EVAA TECHNICAL MANAGER

WMA STADIA COMMITTEE MEMBER Dear -Affiliates At the general assembly in san Sebastian there will be several point that will be raised regarding competition, as I am aware that many of the affiliates may not attend the assembly I would appreciate your feedback on some of the points raised in the following series of possible proposals. Even when you will have members attending it would be good for me to have some of your ideas as to these things, so that though I may be for or against them I have some feedback from my region, please mail me your comments and I will make a list for the meeting in August.

Winston Thomas. [email protected] Possible Team medals in the Weight PROPOSAL

The Weight Pentathlon shall be included in the team events,

Team medal shall be awarded in the Weight Pentathlon. Awards will be for Women and men *M35 upwards in 5 year age groups Teams will consist of there scoring Their total scores will be added to secure the final points. Athlete will be able to score in a lower age class only where they have no team in their own age group and all the implements are of the same specifications. For a trial period of 1 championships teams shall pay a €6.00 entry fee Teams will be free from this period as with other team events. *Note M35 should they be adopted by WMA/IAAF

Ruling to be added in THE COMPETITION Field Events 12.(6)

When team competitions are included in Weight pentathlon, there shall be three team awards on the basis that each Affiliate is entitled to count one team (best three to score) in five year age groups, and their results shall be computed on the points gained. For team scoring athletes will only be permitted to drop to a lower age- group to complete the required number for a team, provided that the following requirements are met: (i) The lower age-group are using the same implements as those moving down (ii) The athlete’s country does not have a sufficient number of athletes in that age-group to make up a full team. 1 (iii) The 1st 3 athletes in any age group shall be automatically be scored for the team (iv) Where athletes are being moved down, the team must submit a start list that shows the names of athletes moving down an age group before the start of the event. (v) athlete may only score in one team, and May only score in a lower age group where they have no team in their own age group.

Hurdles

FROM USA

I have your proposal below and will send it out for comment to the WMA Stadia Committee. I will note that your main goals are to make it easier for the hurdlers to build participation in the event and to make it easier for the administrators to set up to shorten the time and effort it takes to put on a meet.

Rex Harvey

Proposal:

Alter Appendix A of the WMA rulebook so the hurdle settings are as follows:

Women Race Hurdle Number To 1st Between Age To Finish Distance Height of Hurdles Hurdle Hurdles W30-39 60m .840m (33") 5 13m 8.5m 13m Indoor W40-49 60m .762m (30") 5 13m 8.5m 13m W50-59 60m .686m (27") 5 13m 8.5m 13m W60+ 60m .686m (27") 3 13m 17m 13m W30-39 100m .840m (33") 10 13m 8.5m 10.5m W40-49 100m .762m (30") 10 13m 8.5m 10.5m Short W50-59 100m .686m (27") 10 13m 8.5m 10.5m W60+ 100m .686m (27") 5 13m 17m 19m W30-39 400m .762m (30") 10 45m 35m 40m Long W40-49 400m .686m (27") 10 45m 35m 40m W50+ 300m .686m (27") 7 50m 35m 40m

Men M30-44 60m .991m (39") 5 13.72m 9.14m 9.72m M45-49 60m .914m (36") 5 13.72m 9.14m 9.72m M50-59 60m .840m (33") 5 13.72m 9.14m 9.72m Indoor M60-69 60m .762m (30") 5 13.72m 9.14m 9.72m M70-79 60m .762m (30") 3 13.72m 18.28m 9.72m M80+ 60m .686m (27") 3 13.72m 18.28m 9.72m Short M30-44 110m .991m (39") 10 13.72m 9.14m 14.02m M45-49 110m .914m (36") 10 13.72m 9.14m 14.02m M50-59 110m .840m (33") 10 13.72m 9.14m 14.02m M60-69 110m .762m (30") 10 13.72m 9.14m 14.02m

2 M70-79 110m .762m (30") 5 13.72m 18.28m 23.16m M80+ 110m .686m (27") 5 13.72m 18.28m 23.16m M30-44 400m .914m (36") 10 45m 35m 40m M45-49 400m .840m (33") 10 45m 35m 40m Long M50-59 400m .762m (30") 10 45m 35m 40m M60+ 300m .686m (27") 7 50m 35m 40m

Change #2: Alter Appendix C, D, F, G, H, I and J of the WMA Track and Field rulebook replacing all explicit hurdle specifications with the statement: "See WMA Rules Appendix A for hurdle specifications."

AUSTRALIAN RECOMMENDATIONS

Richard Trembath’s Hurdle Recommendations

(Produced May 28, 2003) (Revised, June 6, 2003)

Age Race Height To 1st Betwe To Finish Numb Markings Hurdle en er Hurdle Hurdle s s Wome n 30-39 100mt .840m 13.0m 8.5m 10.5m 10 Yellow s 40-44 90m .762m 13.0m 8.0m 13.0m 9 White 45-49 90m .762m 13.0m 7.5m 17.0m 9 Nil 50-59 80m .686m 12.0m 7.0m 19.0m 8 Black 60-69 80m .600m 12.0m 7.0m 19.0m 8 Black 70+ 60m .600m 13.0m 7.0m 12.0m 6 Black

30-44 400m .762m 45.0m 35.0m 40.0m 10 Green 45-49 300m .762m 50.0m 35.0m 40.0m 7 Green 50-59 300m .686m 50.0m 35.0m 40.0m 7 Green 60-64 300m .600m 50.0m 35.0m 40.0m 7 Green 65 200m .600m 20.0m 35.0m 40.0m 5 Green plus

Men 30-39 110m .991m 13.72 9.14m 14.02m 10 Blue m 40-54 100m .914m 13.0m 8.50m 10.5m 10 Yellow 55-59 90m .840m 13.0m 8.0m 13.0m 9 White 60-64 90m .840m 13.0m 7.5m 17.0m 9 Nil 65-74 80m .762m 12.0m 7.0m 19.0m 8 Black 75 + 60m .686m 13.0m 7.0m 12.0m 6 Black

3 30-44 400m .914m 45.0m 35.0m 40.0m 10 Green 45-54 400m .840m 45.0m 35.0m 40.0m 10 Green 55-59 300m .840m 50.0m 35.0m 40.0m 7 Green 60-69 300m .762m 50.0m 35.0m 40.0m 7 Green 70-74 300m .686m 50.0m 35.0m 40.0m 7 Green 75 200m .686m 20.0m 35.0m 40.0m 5 Green plus

HURDLE SPECIFICATIONS JUSTIFIED (Revised October 2004)

This document justifies the Masters Hurdle specifications as recommended by the AMA Hurdles Sub-Committee in June 2003.

The overriding principles used to form these specifications are:

1. Specifications should present most intending hurdlers with a significant but achievable challenge. Not all athletes are capable of .

2. Specifications should take into account the diminishing physical capacities of athletes caused by age.

3. All intending hurdlers may not be able to run 3 strides between hurdles, even with the execution of correct technique. An appropriate set of specifications however, would result in most trained hurdlers achieving the three-stride pattern.

JUSTIFICATION FOR THE RECOMMENDED EVENTS

1. Women 30 – 39 Years Hurdles

Height .840m – Distance between 8.5m

The current specs are appropriate. No change recommended.

2. Women 40 – 44 Years 90 Metres Hurdles

Height .762m – Distance between 8.0m – Nine Hurdles

The current specifications feature a too large drop in difficulty level from the previous age group. The recommended changes add an extra hurdle, and increase the race distance by ten metres. An added advantage of the recommended 90m event is that it uses the existing track hurdle markings, whereas the current 80-metre event has no track hurdle markings.

3. Women 45 – 49 Years 90 Metres Hurdles

Height .762m – Distance between 7.5m – Nine Hurdles

This event recognizes the importance of a 7.5m space between hurdles, which is far more suitable than changing from 8.0m to 7.0m as the current specifications do. This is not a new innovation but is a very good one. and the employ the 7.5m spacing for some teenage hurdlers, thus allowing a gradual increase from 7.5 to 8.0 to 8.5 and finally 9.14m (for the men). Master’s hurdling should apply this same reasoned thinking, 4 only in reverse of course. When implemented, it is an easy matter to add the required hurdle markings. Perhaps Australian Athletics and Little Athletics would also then see the value in the 7.5m spacing, just as the Germans and English have.

4. Women 50 – 59 Years

Height .686m – Distance between 7.00m – Eight Hurdles

The current specifications are very near the mark, except for hurdle height. Currently, Women are required to run over a height of .762m for a twenty-year period (40-59). Taking into account the fall off in physical capacities over this period it would be more appropriate to use the recommended height of .686m.

5. Women 60 – 69 Years 80 Metres Hurdles

Height .600m – Distance between 7.00m – Eight Hurdles

The current specifications are reasonably good, though it would be a more appropriate challenge to run this group over a height of .600m. This would provide a relaxation from what is recommend for 50 – 59 years ladies. Also, it is significant that ten & eleven year old children compete over .600m (and only 6 hurdles). In terms of physical capacity, the children are better equipped than 60 plus year old ladies to handle this event. If one accepts that .600m is appropriate for the children, then 60 plus year old ladies should not be required to tackle a greater hurdle height.

6. Women 70 Plus Years Hurdles

Height .600m – Distance between 7.00m – Six Hurdles

The current specifications lump all ladies over 60 together, resulting in a situation that is not appropriate for the older athletes. The specifications are too demanding for ladies over 70 years of age. The recommended specs are more achievable and certainly provide an adequate hurdling challenge for these athletes. The 60m hurdles is an established event in Australia, catering for athletes up to twelve years of age, and it makes good sense to use them for our older athletes as well. By using a 13 metre run in, all the hurdle marks coincide with the 80- metre event.

7. Women 30 – 44 Years Hurdles

The current specs are appropriate. No change recommended.

8. Women 45 – 49 Years Hurdles

Height .762m

The current long hurdle specifications are the same from 30 to 49 years. Given the decline in physical characteristics over a twenty-year period it was felt that age forty-five was a more appropriate time to ease the difficulty level of the long hurdles. Hence the recommended distance is 300m, with the height remaining at .762m.

9. Women 50 – 59 Years

5

Further easing of the specifications is provided by reducing hurdle height to .686m. It does not seem reasonable that ladies of this age should be expected to clear hurdles at the full senior height.

10. Women 60 – 64 Years 300 Metres Hurdles

Height .600m

Reducing the height is a further easing of the specifications, which seems appropriate for ladies of this group.

11. Women 65 Years Plus Hurdles

Height .600m

The current long hurdle specifications for all women sixty and over are far too demanding. Again it is noteworthy that thirteen-year old children run their long hurdles over 200m. Sixty- five years and older women should definitely not be a longer distance than these children. The recommended specifications are far more appropriate and provide a greater safety margin than the current specifications.

12. Men 30 – 39 Years

The current Australian Masters specs are appropriate. No change recommended.

13. Men 40 – 54 Years

Height .914m – Distance between 8.5m – Ten Hurdles

There are very few Australian men running the sprint hurdles in the 40 to 49 years age brackets. The participation rate around the world also seems quite low. It seems very clear that the current specs, particularly for men 45 to 49 years, are too demanding. The specifications should allow a reasonable number of athletes possessing good hurdling technique to run three strides between. Currently, it is just the very elite that can manage this. With all the documented knowledge on the links between stride length, explosive power and the ageing process, it seems most inappropriate to use the same hurdle spacing for these men as apply to open athletes. If the interest of current male hurdlers is to be maintained throughout their forties, and new athletes in this age bracket attracted, it is absolutely essential that the current specifications be relaxed.

The logical solution is to introduce the 100 metre hurdle event at age forty, which is considered appropriate for men up to fifty-four, but not through to fifty-nine.

14. Men 55 – 59 Years 90 Metres Hurdles

Height .840m – Distance between 8.00m – Nine Hurdles

The ninety metres hurdles is an established event in athletics despite its current absence from Master’s specifications. The event is appropriate for this age group and when viewed in context of the entire Recommended specifications, helps provide the gradual reduction in difficulty level required.

6

15. Men 60 – 64 Years 90 Metres Hurdles

Height .840m – Distance between 7.5m – Nine Hurdles

As for the Recommended 45 – 49 years Women’s event, this race uses the 7.5 metre spacing. This further enhances the gradual transition of hurdle spacing for male athletes and once again it is emphasized that the 7.5m spacing is currently used by various athletic organizations. Its introduction to would be a very positive change.

16. Men 65 – 74 Years 80 Metres Hurdles

Height .762m – Distance between 7.00m – Eight Hurdles

This event is already in use. The change is to introduce it five years earlier, which continues the theme of gradual transition.

17. Men 75 Years Plus

Height .686m – Distance between 7.00m – Six Hurdles

The logic of this event is the same as recommended for the eldest ladies group, with the only difference being the hurdle height.

18. Men 30 – 44 Years

Height .914m

The current specifications are a significant and achievable challenge for most intending long hurdlers. No change recommended for athletes up to forty-four years of age.

19. Men 45 – 54 Years 400 Metres Hurdles

Height .840m

It is not appropriate to have men in their late forties clearing the same barrier height as open athletes and it is therefore recommended that the .840m hurdle be introduced at age forty- five, rather than fifty.

20. Men 55 – 59 Years 300 Metres Hurdles

Height .840m

There is an enormous drain on the body occasioned by clearing ten hurdles over 400 metres. The 300-metre event is better introduced at age fifty-five rather than sixty.

21. Men 60 – 69 Years 300 Metres Hurdles

Height .762m

The current specifications are appropriate. No change recommended.

7 22. Men 70 – 74 Years 300 Metres Hurdles

Height .686m

No change to the current specifications is recommended for athletes to age seventy-four.

23. Men 75 Years Plus

Height .686m

Just like the ladies our oldest men are better and more safely challenged by a 200 metres hurdle event.

WMA Weights and Implement Specifications 1. The BMAF propose that the weight of the M80+ Shot and Hammer be reduced from 4k to 3k. Reasoning: These weights decrease each 10-years up to age 70 but thereafter remain the same.

2. The BMAF propose that the diameter of all outdoor shot may be up to a maximum of 120mm for women and 130mm for men, provided they meet the required weight specification and the weight is clearly inscribed on the ball. Reasoning: The specification for the diameter of the shots - IAAF - 188/5 -WMA App A(3) The diameters are based on the density of the various permitted materials and these vary with the weights geared for progression from U/11's to Seniors. While this caters for the growth of ones hands to adulthood no consideration appears to have been given to the other end of the scale where older athletes are stuck with one size of hand with a reducing weight and hence diameter. Trying to put a ball which is too small to balance on ones fingers can be difficult and most uncomfortable, often resulting in the ball being clutched, resulting in poor performances often with the ball being thrown instead of putted. Increasing the diameter of the ball if anything results in a slightly smaller measurement and it is suggested that provided the implement is the correct weight, larger diameters up to 120mm for women and 130mm for men should be accepted. Increased diameters are already permitted for indoor events so a precedent has already been set. It was understood that this recommendation had previously been presented and accepted but while modifications have been made these do not meet these dimensions.

3. The BMAF propose that on all weights of javelin the grip may be up to 38mm in diameter and 160mm in length. Reasoning: Diameter and Length of Grip of Javelin - IAAF - 193/3 - WMA App A(5) Similar to the shot the reduced diameter and length of the binding on the lighter javelins can make them uncomfortable and difficult to grip and throw. A degree of flexibility on the thickness and length of the binding should be allowed. Being located around the centre of gravity this would have little effect on the weight or flight characteristics.

4. The BMAF propose that the weight may be thrown with either or both hands. Reasoning: 8 The Hammer and Short Hammer/Weight Under IAAF rules shot 188/1 and javelin 193/1(a) are specifically restricted to throws with one hand but no such restriction is specified for any of the above implements, ie. - these can be thrown with either or both hands. Under WMA rules 16(2) and 18(2) the hammer and weight throws are restricted to throws with both hands which effectively changes the to the short hammer. While the length of the hammer wire is self restricting this is not the case with the weight where the option previously existed to throw with one hand. These rules were apparently introduced in the early 1990's reportedly on (a) safety grounds - safety of others from misdirected throws and personal safety due to possible damage to elbow or shoulder joints in older throwers (b) in the belief that the wider effective radius obtained with a one handed throw gave an unfair advantage. Looking at :-

a) WMA Rule 7 allows officials the discretion to prevent an athlete from taking further part in a competition who is performing an event in a dangerous manner and in most countries the event is now restricted to throws from a netted circle. b) the velocity of release is the product of rotational speed times the effective radius however with the diameter of the circle only allowing room for one turn for one handed throwers compared to the three turns possible by a two handed thrower their increased rotational speed negates the wider radius.

While it is appreciated that some strong fast throwers can throw a long way with relatively poor hammer techniques in most cases a good hammer thrower using the two handed technique will produce the best results by 2m - 3m. With the points system for the weight throw in the being based on best performances set by world class hammer throwers in short hammer competitions, this rule is clearly biased in favour of hammer throwers and should be subject to a review.

5. The BMAF propose that in the Combined Events Competitions IAAF - 200 - Reference needs to be made to Masters Competitions for Men’s and Women’s with specific reference to the hurdle distances and specifications for the various age groups.

6. Measurements/Markers - IAAF 187(20) &(21) The BMAF propose that in combined throw and long throw competitions, at the discretion of the Field Referee, numbered pegs may be used to mark each throw with measurement of all throws made at the end of each round. This will shorten the duration of the events which is always a cause for concern.

9