New Track Series, Coaches Optimistic for 2021 Season, Jamaican Athletics Update, Indoor Updates, & Athlete Spotlight
RunRank | A Weekly Column focused on running news and culture from around the world
Welcome back to your favorite weekly recap of running news across the world!
A slow week again as the holiday season wraps up and athletes begin heading back towards competitions. Here are some of the topics we will cover this week.
A new track & field series across the United States was announced this week. Find out if it is coming to your area!
High school coaches are optimistic about the 2021 season and share details of how covid has changed procedures.
The Jamaican Athletics Administrative Association are considering new guidelines for teams to follow for track & field in 2021.
Some smaller indoor track & field meets were held this past week. Fast times are back!
We conclude this week with our athlete spotlight. Read until the end to learn more about an athlete who is an Olympian turned footballer and is considering a return back to the Olympic games.
Let’s go!
New Track & Field Series
In 2021, a new track series across the United States will begin. The series is set to hold seven high profile track meets for athletes in the United States. Jesse Williams of Sound Running stated, “Because there are few competitive opportunities in America, athletes often have no choice but to race...on a different continent. Imagine if our basketball or baseball players did that. It’s unthinkable.”
The aim of this track series is to both increase the popularity and following of athletics in the United States, and to provide athletes an opportunity to compete in their home country without having to travel across the world just to find high profile competition.
Here are a list of the competitions that are set to take place:
5/14-15 Track Meet (Los Angeles)
5/29 Portland Track Festival (Portland, OR)
5/31 Iowa High Performance (Des Moines)
6/4-5 Music City Carnival (Nashville)
7/10 Under Armour Sunset Tour (SoCal)
7/17 Under Armour Sunset Tour (SoCal)
8/14 Ed Murphey Classic (Memphis)
Coaches Optimistic for 2021 Season
Coaches in Arkansas were interviewed this week to discuss the impacts of not having a 2020 track & field season, and their thoughts on the upcoming 2021 season. So far through the 2020 Cross Country season, athletes have been required to practice social distancing guidelines along with wearing masks up until they start the race. Social distancing is also recommended during the race when possible. This is a glimpse of what the 2021 track season may look like.
Coaches of high schools across Garland County met over Zoom to discuss some of the new protocols. Athletes will be required to be screened at the beginning of every practice, adding roughly 20 minutes to each day. Special consideration will also need to be taken for meets, especially for high jump and pole vault. Athletes can bring their own implements to meets, as well as using every other lane on the track.
With these new protocols, track meets will look very different. Meets will likely take much longer if high jump and pole vault mats need to be sanitized between each jump, and heats for events will be doubled if every other lane is used. Financially, teams discussed how a limited amount of schools attending each meet will also likely add strain to some programs who host meets solely to fund their programs. Instead of 10-12 schools per meet, they are expecting roughly five to eight.
Despite all of these concerns, with the cross country season concluding with very few issues, coaches remain optimistic for 2021.
Jamaican Athletics Update
In Jamaica, protocols are also being changed to meet the health and safety guidelines set out by governments. Dr. Carl Bruce, an executive member of the Jamaican Athletics Administrative Association, is suggesting that each team add a covid-compliance member to their management to help mitigate the risk of the disease spreading. Dr. Bruce also stated he is recommending masks, sanitation stations, and temperature checks for each event.
Here are some other guidelines recommended that may make their way into track meets in Jamaica in 2021:
-Cleaning blocks between each race
-Cleaning batons after each use
-Hand sanitizer before each attempt in the vertical jumps
-High Jump / Pole Vault mat sanitized after each attempt
-Virucidal agent mixed with sand in jumping pits
-Add chlorine to the steeplechase water pit
-Clean throwing implements after each use
-Officials handling throwing implements to clean after each handling
-No award ceremonies after meets
Indoor Updates
Track is back (again)! Two meets were held this past week with some new top times in the United States.
At The Armory in New York, the Marine Corps Holiday Classic 2021 was held this past week. For the girls, Sanaa Hebron ran a new US#1 in the 300m with a time of 39.67. She is currently the only girl to run under 40 seconds this season. For the boys, Joseph Cardascia earned his new spot at the US #1 in the 300m with a time of 35.17. Michael Rodriguez-King also earned a spot as a US #1 in the 600m with a time of 1:23.04.
In Massachusetts, the MSTCA Holiday Challenge 2021 took place. For the girls, Mia Costa ran a new US #1 1000m time of 3:00.88 which was time converted to a 3:02.57. This is currently almost 2 seconds ahead of the US #2 time. For the boys, there were no new top 5 marks set at this meet.
Athlete Spotlight
For this week’s athlete spotlight, we will put the light on an athlete who has been successful in a variety of sports. Rachael Nachula has a history of being a successful 400m as well as a professional footballer. Nachula made her Olympic debut in 2008 where she was a semi-finalist in the 400m dash. 13 years later, she is looking to make her return to the games as a striker for the Zambia National team.
Nachula signed with Zaragoza CFF in 2020 and will be looking to be in top form by the time the 2021 Games come around. Nachula had one goal in one start for the Zambia National Team in a friendly match against Chile in November.