v Trent Ratzlaff Seattle WA 5. 49.09 Landon Hretsina Boston 6. 49.34 Kyle Smith Toronto 7. 49.35 Michael Trinkus New York NY 8. 49.39o/v Gordon Cave Ottawa 9. 49.45o/v Tyson Ubruh Seattle WA 10. 49.86 Aaron White Boston MA

600 M 1. 1:18.49 Trent Ratzlaff Windsor 2. 1:18.77 Quin Ferguson Windsor 3. 1:19.1h Geoff Harris Halifax 3. 1:19.40 Michael Robertson Ottawa 4. 1:19.56 Iain McCormack Regina 5. 1:19.68 Ueli Albert London ON 6. 1:19.75 Michael Saizew Windsor 7. 1:19.91 Scott Leitch Windsor 8. 1:20.25 Moise N’Ken London 0N 9. 1:20.27 Ryan Finn Toronto 10.1:20.37 Mitchell Tome Toronto

800 M 1. 1:48.86o/vDavid Holm Ames IA 2. 1:51.64o/v Jorden Mara Seattle WA 3. 1:51.71o/vBrian Roppelt Seattle WA 4. 1:51.94o/vRyan Finn Notre Dame IN 5. 1:51.95 Richard West Boston MA 6. 1:52.84 James Clark Moscow ID 7. 1:53.06o/vDarren Mazzei Seattle WA 8. 1:53.46 Karl Robertson Pocatello ID 9. 1:53.49 Mark Davidson Wichita KS 10.1:53.50o/vJeffrey Homer Seattle WA

1000 M 1. 2:23.41o/vDavid Holm Notre Dame IN 2. 2:25.67 Adam Currie Boston 3. 2:25.72CJR Jeremy Rae Toronto 4. 2:26.05 Darren Mazzei Windsor Athletics

May / June 2009

5. 2:26.26 Ian MaCormick Regina 6. 2:26.73 Kurt Benninger Toronto 7. 2:26.75 Ueli Albert Windsor 8. 2:26.81 Mark Davidson Columbia MO 9. 2:26.87 Chris Simair Regina 10.2:27:07 Matt Sinclair Windsor

1500 M 1. 3:47:84 Geoff Martinson Windsor 2. 3:50.59 Ken Boorsma Windsor 3. 3:50.95 Logan Burke Windsor 4. 3:51.03 Adam Kellar Windsor 5. 3:51.78 James Poulin‑Cadovius London 6. 3:52.33 Daniel Mallie Victoria 7. 3:52.66 Allan Brett Windsor 8. 3:53.06 Ryan Finn London ON

Mile 1. 3:59.42 Kevin Sullivan Boston MA 2. 3:59.97o/vMark Davidson Notre Dame IN 3. 4:01.13o/vJustin Marpole‑Bird Seattle WA 4. 4:04.66o/vCameron Layins Seattle WA 5. 4:04.94 Adam Currie Boston MA 6. 4:05.86 Mathew Leeder Blacksburg VA 7. 4:07.37 Kate Gallagher Boston MA 8. 4:07.72 Olivier Collin Hannover NH 9. 4:09.44 David Holm Charleston NC 10.4:11.26o/vJames Clark Seattle WA

3000 M 1. 7:59.16 Matt Leeder College Stn TX 2. 8:03.81 Mark Davidson Fayetteville AR 3. 8:13.17o/vJustin Marpole‑Bird Seattle WA 4. 8:04.72o/vGeoff Martinson Seattle WA 5. 8:14.69 Ken Boorsma Boston MA 6. 8:16.45 Allan Brett 7. 8:18.25 Derek Snider Toronto 8. 8:18.31 Willy Kimosop Regina 9. 8:18.49o/vGeoff Kerr Seattle WA 10.8:19.25 Olivier Collins Montreal

5000 M 1. 14:04.29o/v Dylan Wykes Ottawa 2. 14:18.81o/v Stephane Hetherington Ottawa 3. 15:55.59o/v Patrick O’Grady Ottawa

5000 M WALK 1. 25:25.25 Bruno Carriere Toronto 2. 25:53.18 Andre Marchand Toronto 3. 27:43.37 Donald Cote Toronto

60 M HURDLES 1. 8.08 Simon Leveille Sherbrooke 2. 8.10 Valery Komenan Windsor 3. 8.13 Christopher Theriau Toronto 4. 8.16 Gabriel El Hanbli Sherbrooke 5. 8.21 Jamie Adjetey‑Nelson Windsor 6. 8.21 Tyler Fawcett Windsor 7. 8.27 Justin Baker Regina 8. 8.31 Andrew VandenDool Toronto 9. 8.33 Kieran Moolchan Windsor 10.8.40 Tumelo Moleko Toronto 10.8.40 Phylicia George New York NY

4 X 200 M RELAY 1. 1:27.73 York Toronto 2. 1:28.07 Sherbrooke Windsor 3. 1:28.14 Calgary Regina 4. 1:28.33o/vOttawa Ottawa 5. 1:28.56 Windsor Toronto 6. 1:28.67 Manitoba Regina 7. 1:29.04 Sherbrooke A Montreal Meite, Komenan, Leveille, Charest.

8. 1:29.27 Western Mustangs Windsor 9. 1:29.67 Queen’s 10. 1:29.96 Regina Winnipeg

3. 7:38.63 Windsor 4. 7:40.51 Calgary Windsor 5. 7:41.13 Guelph Windsor 6. 7:47.48 Laval Windsor 7. 7:50.09 Saskatchewan Saskatoon 8. 7:50.65 McMaster Windsor 9. 7:51.13 Laval Montreal Michaud D, LaFlamme P, Raymond M, Laporte C 10. 8:14.38 Phoenix AA Toronto S. Sweeney, M. Harris, A. Mosely, K. Smith

HIGH JUMP 1. 2.25 Michael Mason Seattle WA 2. 2.18 Derek Watkins Windsor 3. 2.18 David Drouin Fayetteville AR 4. 2.15 Mark Dillon Toronto 5. 2.11 Alex Witmer Montreal 6. 2.10 Shawn Swartz Seattle WA 7. 2.08 Jharyl Bowry Toronto 8. 2.07 Django Lovett Seattle WA 9. 2.05 Jesse Lipscombe Edmonton 10. 2.05 Brendan Wilhelm Toronto

Nicolas Macrozonaris: the 28 year old sprinter ranks 1st in the 50m this year

POLE VAULT 1. 5.25 Kristian Wilson Toronto 2. 5.15 David Foley Hamilton 3. 5.05 Deryk Theodore Edmonton 4. 5.01 David Wurster Toronto 5. 4.85 Taylor Petrucha Edmonton 6. 4.80 Jeff Vukasovic Windsor 7. 4.78 Jeff Bianchi Toronto 8. 4.72 Massimo Bertochi Toronto 9. 4.70 Doug Creighton Toronto 10. 4.68 Doani Moon Toronto

LONG JUMP 1. 7.56 Clayton Latham New York NY 2. 7.43 Jamie Adjetey‑Nelson Toronto 3. 7.37 Guyson Kurunert Toronto 4. 7.32 Nathan Labbe Winnipeg 5. 7.26 Derek Watkins Toronto 6. 7.19 Ben Warnock Windsor 7. 7.17 Kadeem Douglas Toronto 8. 7.14 Brayan Patten Windsor 9. 7.12 Massimo Bertochi Toronto 10. 7.03 Jharyl Bowry Toronto

4 X 400 M RELAY 1. 3:16.85 Sherbrooke Windsor 2. 3:16.93 Manitoba 3. 3:17.47 Ottawa Boston MA 4. 3:18.35 Windsor Windsor 5. 3:20.56 Queen’s Windsor 6. 3:21.24 Western Mustangs 7. 3:21.59 York 8. 3:22.96 Regina Regina Mason Foote, Eric Clark, Les Andersen, Justin Baker 9. 3:22.97 Saskatchewan Regina 10. 3:23.94 McGill Boston MA Claus Andersen

4 X 800 M RELAY 1. 7:23.13(CR)Phoenix Athletics University PK Smith K, Maloney A, Lincoln M, Heaney A 2. 7:33.02 Victoria Vikes Windsor Athletics

May / June 2009

15

TRIPLE JUMP

SHOT PUT 1. 16.99 Jim Steacy Windsor 2. 16.17 Andrew Smith Regina 3. 16.16 Craig Slaunwhite Toronto 4. 16.14 Owen Willems Toronto 5. 15.60 Marc‑Antoine Montreal 6. 15.41 Cole Bloxam Toronto 7. 15.32 Mathew Doherty Halifax 8. 15.18 Dan McDonald Windsor 9. 15.02 Jamie Adjetey‑Nelson Toronto 10. 14.96 Garth Suppes Windsor

WOMEN 50 M 1. 6.40 Genevieve Thibault Saskatoon 2. 6.51 Miana Griffiths Hamilton 3. 6.58 Kimberley Hyacinthe Saskatoon 4. 6.62 Tabia Charles Hamilton 5. 6.70 Sarah Peirce Saskatoon 6. 6.77 Mavis Ayippey Hamilton 7. 6.95 Celine Loyer Hamilton

60 M 1. 7.31 Genevieve Thibault Windsor 2. 7.38 Miana Griffiths Windsor 3. 7.45 Pricilla Lopes‑Schliep Toronto 4. 7.50 Miana Griffiths Toronto 5. 7.51 Teneshia Peart Calgary 6. 7.53 Janelle Redhead Toronto 7. 7.54 Phylicia George New York NY 8. 7.55 Loudia Laarman Winnipeg 9. 7.55 Tabia Charles Toronto 10. 7.58 Adrienne Power Moncton 10. 7.58 Caley Miskimmin Regina

WEIGHT THROW 1. 24.08CR Jim Steacy Windsor 2. 19.64 Brad Miller New York NY 3. 19.49 Jason Baines Hanover NH 4. 18.29 Dustin McCrank Windsor 5. 18.15 Angus Taylor Seattle WA 6. 18.01 Owen Willems Toronto 7. 17.62 Sean Steacy Lethbridge 8. 17.51 Garth Suppes Windsor 9. 17.11 Matt Doherty Halifax 10. 17.06 Andrew Sheffield Winnipeg

16

Kurt McCormack

200 M 1. 23.68 Esther Akinsulie Boston MA 2. 24.11 Kimberly Hyacinthe Boston MA 3. 24.03 Teneshia Peart Lubbock TX 4. 24.55 Amonn Nelson Saskatoon 5. 24.58 Phylisia George New York NY 6. 24.66 Carline Muir Saskatoon 7. 24.71 Ruky Abdulai Seattle WA 8. 24.74 Janelle Redhead Toronto 9. 24.89 Simone Martin Toronto 10. 25.08 Omoye Ugiagbe Bloomington

PENTATHLON 1. 4075 Jamie Adjetey‑Nelson Windsor 2. 3807 Derek Watkins Windsor 3. 3778 Chris Crossley Edmonton 8.63, 6.90, 12.98, 1.92, 2:50.36 4. 3636 Pierre Puyjalon Quebec City 8.59, 6.74, 10.47, 1.95, 2:49.34 5. 3563 Keegan Sharp Regina 8.68, 6.53, 11.11, 1.82, 2:42.67 6. 3515 Anthony Dandie Windsor 7. 3423 Elijah Allen Windsor 8. 3407 Les Anderson Regina 8.69, 6.65, 8.01,1.85, 2:44.65 9. 3369 Florian Bobeuf Sherbrooke 8.87, 6.37, 9.88, 1.77, 2:42.49 10. 3346 Evan Neufeldt Regina

Sean Burges

1. 15.29 Kurt McCormack Johnson City TN 2. 15.09 Derek Watkins Windsor 3. 14.96 Sean Jestadt Winnipeg 4. 14.89 Jacob Zorzella Toronto 5. 14.80 Jason Goetz Windsor 6. 14.74 Asaph Levy Blacksburg VA 7. 14.65 Tumelo Moleko Windsor 8. 14.64 dwayne Harriot Windsor 9. 14.56 Darren Duncan Toronto 10. 14.54 David St.Bernard Toronto

8.84, 6.44, 9.56, 1.85, 2:51.90

300 M 1. 37.90o/v Esther Akinsulie Ottawa 2. 38.11 Amonn Nelson Winnipeg 3. 38.23 Kimberly Hyacinthe Montreal 4. 38.70 Carline Muir Edmonton 5. 38.91 Adrienne Power Montreal 6. 39.16 Teneshia Peart Calgary 7. 39.40 Noelle Montcalm Windsor 8. 39.49 Christiane Lela Toronto 9. 39.60 Julia Tousaw Montreal 10. 39.76 Laurelie Harvey Montreal

400 M 1. 53.99 Carline Muir Saskatoon Athletics

May / June 2009

2. 54.02 Vicki Tolton Boston 3. 54.45 Esther Akinsulie Boston 4. 55.44 Teneshia Peart Carbondale ILL 5. 55.51 Natalie Geiger New york NY 6. 56.53 Alicia Dobranowski Allendale MI 7. 56.87 Celia Peters Allendale MI 8. 57.11 Charlotte Plummer Toronto 9. 57.26o/v Anastasia Pearse Seattle WA 10. 57.85 Annie Leblanc Hannover NH

600 M 1. 1:31.03 Julia Tousaw Toronto 2. 1:31.77 Kailey Smith Winnipeg 3. 1:31.83 Holly Ratzlaff Winnipeg 4. 1:32.57 Julene Friesen Winnipeg 5. 1:32.58 Jessica Parry Montreal 6. 1:32.70 Annie Leblanc Montreal 7. 1:32.95 Esther Akinsulie Montreal 8. 1:32.73 Celia Peters Montreal 9. 1:33.72 Charlotte Plummer Toronto 10. 1:33.98 Arianne Raby Montreal

800 M 1. 2:04.66 Caitlin Bailey Boston MA 2. 2:06.05o/vRebecca Johnstone Seattle WA

3. 2:07.19 Leanna MacLean Boston 4. 2:10.36 Jessica Parry Toronto 5. 2:10.52 Celia Peters Allendale MI 6. 2:11.99 Charlotte Plummer Toronto 7. 2:12.11 Heklen Crofts Johnson City TN 8. 2:12.19 Mariah Kelly Toronto 9. 2:13.44 Jessica Smith Johnson City TN

Esther Akinsulie led the nation in two events

1000 M 1. 2:46.59 Sheila Reid New York NY 2. 2:47.38 Samantha Gawrych Boston 3. 2:48.23 Avril Ogrodnick New York NY 4. 2:49.87 Heather Sim Windsor 5. 2:49:97 Lindsay Carson Montreal 6. 2:50.24 Jessica Parry Montreal 7. 2:50.82 Jillian Wyman Windsor 8. 2:51.52 Esther Vermeer Boston 9. 2:51.91 Arianne Raby Montreal 10. 2:52.78 Karine Belleau‑Beliveau Montreal

1500 M

MILE 1. 4:40.18 Tarah McKay New York NY 2. 4:40.99 Sheila Reid College Stn TX 3. 4:44.92o/vLisa Egam Seattle WA 4. 4:50.72o/vTamara Jewett Notre Dame IN 5. 4:50.77 Chantele Groenewould Bloomington 6. 4:51.62 Jessica Parry Boston MA 7. 4:51.81 Avril Ogrodnick Boston MA 8. 4:52.21o/vHeather Sim Seattle WA 9. 4:55.95 Jessica Smith Johnson City TN 10. 4:57.95 Jessica Furlan Fayetteville AR

3000 M 1. 9:03.66 Courtney Babcock Boston MA 2. 9:10.04o/vLindsay Carson Notre Dame IN 3. 9:11.69 Megan Brown Montreal 4. 9:13.12 Danette Doetzel New York NY

5. 9:22.05 Marie‑Louise Asselin New York 6. 9:23.78 Alex Becker Fayetteville AR 7. 9:24.98 Tamara Jewett Seattle WA 8. 9:27.28o/vAnita Campbell Seattle WA 9. 9:32.24 Lydia Willemse Blacksburg VA 10. 9:32.65o/vAshley Hinther Seattle WA

5000 M 1. 16:00.45 Danette Doetzel College Stn TX 2. 16:09.26o/vAnita Campbell Seattle WA

60 M HURDLES 1. 7.90 Priscilla Lopes‑Schliep Bercy Fra 2. 7.96 Angela Whyte Bercy Fra 3. 8.38 Marie‑Eve Dugas Windsor 4. 8.40 Phylicia George New York NY 5. 8.47 Heather Bergland Nampa ID 6. 8.47 Christie Gordon Nampa ID 7. 8.55 Andrea Vinet Saskatoon 8. 8.57 Noelle Montcalm Windsor 9. 8.61 Nikita Holder Bloomington 10. 8.62 Janine Polischuk Windsor Athletics

May / June 2009

4 X 200 M RELAY 1. 1:39.84 U Windsor Windsor 2. 1:40.22 U Calgary Windsor Jenn Zimmer, Amonn Nelson, Robyn Webster, Danielle Kendall 3. 1:41.68 U Manitoba Windsor 4. 1:42.39 U Western Ontario Windsor 5. 1:43.20 U. Regina Regina Amanda Ruller, Laura Berwcyk, Chelsea Valois, Janine Polischuk 6. 1:43.35 U. Saskatchewan Regina Carrie Yuzik, Sharai Siemens, Katelyn Kuspira, Karen Robson 7. 1:43.63 U. Saskatchewan A Saskatoon Carrie Yuzik, Julene Friesen, Katelyn Kuspira, Sharai Siemens

Geoff Robins

1. 4:16.60 Hilary Stellingwerff Stockholm SWE 2. 4:26.06 Lindsay Carson Toronto 3. 4:31.38 Paula Findlay Edmonton 4. 4:33.83 Heather Sim Regina 5. 4:36.52 Jessica Parry Toronto 6. 4:36.73 Leanna MacLean Halifax 7. 4:36.88 Jodi Souter Regina 8. 4:38.52 Caroline Pfister Sherbrooke 9. 4:38.83 Tamara Jewett Windsor 10. 4:39.66 Darolyn Walker Winnipeg

4 X 400 M RELAY 1. 3:50.33 U Western Ontario Windsor 2. 3:51.23 U Calgary Windsor 3. 3:51.78 U. Saskatchewan Regina Sharai Siemens, Julene Friesen, Ashley 17

Gerstmar, Kailey Smith 4. 3:52.91o/v U Guelph A Notre Dame IN Aubrey Rachel, Lydia Frost, Nadine Frost, Shauna Malek

4 X 800 M RELAY

HIGH JUMP 1. 1.81 Brianne Theisen Seattle WA 2. 1.80 Lindsey Bergevin Edmonton 3. 1.80 Sarah Boyle Toronto 4. 1.73 Michelle Theophille Toronto 5. 1.73 Rita Rudell Toronto 6. 1.73 Emily Sheppard Nampa ID 7. 1.70 Janine Polischuk Winnipeg 8. 1.70 Maddie Buttinger Notre Dame IN 9. 1.70 Rachel Machin Calary 10. 1.70 Shaneista Hays Windsor

POLE VAULT 1. 4.25 Gabriella Duclos‑Lasnier College Stn 2. 4.17CJR Ariane Beaumont‑Courteau Boston 3. 4.16 Carly Dockendorf Seattle WA 4. 4.10 Heather Hamilton Windsor 5. 4.03 Leah Vause Saskatoon 6. 3.90 Sue Kupper Edmonton 7. 3.82 Victoria Robson Regina 8. 3.80 Dayna Maaten Windsor 9. 3.80 Leanna Wellwood Edmonton 10. 3.80 Stacey Irvine Flagstaff AZ

LONG JUMP 1. 6.30 Ruky Abdulai Seattle WA 2. 6.05 Tabia Charles Moscow RUS 18

Sean Burges

1. 8:58.69 U. Guelph Windsor 2. 9:03.93 U. Ottawa Windsor 3. 9:05.46 U. Saskatchewan Windsor Marcia Richards, Helen Hanbidge, Jodi Souter, Kailey Smith 4. 9:06.85 U. Windsor Windsor 5. 9:06.92 U. Calgary Windsor 6. 9:11.90 Simon Fraser Johnson City TN K Brianna, O Brennan, H Crofts, J Smith 7. 9:41.96 Phoenix AA Toronto Katie Housley, Rebecca Mendes, Leanne Fernandes, Vanessa Placente 8. 8:50.48 New Market Toronto Birgid Callaghan, Kristen Stewart, Caileigh Adams, Karley Rempel 9. 9:54.08 U. Saskatchewan A Saskatoon Nadine Brenault, Kate Johnson, Christina Calver, Kailey Smith

Kaitlyn Andrews threw 14.46 in Houston

3. 5.91 Janine Polischuk Winnipeg 4. 5.87 Alicia Beckford‑Stewart Bloomington 5. 5.82 Brianne Theisen Seattle WA 6. 5.73 Tamara Cap Quebec City 7. 5.72 Jen Cotton Windsor 8. 5.66 Nataoya Whittingha, Windsor 9. 5.62 Pascale Delisle Montreal 10. 5.60 Chelsea Valois Regina

TRIPLE JUMP 1. 12.20 Caroline Ehrhadt New York NY 2. 12.10 Jaideene Lowe Windsor/Dec/08 3. 12.10 Janine Polischuk Windsor 4. 11.88 Natasha Miller Johnson City TN 5. 11.89 Taylor Neely Toronto 6. 11.87 Mila Simulik Windsor 7. 11.80 Alicia Smith Notre Dame IN 8. 11.69 Karen Baerg Edmonton 9. 11.61 Desiree Garcon Windsor 10. 11.51 Kim Tse Edmonton

SHOT PUT 1. 16.02 Julie Labonte Sherbrooke 2. 14.53 Stephanie Jackson Windsor 3. 14.46 Kaitlyn Andrews Houston TX 4. 14.26 Taryn Suttie Windsor 4. 14.53 Alanna Kovacs Seattle WA 6. 13.25 Elizabeth Petrov Toronto 7. 13.14 Breanna Rak Saskatoon 8. 12.99 Kristin Obrochta Toronto Athletics

May / June 2009

9. 12.63 Isabelle Boudreau Windsor 10. 12.55 Chelsea Whalen Halifax

WEIGHT THROW 1. 18.18 Annie Larose Montreal 2. 18.09 Elisabeth Dubonte Windsor 3. 17.97 Heather Steacy Regina 4. 17.18 Taryn Suttie Regina 5. 17.02 Kristin Obrochta Toronto 6. 16.25 Caroline Sow Montreal 7. 14.72 Sarah Klimm Regina 8. 14.63 Cynthia Appiah Toronto 9. 14.57 Sarah Manson Toronto/Dec/09 10. 14.48 Daina Levy Pocatello ID

PENTATHLON 1. 4321 Brianne Theisen College Stn TX 8.54, 1.81, 11.16, 6.02, 2:17.37 2. 4235 Weber College Stn TX 3. 3943 Natasha Miller Johnson City TN 4. 3922 Maddie Buttinger New York NY 9.11, 1.70, 11.94, 5.43, 5.43, 2:18.59 5. 3687 Jen Cotton Windsor 8.94, 1.59, 5.61, 8.93, 2:18.16 6. 3621 Chelsea Valois Windsor 5.02, 1.62, 10.40, 5.47, 2:28.78 7. 3510 Samantha Anderson Edmonton 7.04, 1.60, 10.05, ?, 2:35.76 8. 3459 Janine Polischuk Regina 7.86, 1.64, 10.12, 5.63, 2:50.19

A Coach Remembers and is Remembered

G

randpa, I can’t believe it. I just celebrated my 60th birthday.

I have a 34 year old son, a 29 year old daughter and two grand children, ages 9 and 4. I am retired after 28 years of teaching elementary school physical education. This is my 40th year of coaching. I have much to be thankful for…especially to my wife and family. Behind every good man there is a woman... a wife, a mother, a grandmother or a mother in law or even a sister.

When thinking back over my years in track and field I am very thankful.

Esko Olkonnen (Finland), Alessandro Calvesi (Italy), Pat Reid (Can), Sandy Ewan (Scotland), Eddy Ottoz (Italy), Gary Winkler (USA). It is a good thing to be thankful for such friends.

having been on 33 Canadian national teams including four Olympic teams, 3 Commonwealth Games, 3 Pan Ams and 3 World Championships teams. Thank you to my wife and family for allowing me How many to coach...

can one

· My love of hurdles has given me some life-long true friendships with some of the sports elite of the elite coaches who share the same love of hurdling (and speed) as I do: Renaldo Nehemiah (USA), Gerard

· I was at the Munich Olympics in 1972 on my honeymoon only hours before the PLO village takeover and subsequent tragedy. I am thankful I left a few hours before these events took place. · I was sitting at the 20m mark in the Olympic Stadium in Seoul when Ben Johnson destroyed Carl Lewis in the 100m final. This brought tears to my eyes. It was a fair race. · In the Olympic village in Los Angeles (USC) in 1984, I was awakened by the playing of O’ Canada several early mornings as Canada’s swimmers dominated in the pool. · I met and talked to Queen Elizabeth, Lady Diana and other members of the Royal Family at a social at their summer Castle in Edinbrough, Scotland. Thank you Lord.

Harold Gretzinger

· My passion and desire for the hurdle events has taken me to over 50 countries,

Mach (Can), Loren Seagrave (USA), Charlie Francis (Can), Dan Pfaff (USA), Athletics

May / June 2009

Over the years I have received hundreds, if not thousands of ‘thank you’ notes, cards, emails and gifts. I have been fortunate to conduct over 500 clinics, lectures and camps around the world. I thought I had seen it all. How many different ways can one say thank you? The story I am about to share with you is a classic – one truly unique and humbling coaching experience. The actions of one class act athlete provides a unique insight into one athlete’s true and sincere, appreciation of his coaches.

“It’s a beautiful fall morning on September 25, different ways 2007 as my Vicki, and say thank you? wife I walked into Somerville House at the University of Western Ontario (UWO), a building in which the Great Hall is located. I am visiting UWO to attend a Hall of Fame luncheon at the invitation of an athlete I coached over 3 decades ago in the sprint hurdle events – Harold Gretzinger. I am in awe with the beauty of the cut stone exterior that was built in 1955 - 57 years ago. The retired head track & field coach Bob Vigars has been fortunate to have had his office in the beautiful tower of Somerville House. There are many university functions held in The Great Hall. Consequently, it was decided by UWO hurdle coach Jim Parker and the head coach Bob Vigars to locate and display their trophies and plaques on a Wall of Fame in the hallway leading to the entrance to the Great Hall, giving track & field & cross country inductees considerable more exposure.”

The History: It was the brainchild of UWO hurdle coach Jim Parker (who is also to be inducted this day into the UWO Track and Field Hall of Fame for his athletic contributions) to introduce a UWO Cross Country / Track 19

& Field Hall of Fame. The first year of inductions was 1999. It was strongly felt that there was such a wealth of Western greats in track & field / cross country dating back to the late 1920’s that it was more than appropriate to celebrate them and the long and strong tradition of excellence in these two sports at UWO. University of Western Ontario Track & Field Hall of Fame Inductee Harold Gretzinger. U.W.O. Competition Years 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978.

Induction Speech by Former Head Coach Robert Vigars "Sprint hurdler Harold Gretzinger was a terrific member of the UWO track and field team. He was always

driven to excel, yet tempered with a good outlook on life and a very pleasant demeanour that brought balance to his great competitive drive. He was a model university student–athlete in every sense of the word.

"His career started at 14 years of age when Harold Gretzinger won the Canadian Championship for midget boy’s hurdles. He came to Western (UWO) as one of the top high school hurdlers in the nation and when he completed his five year career as a Mustang, Harold Gretzinger held the Western record for every hurdle distance run indoors and had one of the best win records in Mustang history. All this without all of the benefits of today’s

athletes. Western did not have an indoor track & field facility until the 1976 season, limiting Harold to do technical training over the wood floor of Thames Hall gym for his first two years.

"A bronze medal in the 70yd hurdles at the 1974 University of Michigan Relays in January was Harold’s first foray into collegiate hurdle racing. This was followed by a series of other fine performances that earned the rookie a spot in the International Men’s 50yd hurdles at the prestigious Toronto Star Maple Leaf Gardens Indoor Games headlined by 1972 Olympic hurdle champ Willie Davenport. Harold completed his freshman year with Western team records in three different

Harold Gretzinger’s Hall of Fame Acceptance Speech “Thank you very much for remembering my achievements from so long ago. When I wrote the first draft of this speech, I realized that there were simply too many people to thank . . . but no person reaches the podium on their own. My support group is primarily my family and friends. They are sitting at that table (in the Great Hall at UWO) and I assure you that I have thanked them in private. There are however, three men that do deserve public mention today. They are my university coaches Bob Vigars, Jim Parker, and my KWTFA club coach Brent McFarlane. Their lifetime of achievements in coaching and athletics are far too numerous to detail but I would like to honour them briefly.”

“My nine years of competition at the university level were among the happiest days of my life. Even so, I have one major regret about those years. When I was a younger man I lived in a fog of selfishness that would not begin to lift for many years. The athlete stands on the top of the podium and receives the cheers of the crowd, the medal, the honour, the plaudits, and the headlines. The coach is only mentioned in passing, if at all, even though it was the coach’s hands that helped push the athlete to the top of the podium. So a coach’s life is one of vicarious pleasure . . . seeing his/her athletes succeed. The least an athlete can do, is to thank their coaches. My regret is that I did not articulate my heartfelt thanks nearly enough.”

“As you know, many coaches toil in virtual solitude and for very little if any monetary reward. I don’t think that I am alone in forgetting to thank my coaches. Many young people are selfish. They walk around, lost in a fog of me, me, and me. By the time that they have their own kids and begin their own life of service, they are no longer being coached. Only then does it begin to dawn on them how much their coaches sacrificed. Fortunately, I am still able to correct the foolishness and immaturity of my youth.

The problem is that our sport does not give gold medals for coaching. That seems unjust to me. Coaches often work longer hours than their athletes, but they don’t get to stand on the podium. Each of these three men is a GOLD MEDAL coach. Their athletes have won gold medals at the provincial, national, international and even at the Olympic and World Championship level.

The gold medals won were at least partially due to the efforts of these coaches . . . but even so, no one awarded gold medals to them. The more I thought about this, the more it irritated me ... But I really didn’t know what I could do to remedy the situation.

I won three national championships while under their guidance. Three coaches . . . three Canadian championships . . . there was a kind of symmetry about that . . . but I wasn’t about to take a pair of tin snips and cut a piece from each of my medals. What to do? Well . . . if no one has ever awarded you a gold medal for coaching . . . then I will. I have a Gold Medal for each of you. In my entire career and on the many occasions that I have races, I have never won a real Gold Medal. They were all cheap imitations usually made of base metal and sprayed with gold coloured paint.”

“You deserve better. I have chosen to give each of you a Gold Maple Leaf Coin because, like you, they are symbols and icons of Canadian excellence. Please accept them with my deepest gratitude. When you take them out from time to time I hope that they will bring back many warm memories of all your gold medal athletes.”

“Thank you gentlemen for making me so much better than I was . . . and, you were right, when you win, nothing hurts anymore. God bless you!”

20

Athletics

May / June 2009

hurdle distances: 50yd, 50m, and 70yd along with the silver medal in the OUA Championship 50m hurdles and a 4th

setting a Canadian record and matching that time of 8.7 a month later at the Michigan State University Relays.

his final year of eligibility in 1978. He broke the OUA record in 1977 with a swift 6.6 clocking. He won a 5th OUA gold medal as a member of the Mustangs 4x200m that set a new record at the 1975 championships. Harold was the Canadian open 50m hurdle indoor champion in 1976 and the outdoor 110m hurdle champ in 1978.

"Even more impressive was Harold’s performances at international meets. He represented Canada three times indoors while still a Mustang: - 1975 Germany vs. Canada at the Montreal Forum gold medal in 50yd Hurdles in 6.24 - 1975 USSR/USA/Canada at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens - 1976 Great Britain/Northern Ireland/ Canada at the Montreal Forum "In the summer of 1976 Harold raced at England’s famed Crystal Palace in the Great Britain/ Poland/ Canada meet and in the summer of his final season as a Mustang he competed in the 1978 Commonwealth Games. Harold Gretzinger is the only Mustang to have been awarded the Murray McNie Trophy three times, an award that is voted upon by team members to recognize the season MVP."

place finish at the Canadian Open Championships.

"Spurred on by this success as well as an insatiable appetite for competition, Harold prepared himself diligently and was the top intercollegiate hurdler in the nation for his final four years. Harold had great success competing in the US against their top collegians. He won the gold medal at the 1975 University of Michigan Relays in the 70yd hurdles,

"Harold raced weekly during each regular season, always keen to defend a meet title, take on rivals, and set records.

He “owned” the Maple Leaf Gardens University meet winning the 50yd hurdle event for five consecutive years. As befits a champion, Harold was always able to take himself to a new level come the big competitions. He is the only Mustang to win four consecutive championship titles, winning the OUA Conference 50m hurdle gold medal from his sophomore season in 1975 to Athletics

May / June 2009

In later years, Harold completed a Master’s of Theology degree from the Dallas Theological Seminary finishing first in his class and graduating Magna Cum Laude. He has participated on missionary trips to Haiti and twice to Kazakhstan. k

21

Andrew Dobrowolskyj

Brent McFarlane (left) practices a baton exchange with Athletics Canada Coach Les Gramantik

Today Harold is a highly respected and successful oral and maxillofacial surgeon living in Sarnia with his wife Marie, an obstetrician /gynaecologist.

Harold’s love for music continues.

He was a violinist and pianist in high school. He was the concertmaster of the Kitchener/Waterloo Junior Symphony, and played two years in the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. He played for several years in the Kitchener/ Waterloo Symphony Orchestra and the International Symphony.

Rel-Event History

by Roman Olszewski

A

lthough the women’s triple jump wasn’t accepted by the IAAF as an official event with world record status until January 1, 1990, it was offered from time to time from the early 1900’s in several countries, most notably, the United States. The first performance may have been registered by Charlotte Hand of the United States when she jumped 28’10 ¾”, or 8.8076m in Poughkeepsie on May 5, 1909. By 1920 the world’s best had been improved to 10.21m (Ellen Hayes, USA). During the 20’s athletes from the USA, Switzerland and Japan successively improved the standard. Japan’s Kitue Hitomi’s 11.62 in 1926 was a huge improvement, standing the test of time and remaining as the unofficial world record until 1959. That year, Mary Bignal-Rand of Great Britain jumped 12.22. Rand was made much more famous in the sport following her world record and Olympic championship win in the long jump in Tokyo in 1964.

Interest in the event began to grow in the women’s triple jump in the 1980’s. It was introduced into the Texas High School Championships in which first Terri Turner (12.43, 12.47) and then Melody Smith (12.51) established world best performances during the years 1981-1983. Turner continued triple jumping in college and in 1984, at the LSU Invitational in Baton Rouge, registered a mark of 13.21.

The event was added to the NCAA Championship schedule in 1985 and further improvement ensued. At the 22

Women’s Outdoor Triple Jump indoor championship meet Brazil’s Esmeralda Garcia went 13.51 and two months later, in the outdoor version, American Wendy Brown jumped 13.58 with a negative 0.9mps wind reading.

Through the remainder of the 80’s the event took on a more international flavour, with, in addition to American Sheila Hudson, athletes such as Galina Chistyakova (USSR), Flora Hyacinth (Virgin Islands) and Li Huirong (China) notching world best performances.

Huirong’s 14.54, achieved at Sapporo, Japan on August 25, 1990 became the first world record officially recognized by the IAAF. Some early Canadian performers in the event included Freyda Rowe, who jumped 9.967 in Guelph in 1926 and Hilda Cameron, 10.160 in Mimico, Ontario in 1928. In 1939 at Mission City, Margaret Cooper jumped an even 34 feet, or 10.363m. Hurdler Cathy Chapman gave the event a try in 1961 in a meet in Toronto, achieving a distance of 9.563m. With the event being offered so rarely those years, it must have been quite novelty for everyone to see a woman triple jumping. Chapman jumped again two years later, improving the Canadian best to 10.490. By then, she was one of the top hurdlers in Canada.

In 1966 Gloria Dyok made a significant improvement to the Canadian best by jumping 11.341 in her hometown of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Dyok, then only a Midget under the rules of the day, became the first Canadian female to go past 11 metres. As most things in Canada were still measured in feet and inches, the significance of the milestone was probably missed.

With the introduction of the women’s triple jump in the NCAA programme in the mid 1980’s, Canadian athletes and the various sport governAthletics

May / June 2009

ing bodies began to take the event much more seriously. Mississauga’s Sharon Clarke, on athletic scholarship at Louisana State University, jumped a wind-legal 12.52 in Austin, Texas on May 30, 1985. In the following year Clarke jumped 13.40 to place 5th in the NCAA Championships in Indianapolis.

By the end of the year that performance was recognized by the Canadian Track & Field Association as the first official national record in the event.

The CTFA decided to offer the women’s triple jump event on an exhibition basis at the 1987 Canadian Championships. Ontario’s Pam Prophet won with a best jump of 12.19 with an illegal wind behind her. The honour of being Canada’s first national champion in the women’s triple jump went, in 1988, to Manitoba’s Laverne Clarke, who won by over a metre over the runner-up with a jump of 12.89 (+1.5).

Earlier in the year, Clarke finished 6th at the NCAA’s with a jump of 12.82.

Canada’s first entrant in a major games competition was Quebec’s Simone Lemieux. She competed and placed 14th (12.63) at the 1991 World Student Games in Sheffield, England.

In fact, the Sheffield meet provided the first opportunity for women to compete for medals in the event in a major games. There was much more inertia working against the introduction of the event in competitions such as the Olympic Games, which didn’t include the triple jump until 1996 and the Commonwealth Games, which offered the event for the first time only in 1998.

The event was included in the 1992 World Junior Championships in Seoul, but Canada didn’t enter an athlete. Unfortunately, the event didn’t progress as well as it was hoped in this country since Sharon Clarke’s impressive 13.40 in 1985. Laverne Clarke had won the Nationals in 1989 and

1990 with modest distances of 12.45 and 12.20, and had gone over 13 metres (13.14, wind legal) in Albuquerque in April of 1990. However, besides her and Sharon Clarke there was only a small handful of other Canadians who had jumped over 12.00m without illegal wind assistance by the end of 1990, including Joanne Gomez (12.66), Emily Rudan (12.26), Keron Hamilton (12.07) and Simone Lemieux (12.03).

All but Lemieux were from Ontario.

Meanwhile, the world record had soared to 14.54. The Canadian Junior record was Rudan’s 11.94 while the World Junior record stood at 13.80.

13.34, which she did at the Nationals.

Fellow Ontarian, Michelle Hastick, who was second behind Dinsmore, qualified for the World Student Games scheduled for Fukuoka, Japan late in the summer. That meet was disastrous

On a more optimistic note, Stephany Reid did break the Canadian junior and youth records by jumping 12.75 at her provincial championships in Saint John.

She went on to the World Junior Championships in Sydney but could only manage 12.35 in the qualifying round.

In the early summer of the following year, in Provo, Dinsmore went over 13 metres twice. Both jumps, however, were wind-assisted. She also had a legal 12.82 from the same place and this was good enough to get her named to the World Student Games team. That meet would take place in Buffalo, New York, just a drive down the highway for Dinsmore.

Although the jumping overall wasn’t great in the very hot and humid Buffalo Dinsmore jumped well enough (12.38, +1.5) to earn a bronze medal – Canada’s first medal in the event in a major senior competition. Dinsmore would cross back over the border and a little over a week later win the second of her four national titles in the triple jump. No Canadians had been selected to contest the event at the World Championships in Stuttgart following the Nationals.

In 1995 Dinsmore improved to

Sharon Clarke had an impressive 13.40 in 1985 for Hastick, who finished 15th with a jump of only 11.86m. In the junior ranks most promising was a 15-year old from New Brunswick, Stephany Reid.

She came close to breaking Crystal Shadd’s Canadian Junior record when she jumped 12.41 to win the Royal Canadian Legion meet in Winnipeg on August 12. Again, there were no Canadian female triple jump entrants for the World Championships, this time held in Goteborg, Sweden.

Athletics

May / June 2009

1997 was notable in that Torontoborn Michelle Hastick finally broke Sharon Clarke’s 11 year-old national senior record. This she did with her 13.64 effort while placing third in the Jeux de la Francophonie in Madagascar on September 5.

Hastick continued jumping well in 1998, winning her second national championship title and qualifying for the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in September.

23

Claus Andersen

Laverne Clarke retired after winning her 4th straight Canadian title in 1991.

Several athletes from Ontario made large improvements that year, most notably Crystal Shadd, who at the age of only17 broke the Canadian Junior record with a 12.55 performance at her provincial age class championships in North York on July 19. Also fast-rising was Kelly Dinsmore of Port Elgin who jumped 12.53 to win the National Senior title at Coquitlam.

The first Olympic opportunity for women in the triple jump came in 1996. Canada was not represented.

The event had not progressed in the country – at least at the Senior level.

Kelly Dinsmore had won the Olympic Trials meet with a jump of 13.27 but that was far below what was needed to make her competitive.

The world record stood at 15.50; in the 1995 year end world rankings an athlete had to have jumped 13.36 just to have been ranked 100th.

Canadian All-Time Women's Outdoor Triple Jump Rankings as on April 11, 2009

A = at altitude (>1000m), nwi = no wind information wa = wind-assisted but exact reading not available 13.94 +1.7 13.81 +2.0 13.77 +1.6 13.52 +0.6 13.48 +0.7 13.45 -1.8 13.40 +0.1 13.34 +1.1 13.28A +0.0 13.18 +0.1

13.14A -0.1 13.12 -0.6 12.99 +0.4 12.98 -1.6 12.96 +0.5 12.85 +0.6 12.77 +0.5 12.74 +1.1 12.73 +2.0 12.69 +0.0

12.67 +1.9 12.66 +1.8 12.57 +1.0 12.57 +0.1 12.57 +1.0 12.56 +0.0 12.56 +1.8 12.55 +1.2 12.53 +0.9 12.44 -0.3

12.44 -0.2 12.41 +1.1 12.41 +1.1 12.38 +0.5 12.35 +0.0 12.32 +1.8 12.27 -1.3 12.27 +1.4 12.24 +1.6 12.24 -0.7

12.23 -0.8 12.21 -3.0 12.18 +0.5 12.18 +0.6 12.18 -0.3 12.18 +1.4 12.18 +0.0 12.14A +0.0 12.14 +1.6 12.10 +2.0

24

Tabia Charles ON Althea Williams ON Michelle Hastick ON Simideli Adeagbo Huijing Qiu Yvonne Mensah BC Sharon Clarke ON Kelly Dinsmore ON Jennifer Williamson ON Colleen Ramharak ON (10) Laverne Clarke MB Nancy Lanovaz* AB Tracy Dulmage SK Ruky Abdulai BC Jennifer Jones ON Simone Lemieux QC Stephany Reid NB Chantal Ouoba Andrea Daniel ON Jocelyn Adu-Gyamfi ON (20) Keri-Ann Mitchell ON Joanne Gomez ON Nicole Devonish ON Krysha Bayley BC Mary Egbo-Egbo ON Erika Forster BC Neb Zachariah ON Crystal Shadd ON Emily Rudan ON Tricia Schmidt SK (30) Janine Polischuk SK Caroline Ehrhardt ON Chloe Hetherton SK Monique Haan ON Sabrina Nettey BC Lisa Bonser ON Makela Nkemdirim AB Jama Ross ON Andrea Hastick ON Camille Richard BC (40) Sonia Agbessi QC Candice Wilkey ON Kim Dykxhoorn ON Sonia Agbessi QC Yolissa Lawrence ON Alanna Boudreau MB Natasha Miller BC Constance Campbell ON Sharon Rose ON Joni Matthews AB

2004 2002 2001 2007 2007 2006 1986 1995 1999 2005 1990 1993 1996 2008 2002 1993 2002 2002 1995 2005 2001 1989 1997 2004 2005 1993 2006 1992 1995 1998 2007 2008 2008 2005 2005 2001 1993 1996 1992 2007 1996 1999 1992 1995 2001 2005 2007 2000 1997 2001 Athletics

12.07 +0.8 12.06 -1.6 12.04 +1.5 12.03 +1.1 12.36 +0.7 12.01 +1.0 12.01 +1.2 12.00 +0.3 11.99 +2.0 11.99 +1.5

11.98 +0.7 11.97 +1.2 11.97 -1.0 11.96 +0.0 11.93 +0.6

(50) Keron Hamilton ON Jackie Moore ON Melissa Habok MB Kristen Hagel SK Jaideen Lowe ON Carla Ogryelo AB Tiffany Sprenkels BC Katie Gallagher BC Jennifer McDonald ON Brigitte Bigras QC (60) Melissa Haynes ON Ludwige Abellard QC Jaime Gittens ON Carla Gillies SK Angela Anoliefoh

11.92 +1.9 11.91 +1.9 11.90 +1.0 11.89 -1.0 11.88 +1.8

11.88 +0.5 11.88 +1.0 11.87 -1.0 11.85 +2.0 11.85 +0.5 11.84 +0.1 11.83 +0.6 11.81 +2.0 11.81A -0.5 11.80A -0.9

11.80 -1.4 11.79 +0.0 11.78 -1.4 11.76A +0.8 11.76 +1.0 11.75 -2.2 11.73 +1.4 11.73 +0.0 11.72 +0.1 11.72 -1.3

11.70 +0.0 11.69 +0.5 11.69 -0.3 11.68 +1.6 11.68 -2.9

Heather Loree ON Melitta Brown ON Monique Taylor ON Rachael Haegert BC Lee Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Rourke ON (70) Sheriese Lucas ON Grace Vela ON Kelly Park ON Manetta Glessing SK Sarah Nelson ON Marilyn Grant ON Holly Lipscombe Andrea Hannos BC Morene Beckford ON Jennifer Hunter AB (80) Alicia Smith ON Sara Zoltan BC Carly Youlton ON Jennifer Zondag AB Michelle MacDonald ON Aice Falaiye ON Lilly Yurtsever ON Alyxandria Treasure BC Nicole Smith ON Taylor Neely ON (90) Marlene Davis ON Sarah Hoyles AB Candice Laverty AB Tara MacLellan NS Alana Stewart ON

1989 2000 1993 1999 2008 2000 2007 2006 1991 1998 2000 2000 2006 1993 2001 1999 2008 2000 2001 1992 2002 2004 2004 1997 2003 1987 2004 1995 1995 1996 2007 2008 2005 1996 1998 1997 1990 2007 1991 2007

1996 2004 2005 1995 2007

Wind-Assisted/No Wind Information 14.24 14.13 13.66

+4.6 nwi +4.9

May / June 2009

Tabia Charles ON Michelle Hastick ON Simideli Adeagbo

2007 1998 2006

Geoff Robins

There were only 6 athletes entered in the event at the Games. In the third round Hastick matched her Canadian record of 13.64 and she jumped consistently throughout the competition. In the end, however, she still had to settle for a 6th place finish in the tightly bunched field (except for the winner, Englandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ashi Hansen, 14.32).

In 1999 the Pan American Games returned to Winnipeg where they were held once before, in 1967. Michelle Hastick was still the number one female triple jumper in Canada, having won the Canadian Championships, in Winnipeg, for the third straight year and she was subsequently selected to the team. Despite having home advantage, Michelle knew that it would be tough winning a medal. The Americans and Cubans were always good and there were others from the Americas that had better marks than her.

Tabia Charles soars

It did turn out to be a tough com13.34 +5.3 13.17 nwi 12.95 +2.5 12.91 12.80 wa 12.75 +2.1 12.70 nwi 12.68 +3.3 12.63 nwi 12.62 +2.7 12.61 +3.1 12.59 12.43 +4.2 12.39 +5.1

Jennifer Jones Laverne Clarke Jocelyn Adu-Gyamfi Andrea Daniel Keri-Ann Mitchell Janine Polischuk Emily Rudan Nicole Devonish Denisha Williams Neb Zachariah Crystal Shadd Jennifer Rogers Kim Dykxhoorn Lisa Bonser

ON MB ON ON ON SK ON ON ON ON ON BC ON ON

2002 1990 2005 1993 2001 2008 1990 1997 1998 2008 1992 2007 1992 1998

ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON

1998 1990 1997 1987 1987 1987 1991 1991

12.97 -0.5 Jennifer Williamson ON 11.71 +0.4 Morene Beckford ON

Other names used by athletes while competing:

2000 1995

12.27 +2.2 Francis Sealy 12.26 nwi Michelle Tate 12.25 +2.9 Sharon Rose 12.22 Karen Nelson 12.19 +2.9 Pam Prophet 11.99 +3.2 Marilyn Grant 11.98 +3.0 Charmaine Wilson 11.95 Camille Johnson

Best at Low Altitude

Lanovaz = Gillis Athletics

May / June 2009

25

for Canada at the Worlds. Hastick failed to get past qualifying in Edmonton, having registered a windassisted 13.54 in the preliminaries.

Michelle Hastick

petition, Hastick only managing an 8th place finish behind her 13.25m jump. The Americans were shut out of the medals as well, as the Cubans took gold and bronze medals while a Jamaican squeezed between for the silver.

No Canadian female triple jumpers were selected to the 2000 Olympic team. And no Canadians were to get on the 2004 and 2008 teams. Thus, no Canadian has competed for Canada in the event at the Olympic Games to this day. Hastick, however, did get selected for the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton. She was the first one in Canada with that honour but since then, sadly, no other Canadian has competed 26

Having almost lost her record to Hastick (13.77) in 2001, Williams came back in 2002 to fortify her record at 13.81 while winning back the Canadian Championship title in Edmonton.

She was consequently named to the Commonwealth Games team. At the Games in Manchester Williams had a best jump of only 13.25 but she managed to finish one place better, 5th, than Michelle Hastick did 4 years earlier in Kuala Lumpur.

Although Canadians have had little international participation in recent years there is hope that one athlete, in particular, can continue in her steady and consistent improvement to the Athletics

May / June 2009

On June 11, 2005, in Sacramento, Charles jumped 13.50 to place 6th at the NCAA Championships. In 2006 she zoomed to 13.94 and a new Canadian senior record. 2007 saw her breaking the Canadian indoor record three times with jumps of 13.79, 13.81 and finally 14.02 at Notre Dame in late February.

She backed that up with a seasonal outdoor best of 13.89.

Although Charles’ best performance in the triple jump in 2008 was 13.92 she proved that her power off the board was still improving by besting the Canadian outdoor long jump record with a 6.82 performance.

Having only just turned 24 years of age, Tabia remains a potential world class athlete in this event. k Some key references used in researching this article: Association of Track & Field Statisticians. Annual handbooks, from 1986 through present.

Athletics Canada. Annual Ranking Lists, Athletics Canada website www. athleticscanada.ca Athletics Ontario. Athletics. Various issues from 1985 through present.

McNulty, W. and T. Ratcliffe, 1992.

Canadian Athletics, 1839-1992.

Smith, C. 2008. Canadian All-Time Rankings, through December, 2008.

Athletics Canada website: www.athleticscanada.ca

Peter Thompson

The last athlete to have represented Canada in any major international games or championship competition was Mississauga, Ontario’s Althea Williams. In 2000 Williams broke Hastick’s Canadian record twice – first at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia in April, where she jumped a legal 13.73, and then in early July, in the rarified atmosphere of Provo, Utah, where she was able to register a mark of 13.78. As good a jump as the latter was it ranked her only 82nd on the world list for that year.

point where she can be competitive in the top group of athletes. East York, Ontario-born Tabia Charles, first started making waves in 2001, when, as a first year youth athlete, she jumped 12.95 with a legal wind. In 2003 she improved the national junior record to 13.04. In the following year, as a second-year junior, she upped the indoor standard to 13.53 and the outdoor to 13.43. (All of these these marks are, however, still pending ratification while 12.95 continues to be listed as the Junior outdoor record). Tabia’s 13.53 ranked her as Number 15 on the world junior list for the year.

European Businees Trip I

by Kris Mychasiw

pop in and out quietly at many track meets across eastern Canada, watching athletes prepare, compete and talk about their plans for the season. It doesn’t matter the level of the athlete: whether they are a beginner or an elite, one sentence reoccurs nine times out of ten "I’m going to go to Europe to get a real race". This sentence may seem small to many not directly involved with the sport, however, to me and many other athlete representatives, this big step that can make or break an athletes career.

My Advice to all Athletes: Europe Does Not Forget To succeed in athletics you do not necessarily need to rush over to Europe, it is very easy find a meet in your province where you can establish an early mark. Cities such as Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver offer great facilities both indoors and outdoors with a wide array of meets of all levels.

Some of the best athletes in the world open at small meets at home: Priscilla Lopes-Schliep, Tyler Christopher and Gary Reid. Each of these athletes continue to start their seasons at home before heading abroad. They want to make sure they are sharp and ready to roll; because they all know amongst themselves Europe does not forget.

Track and Field is a Business All meet directors in Europe belong to an elite organization where they meet regularly to discuss strategies and any other elements pertaining to business.

They may feel the need to express their content or disappointment in an athlete. If word gets around that an athlete

underachieved on their performance, showed up injured or was blatantly rude, the athlete can be barred from meets at the directors discretion. Bare in mind, track and field is a business like any other sport, the meet directors job is to put together a great line up to attract more sponsors for the event and in retrospect attract more fans in order to turn a profit. At the end of the day it is not their job to worry about those who are border line entries. They want to keep their headliners happy.

It is very important to always be on your best behavior, do not forget you are not only representing yourself, but your governing body federation.

Invest in Our Programs We are fortunate in Canada to have a few high performance series’. These are a group of track meets that offer an international field without having to go overseas. These meets may not be for everyone but I highly encourage all to partake. On the west coast; meets such as Harry Jerome, Victoria International and Kajaks Review highlight the tour. On the east, stop over’s include Toronto, Ottawa, Sherbrooke, Montreal, and Halifax. Each of these meets serve as a means to adequate competition at a fraction of the cost of heading to Europe.

Many young athletes may not understand that running the European Circuit will most likely not involve Golden League, Super Grand Prix, Grand Prix or EAA Premium meets, but a smaller group of meets known as EAP Meets, and Flanders Cup. The larger meets look for consistency and at times will request up to two performances if not more in the same season as a proof of fitness. Should you not show consistency, the meet director is allocating a Athletics

May / June 2009

portion of his budget for an athlete who may not necessarily perform.

Many people have a misconception that track and field is a sport with a lot of money. Before heading over seas know what the trip will cost and the reimbursement policies of many meets. Meets at the Golden League, Super Grand Prix and Grand Prix will reimburse the IAAF allotment of 700.00USD. This is why many top athletes will run in at least three competitions to ensure their travel is looked after. The IAAF rule stipulates that all reimbursements and prize money will be issued in no less than thirty days after the competition, or once drug tests have all been cleared this may take at times up to three months.

The EAA Premium meets will allot no more than 400 Euros for travel and the EAP and Flanders Cup level meets will provide what they can, anywhere from 100 Euros to 225 Euros. At times, the reimbursement many not even cover your local travel so think twice when deciding to make the jump over seas.

Other costs can include lodging, nourishment and medical expenses.

I highly encourage you all to take a look over the meets listed below and set as a target to put forth a performance that will not only win these competitions but that will also put you in the top twenty five in the world. It is only at this point that meet directors in Europe will begin to show you respect.

Canadian Meets: Canadian Pacific Coast: www.harryjerome.com East Coast High Performance: www.aileenmeagher.com Festival of Excellence 27

A Future of Promise C

by Paul Gains

anada sent three male 1,500m runners to the Beijing Olympics the first time a full compliment had worn the maple leaf at the Olympic Games since Montreal thirty-two years earlier.

Only one failed to get out of his heat, the Canadian champion, Taylor Milne, of Guelph’s Speed River Track Club.

(Scott-Thomas) for the third year. I also bumped up my mileage slowly. Last year was my highest. It took me this long to get used to Dave’s workouts.

“Before, I was on the track three times a week, from January to April doing 200’s, 300’s, 400’s pure speed stuff. I had to get it out of my mind that I needed that stuff. I am feeling better, and training better. I also got the belief that what Dave was doing was the best.

And the group was getting better.”

The group he refers to includes regular training partners Eric Gillis a fellow Olympian at 10,000m and the 2009 Canadian 3,000m steeplechase champion Rob Watson, who toil away under the direction of Dave ScottThomas at the National Endurance Centre. Watson and Milne are among six residents of a home owned by Speed River’s Communications Director, Chris Moulton.

Taylor Milne

It is Milne, though, who could well represent the future of middle distance running in this country.

Though national record holder Kevin Sullivan (3:31.71) and Nate Brannen (3:34.65) have run faster, and have outperformed him on the international scene, the 27 year old Milne is just discovering the incredible potential he possesses.

Of his enormous personal best the native of Callandar, Ontario is nonplussed. It was bound to come, he would have us believe.

“It was an improvement of 5.6 seconds,” he acknowledges. “I think it was a combination of being with Dave 28

Sharing expenses has been a huge benefit. So too has the fact he has now been given full ‘A’ card status by Sport Canada which provides him $1,500 monthly tax-free. He was able to ditch the part time jobs he had needed to Athletics

May / June 2009

“I didn’t have to worry about money so much any more. I worked at the gas station up until February of 2008,” he remembers. “Dave and Reid Coolsaet kind of got through to me that you couldn’t do that and be a top end runner. I was always tired, although I still ran well. I did it on the weekends and had another job during the week.

They convinced me that you constantly doing stuff to help be a better running.

You can’t be screwing up your sleep patterns.”

Milne says New Balance has also come to his aid providing a personal travel stipend he can use to get to meets in Europe and in the United States.

The shoe company has an established arrangement with Speed River.

A more recent development has been a formal relationship forged between the club and Global Sports Communications, the Dutch based management company owned by Jos Hermens. Global also represents such world renowned competitors as world marathon record holder Haile Gebrselassie, three time Olympic gold medalist Kenenisa Bekele both of Ethiopia, and 2003 world 5,000m champion Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya.

“It’s not hard to get into races in your own country,” Milne points out. “Over in Europe last year in Huesden I was in the ‘A’ final. Up until 78 hours before I was in it then I got pushed back into the ‘B’ final. I had over two seconds over everyone in that race. I wasn’t the fastest in the ‘A’ final but I was ranked 9th of 17. Global organises their own races. I will get in races that are lot faster now.

“I ran 3:36.00 at Jerome,. It was a

Geoff Robins

He beat both of them at the Harry Jerome meet last June, a race in which he recorded his personal best - and Olympic A standard beating time - of 3:36.00. True, Sullivan sacrificed himself in attempt to help his friend Brannen attempt the Olympic ‘A’ standard. But at the national championships in Windsor Milne sprinted past the pair to easily win his first national title.

make ends meet. One of them was as a gas station attendant in Guelph working midnight to 8:00 a.m. on weekends.

there I thought ‘get yourself fired up - it’s the olympics.’ It was hard after accomplishing everything I wanted to.”

big breakthrough race but I still won it by a second. I see athletes like Nate running 3:34 in Europe and getting lost in the field. Hopefully I can get up near the front of those, just running against 3:32 guys and holding on for dear life.”

Waiting in the call room following his warmup was a humbling experience.

He remembers watching how Willis, the eventual bronze medalist, handled himself, burning up nervous energy by joking around. And he also found himself using sign language to help the Ethiopian runner Deresse Mekonnen, the 2008 IAAF world indoor champion, understand some instructions from the officials. He should be better prepared for the procedure in London three years from now.

International experience is something he desperately needs.

Walking into the Bird’s Nest to contest the Olympic 1,500m heats he looked around and saw a crowd of near 90,000. He had tried to prepare himself by visiting the stadium two days earlier when it was also full. But when it came to the day of competition he was still overwhelmed.

“I think London will be neat,” he believes. “I can’t think there will be more media hype for me at least. I did interviews before, but there were so many more people than I expected, who wanted to speak with me after I won the Harry Jerome meet and before nationals. It was a goal to make the olympics.

Part of that he reckons is due to the fact he had already achieved his goal of making the Olympic team.

“Once I got over the initial shock of the crowd and looking around, I knew everyone (in the field) was super talented,” he says. “Nick Willis was going by, doing strides. I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would be.

4673 01-09 reversa 15/1/09 Maybe that hurt me.

Once I 15:27 got Page

1

“In four years my goal will be to

get in the final and try and make it onto the podium. Winning the Canadian championships will be a goal but not the big goal, The next four years will be totally dedicated to that one final race in London. I am still learning stuff, still upping my mileage. I have lots of improvements to make.”

More immediate goals will be the upcoming 2009 IAAF World Championships in Berlin where he would like to get into the final. He has spent the winter putting in upwards of 100 miles a week with Eric Gillis and Rob Watson in addition to two sessions a week of fartlek. An improvement over his 2008 times is in the cards.

“Right now I feel awesome!” he declares. “I am not going to predict another five and a half second jump, but I think I am ready for a 3:33 - 3:34 effort. That puts you in the (world championships) semi final. I don’t think it’s out of the question to be a finalist. I may have to run my best to make it in.

I’d like to get closer to the final if not in it.” k

Sport Education Athletic Innovation Beat the winter blues with Eveque Reversaboard™ Turn your Gym into a track for training or competition First turn board

Eveque Reversaboards in use at the Sportshall Athletics Final

Reversaboard H/RBJUN Portable solid wooden construction allowing runners to turn quickly and safely against walls. Great for training and competition, the Reversaboard is the cornerstone of the highly successful Sportshall and Fun in Athletics programmes. Available in four colours.

H/RBJUN-R red H/RBJUN-Y yellow H/RBJUN-G green H/RBJUN-B blue (each) $337.50

Start Finish

Pairs of Reversaboards are set up to create lanes similar to those used in swimming for indoor track competition or training.

Return board

95 Research Road, Unit 8, Toronto, Ontario M4G 2G8 Tel 416 425 9900 Fax 416 425 9977 www.eveque.ca mail@eveque.ca

Athletics

May / June 2009

29

Brent McFarlane Battles On F

by Paul Gains

ramed pictures completely cover one wall of Brent McFarlane’s basement.

There’s one of the coach with Tiger Woods, another with Olympic champion Donovan Bailey. Former Toronto Blue Jay Glenallen Hill is there, so too is former world 400m record holder Butch Reynolds, the CIAU Champion women’s cross country team from Wilfrid Laurier University and many more.

The pictures speak volumes of the impact this Waterloo, Ontario coach has had on sport.

In an extraordinary forty year coaching career McFarlane has battled Parkinson’s for almost half that time.

The disease has steadily robbed him of his mobility but not his mind, nor his will to continue to teach and mentor others. In the last two years alone, he says, he has mentored three coaches to achieve Level Three coaching certification despite his obvious handicap. National coaches require such certificates.

His speed and agility training program helped the Wilfrid Laurier University Football team win the 2005 Vanier Cup. And, he remains coach emeritus of his beloved KitchenerWaterloo Track and Field Club.

McFarlane knows his physical capabilities and limitations. Walkers are placed strategically at the top and bottom of the stairs in his house and a visitor’s heart is in his mouth as McFarlane stumbles to reach the railing 30

then literally runs down the stairs and grabs his walker.

“I am up every day at 7:30 in the morning and I have to take a drug so I can walk,” he says, his voice barely audible. “It’s difficult. I fall a lot and I have broken my glasses five times. I try to get some walking in from wall to wall in the basement for 15 minutes. At 9:30 I take Sinemet. If you take it at the wrong time you get torquing.”

An end table next to the couch is covered with bottles of vitamins and other nutritional supplements. He calls the medication he has been prescribed over the years poison. Two days before this interview he has completed a speed and agility camp for Wilfrid Laurier University football players. Now 61 years old he runs an annual summer camp for them also putting into practice all he has learned from his years as a professional.

A book he authored on hurdles “The Science of Hurdling and Speed” has sold 15,000 copies worldwide he says proudly. Another on speed and agility training is the handbook for many university sports teams.

“It’s six weeks, twice a week,” he says of the camps. “I have to get myself psyched up to go and do it. It’s pretty hard at the camp. If I talk too much my voice goes. I have two guys I work with. I can’t write anymore but I can type up the programs. I will lose my voice and people can’t hear me. I have to have people around me who can help.”

Support is close at hand. His wife Vicki is an ever present force and the Athletics

May / June 2009

couple’s two adult children live just a few blocks away. The McFarlanes also have two grand children. It was while on a trip to Las Vegas with Vicki that he first noticed something was wrong with his body. His left foot was dragging noticably when he walked. They decided to have it checked out.

“I didn’t think it was going to happen to me,” he remembers of the day he was first diagnosed. “ I was teaching elementary school and I wasn’t able to maintain what I had been doing.

I taught in Elora, Ontario. I would get dizzy and have hallucinations from the drugs. They are poison. Now I take only one drug.”

The disease also affects his digestive system. Food doesn’t move along as it should so he must take additional medication. It all sounds none too pretty. But it hasn’t stopped him from being named to thirteen national teams as a coach including four Olympic teams.

In 2000 McFarlane was named head coach of the Canadian Olympic track and field team in Sydney. Because of the fatigue and the fact he speaks in a whisper when he is tired he has to have assistance in completing his responsibilities.

“I was honoured to be named Olympic head coach,” he says. “I thought it would be the greatest moment of my life, but it wasn’t. The team didn’t function as a team. There were many issues.

“The problem was that I wanted a “One Team” concept with runners, walkers, sprinters, throwers, but there

were fights between groups. Donovan Bailey cannot walk down a street in Sydney without being mobbed so he had to be protected. We had athletes hidden away to protect them. Athletics Canada had no policy on that. We had a safe house we had to pay for. We didn’t get any receipts for it initially. ” “I had (American coaches) Dan Pfaff and Gary Winkler with us in Sydney and I put them on staff. People were pissed off at me. Dan had five athletes on the Canadian team and Gary one. There was a lot of jealousy and animosity. One of the (Canadian) coaches asked Dan to leave the room during a meeting and Donovan stood up for his coach and told that coach that the relay team practice was closed to him.”

Clearly McFarlane was also dissatisfied with the media attention which focused on 1996 Olympic

champions Bailey, Surin and Glenroy Gilbert in Sydney. He feels that there was a media inquisition into the behaviour of the key players and that it’s a Canadian syndrome to bring down our best rather than encourage them.

“I had no problems with the relay team. In Canada they don’t treat elite athletes properly,” he declares. “There was a story about Donovan Bailey going downtown partying during the Olympics. He was sick with a viral infection and had lost ten pounds. He had gone down town to a reception to support Toronto’s Olympic bid. He drove down with my wife and I. He might have had one drink but he wasn’t partying. The story had no truth.”

McFarlane adds that Bailey kept apologising to him for being too ill to run on the relay team.

While there is no shortage of

athletes and coaches with words of commendation for Brent McFarlane leave it to Donovan Bailey himself to contribute his feelings.

“I think he is an amazing human being,” Bailey declares during a telephone call from Jamaica where he was attending a track meet, “He is one of those guys who would give his last shirt to make sure his athletes are fed.

He is rare in the sport.

“He gave me a lot of respect in Sydney as an Olympic champion. I have ten times that amount of respect for him.”

And so Brent McFarlane battles on, imparting his vast knowledge to athletes and coaches the world over all the while subscribing to his personal philosophy “Without a Goliath there would be no David!” It’s a viewpoint many of us would do well to embrace. k

World Cross Country Championships Amman, Jordan, March 28, 2009 Top 20 + Canadians Junior Race 6km ‑ Women 1 Genzebe Dibaba ETH 20:14 +0:00 2 Mercy Cherono KEN 20:17 +0:03 3 Jackline Chepngeno KEN 20:27 +0:13 4 Frehiwat Goshu ETH 20:34 +0:20 5 Nelly Chebet Ngeiywo KEN 20:36 +0:22 6 Sule Utura ETH 20:38 +0:24 7 Emebet Anteneh ETH 20:42 +0:28 8 Hilda Chepkemoi Tanui KEN 20:49 +0:35 9 Meseret Mengistu ETH 20:52 +0:38 10 Jackline Chebii KEN 21:01 +0:47 11 Emily Brichacek AUS 21:02 +0:48 12 Tsega Gelaw ETH 21:11 +0:57 13 Lauren Howarth GBR 21:14 +1:00 14 Charlotte Purdue GBR 21:23 +1:09 15 Gladys Jerotich Kibiwot BRN 21:25 +1:11 16 Delvine Relin Meringor KEN 21:27 +1:13 17 Nanaka Izawa JPN 21:27 +1:13 18 Erika Ikeda JPN 21:30 +1:16 19 Neely Spence USA 21:33 +1:19 20 Asami Kato JPN 21:33 +1:19 41 Chelsea Graham CAN 22:29 +2:15 49 Caroline Pfister CAN 22:42 +2:28 70 Stephanie Aldea CAN 23:25 +3:11 74 Tamara Jewett CAN 23:42 +3:28 Justine Johnson CAN DNF Genevieve Lalonde CAN DNF Teams: 1. Ethiopia 18; 2. Kenya 18; 3. Japan 76; 10.

Canada 234 Junior Race 8km ‑ Men 1 Ayele Abshero ETH 23:26 +0:00 2 Titus Kipjumba Mbishei KEN 23:30 +0:04 3 Moses Kibet UGA 23:35 +0:09 4 Paul Kipngetich Tanui KEN 23:35 +0:09 5 Japheth Kipyegon Korir KEN 23:36 +0:10 6 Atalay Yirsaw ETH 23:38 +0:12 7 Gashaw Biftu ETH 23:44 +0:18 8 Debebe

Woldsenbet ETH 23:52 +0:26 9 John Kipkoech KEN 24:00 +0:34 10 John Kemboi Cheruiyot KEN 24:08 +0:42 11 German Fernandez USA 24:13 +0:47 12 Dieudonne Nsengiyuma BDI 24:16 +0:50 13 Charles Kibet Chepkurui KEN 24:17 +0:51 14 Goitom Kifle ERI 24:18 +0:52 15 Chris Derrick USA 24:20 +0:54 16 Legese Lamiso ETH 24:20 +0:54 17 Dickson Huru UGA 24:21 +0:55 18 Mulue Andom ERI 24:23 +0:57 19 Nassir Dawud ERI 24:32 +1:06 20 Youssef Nasir MAR 24:33 +1:07 56 Nyjal Majock CAN 26:12 +2:46 57 Mohammed Ahmed CAN 26:13 +2:47 80 Aleksandr Kuternin CAN 26:52 +3:26 91 John Paul Malette CAN 27:18 +3:52 93 James Leakos CAN 27:20 +3:54 99 Mattias Wolter CAN 27:39 +4:13 Teams: 1. Kenya 20; 2. Ethiopia 22; 3. Eritrea 72; 14.

Canada 284 Senior Race 8km ‑ Women 1 Florence Jebet Kiplagat KEN 26:13 +0:00 2 Linet Chepkwemoi Masai KEN 26:16 +0:03 3 Meselech Melkamu ETH 26:19 +0:06 4 Lineth Chepkurui KEN 26:23 +0:10 5 Wude Ayalew ETH 26:23 +0:10 6 Hilda Kibet NED 26:43 +0:30 7 Ann Karindi Mwangi KEN 26:49 +0:36 8 Gelete Burka ETH 26:58 +0:45 9 Maryam Yusuf Jamal BRN 27:00 +0:47 10 Iness Chepkesis Chenonge KEN 27:00 +0:47 11 Pauline Chemning Korikwiang KEN 27:03 +0:50 12 Deska Mamitu ETH 27:04 +0:51 13 Kimberley Smith NZL 27:05 +0:52 14 Sentayehu Ejigu ETH 27:40 +1:27 15 Ana Dulce Felix POR 27:42 +1:29 16 Sara Moreira POR 27:54 +1:41 17 Lisa Jane Weightman AUS 27:59 +1:46 18 Yuko Shimizu JPN 28:02 +1:49 19 Ana Dias POR 28:05

Athletics

May / June 2009

+1:52 20 Judith Pla ESP 28:08 +1:55 37 Catherine Cormier CAN 28:41 +2:28 67 Chantell Widney CAN 29:45 +3:32 76 Chantelle Wilder CAN 30:42 +4:29 81 Marilyn Arsenault CAN 31:37 +5:24 Rachelle Malette CAN DNF Teams: 1. Kenya 14; 2. Ethiopia 28; 3. Portugal 72 11. Canada 261 Senior Race 12km ‑ Men 1 Gebre‑egziabher Gebremariam ETH 35:02 +0:00 2 Moses Ndiema Kipsiro UGA 35:04 +0:02 3 Zersenay Tadese ERI 35:04 +0:02 4 Leonard Patrick Komon KEN 35:05 +0:03 5 Habtamu Fikadu ETH 35:06 +0:04 6 Mathew Kipkoech Kisorio KEN 35:08 +0:06 7 Mark Kosgey Kiptoo KEN 35:11 +0:09 8 Chakir Boujattaoui MAR 35:12 +0:10 9 Teklemariam Medhin ERI 35:14 +0:12 10 Hunegnaw Mesfin ETH 35:16 +0:14 11 Moses Cheruiyot Mosop KEN 35:17 +0:15 12 Feyisa Lilesa ETH 35:22 +0:20 13 Saif Saaeed Shaheen QAT 35:28 +0:26 14 Mangata Kimai Ndiwa KEN 35:32 +0:30 15 Dino Sefir ETH 35:49 +0:47 16 Samuel Tsegay ERI 35:51 +0:49 17 Tadese Tola ETH 35:52 +0:50 18 Ahmad Hassan Abdullah QAT 36:04 +1:02 19 Geofrey Kusuro UGA 36:07 +1:05 20 Felix Kikwai Kibore QAT 36:14 +1:12 105 Saheed Khan CAN 39:30 +4:28 109 Alex Genest CAN 39:34 +4:32 110 Joel Bourgeois CAN 39:42 +4:40 126 Derek Nakluski CAN 41:40 Teams: 1. Kenya 28; 2. Ethiopia 28; 3. Eritrea 50; 17.

Canada 450

31

Introducing miSOUL Tech interchangeable sole system for customized performance.

TM

Run One - miSOUL Tech

Select the miSOUL Tech Cushion 1.0 insert with superior EVA chassis for arch support and Si-18 gel in the forefoot and heel for cushioning and shock absorption to get you through another long run.

®

Or slip in the miSOUL Tech Light 1.0 insert with Superfoam™ cushioning in the forefoot and heel for innovative high-energy return and a spring propulsion plate for extra push off on race day.

See miSOUL Tech in action at KSWISS.COM

3X Ironman Champion CHRIS LIETO