Media Room
Press ReleasesMay 10, 2007
Jerome Gains Status As Relay Qualifer For Worlds And Olympics
Running fast just became a little more important for athletes competing at the 24th annual Vancouver Sun Harry Jerome International Track Classic.
Athletics Canada vice-chair Dr. Danny Daniels confirmed today the 2007 Jerome meet, slated for June 8 at Burnaby's Swangard Stadium, has been sanctioned by the International Amateur Athletics Federation as a qualifying event for relay teams seeking to compete in the August world track and field championships in Osaka, Japan and the 2008 Olympic Summer Games in Beijing.
"The IAAF has designated just a dozen or so meets around the world that are the relay qualifiers and the Harry Jerome meet is one of those," said Daniels, who made the announcement during a news conference for the June 8 meet featuring Canada vs China-Fujian for the Pacific World Cup.
"This is huge. This is the only chance in Canada that they have to be officially recognized. They will have other meets in which they can do this but for this meet in Canada to be recognized by the IAAF as a relay qualifying meet, it is tremendous."
The Canadian men's 4x100-metre relay team won Olympic gold in 1996. Daniels notes their success was honed by gaining experience in a series of meets. The potential of qualifying for the upcoming world championships at this year's Jerome meet should prove tantalizing for the country's top speedsters, and those of other countries, with limited opportunities worldwide to make the grade.
"The secret for the men's relay team in 1996 was they didn't just come together 10 days before the event," notes Daniels. "We have some great individuals and through our relays, we feel we can make those Olympic finals."
Dr. Doug Clement, chair of meet organizer Achilles Track and Field Society, welcomed the IAAF relay designation for the June 8 Jerome meet.
"This adds another exciting element to a program that will once again feature Canada and China-Fujian competing for the Pacific World Cup," he said. "This year we are also including an exciting new elementary school relay program. Imagine how that might inspire these young people, to be involved in their division of relay races on the same card as some of the world's best relay teams working to qualify for the world championships and the Olympics."
The International Amateur Athletics Federation is the world governing body for the sport of track and field.
