It was a great experience. The 400m for me was a big disappointment but didn't negate the positive experience. Still, the thought of losing my last best chance of an individual medal, maybe ever.... stings. I went and competed at the highest levels with the world's best in the finals of my individual events. As is the nature of the sport, I observed triumph and heart break. Not all goes as planned. Just some of the heartbreaking episodes...
We all saw Derek set the world record in the semifinals of the M55 60mH in the semifinal round. In the finals, he was leading easily but hit the last hurdle and went down, missing a medal.
The M55 4x200m relay team apparently won gold and broke the WR (and my team's 2016 American Record). Walking off in triumph only to find later that their leadoff runner stepped on the line and caused a DQ. This had to be devastating for that runner.
Many people missed a medal by hundredths and even thousands of a second. That's the nature of the sport.
Don seemed to finish 3rd in the 60mH but was given fourth with the same time as the third finisher. He walked off the track devastated. After further review, it was apparently an exact tie so they awarded 2 people the bronze.
A guy in my age group, Andreas is a former Olympian, longtime holder of the Austrian Nat'l 100m record ran a prelim in the 200m just 0.04 faster than me but was DQ'd for repeatedly stepping on the line (photo), on both turns. I was told that despite all his experience, he gets really nervous.
The interesting thing about this meet, is that all the policing of lanes was done by technology, cameras from above, not by officials on the track. Probably better and more accurate that way. The rule is: if you step on the line once, you get a warning for the next round if you advance. Step on the line more than once or over the line, DQ.
I'm sure there were many other examples of miss steps and close losses, but these are just a few I observed.
My nephew asked me how I did in the 200m final, I told him I was a loser. He replied, 'At least you're a loser on a world class level'.
I guess there's that. ; )
When I get time, I'll post more photos of Torun... off the track.
Still feeling the groin strain slightly. Still a tad sore after the week in Torun and still a bit over weight but within striking range of optimum at about 143 after morning coffee and bread. With rain coming Friday and Sat., it may be Sunday before I do my next track workout.
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