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(bb) Sacramento’s test run is complete, and the results bode well for the 2011 World Masters Athletics Outdoor Championships. Sacramento played host to the 2010 USA Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships from July 22-25, using the Sacramento State venue that will serve as the primary facility for the WMA Championships. The USA Masters Championships featured a near-record number of entries, several world records and widespread praise from the U.S. athletes who are expected to comprise a significant percentage of next year’s WMA field.

“We were hesitant to call it a ‘test’ because it was our national championships and we didn’t want U.S. athletes to feel that we were looking past this year’s event,” said John McCasey, chief executive of the Sacramento Sports Commission and chairman of the 2011 WMA local organizing committee.

“At the same time, the USA Masters meet did provide an invaluable opportunity for us as we prepare for the 2011 WMA Championships, and the comments we received from the U.S. athletes was very encouraging. We learned a lot of little things that will help us put on an even better event next summer,” McCasey said.

McCasey said that while U.S. participation will go a long way toward determining whether the 2011 WMA Championships are a success, he’s not forgetting that European countries generally make up the bulk of WMA entries. With that in mind, he attended the first two days of the
European Veterans Athletic Championships in Nyíregyháza, Hungary, returning to Sacramento in time for the USA Masters Championships.

Since being awarded the 2011 WMA Championships at the 2007 event in Riccione, Italy, Sacramento’s local organizing committee has sent representatives to the 2008 WMA Indoor Championships in Clermont-Ferrand, France; the 2009 WMA Outdoor Championships in Lahti, Finland; the 2010 WMA Indoor Championships in Kamloops, British Columbia; and the 2010 European Veterans Championships in Hungary.

In Nyíregyháza, McCasey and several other Americans handed out about 1,400 entry booklets to European athletes. He also made a presentation to about 30 team managers.

A similar number of entry booklets were distributed in Sacramento. The entry booklet is available online at www.wma2011.com in four languages – English, French, German and Spanish.

More than 1,400 athletes competed in Sacramento. Comments about the competition venue, officiating, transportation and overall meet management were uniformly positive.

At least 20 U.S. records were set during the four-day competition. Six U.S. athletes set seven world records in Sacramento:

• Oneitha Lewis surpassed the W50 record in the hammer on three of her six attempts. Her final throw was her longest, measuring 181 feet, 11 inches (55.46 meters).

• Lisa Valle broke her own W40 world record in the 2,000-meter steeplechase, clocking 6 minutes, 51.92 seconds.

• Suzy MacLeod’s winning time of 1:25.40 shattered the W75 world record in the 400 meters.

• In the W70 high jump, Kathy Bergan twice raised the world record, clearing 4-2¼ (1.28 meters) and 4-3¼ (1.30 meters).

• John Altendorf raised his own world record in the M60 pole vault with a leap of 13-3 (4.04 meters).
• Sabra Harvey broke the W60 world mark in the 1,500 meters by more than six seconds, clocking 5:12.27.

A large contingent of Canadian athletes also set 13 national records in Sacramento.

Approximately 80 percent of the WMA events will be held at Sacramento State. Hughes Stadium at Sacramento City College will be the secondary venue, and American River College’s Beaver Stadium will be the practice facility. The cross country events will be held at Granite Regional Park, and the marathon will be held along the American River Parkway.