Media Room
Press ReleasesJune 15, 2004
High Jumpers Set to Soar At Swangard
The men's high jump is emerging as one of the marquee events for the July 1 Vancouver Sun Harry Jerome International Track Classic presented by Golder Associates.
When a world championship medallist takes to the high jump pit there is always considerable interest and that will be the case July 1 as Canada's premier high jumper, Mark Boswell, celebrates Canada Day by challenging the bar and anyone seeking to oppose him at the 21st annual Jerome meet at Burnaby's Swangard Stadium.
Boswell, 26, is one of Canada's best hopes for a medal at the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Athens and the two-time world championship medallist is using the Harry Jerome event as a prep for the July 9-11 Canadian Olympic trials in Victoria and for the August Games in Greece.
Last year Boswell utilized the Jerome event to prepare for the world track and field championships in Paris where, despite a nagging injury to his left ankle, he earned a bronze medal with a season-best jump of 2.32 metres. In 1999 he earned a silver medal at the world championships in Spain with a 2.35-metre effort that remains his Canadian record and personal best.
Boswell is simply one of the best over the bar, and he has been ever since he became the first Canadian to win a world junior championship. In 1996 he went into the world junior high jump event ranked 12th but came away with a gold medal and a then-personal best leap of 2.24 metres. In addition to his two world championship medals he also has gold from the 2002 Commonwealth Games, the 2001 Francophone Games and 1999 Pan-American Games.
He finished sixth (2.32 metres) at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.
This Olympic year marks a time of change and renewal for the affable 6'4" Boswell, who calls Brampton, Ont., home once again after living and training for several years in Austin, Tex. In leaving Austin he also bid adieu to longtime coach Dan Pfaff and has retained Milt Ottey, who held the Canadian record before it was rewritten by Boswell, as his coach.
Barring injury, he should contend for a medal in Athens.
Injury is something Montreal's Kwaku Boateng will be seeking to forget as he challenges longtime rival and friend Boswell on July 1. Boateng, the 2002 Commonwealth Games silver medallist and sixth-place finisher at the 1999 world championships, missed most of last season, including the national and world championships, with an injured left knee.
While Boswell and Boateng represent Canada's hopes for the present, high school phenom Michael Mason comes to Swangard brimming with potential. At the recent B.C. high school track and field championships Mason, a Grade 12 student from Parksville's Ballenas Secondary, set a Canadian junior record and B.C. high school meet standard of 2.20 metres en route to earning top male athlete honours at the championships. The former national junior mark was held by Greg Joy, another outstanding high jumper from B.C.
Defending American indoor and outdoor champion Jamie Nieto, seventh at last year's world championships, joins the Canadian trio in what should be a most entertaining event. He is joined by compatriot Matt Hemingway, who finished 12th at the Paris world championships.
This year's Jerome meet will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Miracle Mile in playing host to the LegaciesNow Miracle Mile: Gold Edition. Special guests for the day include Victor Milligan, fourth-place finisher at the 1954 British Empire Games Miracle Mile in Vancouver, plus mile greats Peter Snell and John Walker of New Zealand and American Steve Scott.
The Jerome meet is part of the PacifiCanada track and field series. Upcoming events in the series are:
- June 23 - Review Kajaks International Track Classic, Richmond
- June 26 - Abbotsford International Track Classic, Abbotsford
- July 3 - Victoria TrackFest Twilight Meet, Victoria
Contact: Diane Clement
(604) 261-6220
dclement007@mac.com
Meet information:
www.harryjerome.com
www.pacificanada.ca
If you have any questions contact: media@harryjerome.com
