BY GABRIEL PRINCEWILL
The annual track and field competition at the Lee Valley Athletics centre took place over two days last weekend in one of the most anticipated meetings of the early season.
Normally restricted to the under 20’s and senior athletes, this event for the first time in its history included Masters athletes over the age of 35; in an event organized by Befit today health and fitness company- a London fitness organization which places strong emphasis on training and dieting.
In an event that depicted both upsets and a furtherance of exploits by some of the athletes, there was evidence of both elation and disappointment in this fiercely contested set of races. All participants looked in tremendous shape and gave their all and demonstrated a high level of fitness and competitiveness in an ambient atmosphere that was fully charged and electrified. Enthusiastic spectators cheered blissfully as the competitors battled for dominance in their respective events. Given the credentials of all the athletes, there were no losers, just winners.
Former World 100 meters champion, Linford Christie, who was not in attendance, admirably went out of his way to lend his support to the Masters championships as a positive platform for children to aspire to. The athletics mentor, currently training a number of athletes for this year’s Olympics games in Rio, told The eye of media ” it is important to keep active both physically and mentally whatever your age, so I am fully in support of Masters Athletics and the competition it provides. Kids want to be what they see, so if they can see older generations still being fit and competitive, then they will want to do the same”.
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Christie is the only athlete to win meals in 100 metre all all four major championships and has 24 championship medals and 10 medals under his wings.
IMPRESSIVE
An impressive winner for the females 60 meters came in the form of Dina Asher-Smith- the fastest female British Sprinter ever, who established a UK leading time of 7.20.
Fitness trainer, TJ Ossai, won a tight race after a false start which called for the race to be reconvened. A world and European Masters champion, the 6 ft 3 fitness guru put his long legs to optimum use, marginally winning the 60 meters competition by the skin of his teeth. A fairly long wait preceded the announcement of his victory, as he celebrated a win so close to eluding him given the strength of the competition and closeness of the race with his French opponent practically neck and neck with him. It was a touching and emotive victory for many of his supporters present there.
” I am thrilled to have won this event because I was hit with the flu a few days before the event, he told The eye of media after his triumph. I had to keep it quiet so that I was not accused of making an excuse, and it could also have given my opponents a moral boost and dampened by own confidence. My participation was nearly scuppered by the illness, but determination and perseverance saw me through”. A personal coach for a number of primary school children, he was mobbed by a stampede of young kids at the finishing line, all of whom inadvertently transgressed athletics policy by being there.
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Very close behind him were French athletes, David Beumont and Imad Rahoui, who came second and third respectively. Beumont set a fast pace from the outset engaging the fitness trainer in a battle for the coveted first position but fell short only just.
Reflecting on the race, he told The eye of media ” I completely missed my start. I saw Mensah in lane 3 and did my best to come back with less stress. I was concentrated on Mensah, to be honest I didn’t see Tj during the race. There was Mensah between he and me.I felt we were close but I had no idea of the results.
Alluding to the moment of suspense when they were waiting for official confirmation of the results, he said ”Mensah and Imad said I won but Tj said he didn’t know. It was the same situation at European championship, very close but the result is similar. Tj is still the best but we are nearer and nearer”. Speaking of his immediate plans for the future, he added ”I will continue to train as usual, 2 or 3 times a week. Next event at end of March is European championships. My goal is to win 3 medals if possible at the 60m, 200m and 4 by 200m.
A determined and ambitious athlete, he should return to France proud of a valiant performance that saw him almost nick a win in this tough competition. One notable win was the record broken in the M 45 category by South Londoner Jason Carty who ran a time of 7.14 secs. He jumped for joy at the knowledge of this results.
FLAVOUR
The competition was also flavored with the inclusion of veteran sprinter, Dwain chambers, who finished in 4th place, in a very fast and competitive 100 meters race won by Sean Safo Antwi, who ran a lifetime best of 6.57 secs and set the new UK leading time. Chambers, who has the fourth fastest time by a British sprinter has competed and excelled at high international levels for years, and this was a hiccup that reflected both a high quality of competition before him, and another opportunity to learn from his mistakes.
A silver medalist at the 2008 world indoor championships, Chambers won gold at the 2009 European championships. A string of former exploits also include being the youngest ever world medalist in the 1999 world championships where he won a Bronze medal and breaking a 10 seconds barrier time a the 2001 world championships. This was topped up by a silver medal in the 2008 world championships gold the following year in the European championships as well as the 2010 world indoor championships. This time he was beaten by sharper legs on the day, but for a man who has achieved so much in his career, he must now only look forward and not backwards.
The event was altogether a success in a delightful environment, and another is earmarked for this summer.
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