A SUCCESSFUL "PLAN B" !
Having wondered for some time about the possibility of using the KNYC (Youth) maneaba (Meeting-house) as a"fall-back" in case of rain affecting a High Jump competition, this time we moved !
I booked the facility just in case, and as the big black cloud approached while we were setting up the Boys' High Jump for the Inter-School (on a volleyball court as usual), I decided to move everything and the athletes to the nearby maneaba (on the far side of the back straight of the track).
At first, with about 400 people and a mixture of those supporting the athletes and others just sheltering from the rain, it was noisy and chaotic ! However, a quick trip to the KAA Office and a pick up of the megaphone then worked wonders !
By moving early, the concrete floor had not been made wet and slippery. We managed quite easily to persuade the crowd to sit behind the mats (at one end of the rectangular building), or across the far end (leaving a space for the jumpers approach from each corner), or behind the support posts on each side. This enabled all the jumpers to have a normal (or longer) approach from each side. The lighting was good enough.
And so we started about 20 minutes late and 27 boys had a taste of Indoor Athletics. It proved to be an excellent venue, a real "theatre". The well-behaved audience responded to every effort and respected the need for quiet at particular times. They were kept informed about each of the three competitions (Junior, Inter, and Open) and thus there was great applause for winners and the eventual record-breaker, David.
ALMOST A NATIONAL RECORD !
The six Junior boys competed well, only 15 cm. covering all six at the end. The winner and runner-up both cleared 1.55m.
There were 12 Intermediates and the eventual winner was on his own with a PB of 1.70m.
Nine Open boys started their competition at 1.30m. At 1.75m. two remained in contention. George failed at 1.80m. while David cleared first time. He then cleared 1.85m. When asked for his next height, he skipped 1.88m. and went straight to a new CBP of 1.91m. He was exultant to clear this on his third try. Maybe the adrenalin stopped flowing then, but he asked for 1.94m. (He co-holds the NR at 1.92m.) Not surprisingly, the sense of anti-climax reduced his explosive elasticity and he failed to set a new NR.
However he and the other athletes had proved what was possible, and the crowd had been superbly entertained and excited. I think we might do it again !
Last Modified on 17/07/2009 11:47