BACK IN THE EARLY ’70s, T&FN pioneered the concept of melding indoor marks with those made outdoors to create “absolute” yearly and all-time lists and records. WA (the IAAF at the time) eventually followed suit, as did USATF, although in a retrograde move went back to separate records a couple of years ago.
At this summer’s meeting in Budapest, WA is planning on taking another step, replacing the word “indoor” with “short track” for any competition staged at a 200m facility, roof or not.
In a late-May press release titled, “World Athletics to create new short track product to grow the sport,” WA head Seb Coe, a big proponent of the concept, said, “… a world of opportunities will open up for meeting organizers to stage official competition in whatever facilities they have available, either indoors or outdoors, using 200m or 400m tracks. Perhaps we should have seen this coming. Early in the 2022 indoor season WA quietly started listing track marks achieved on oversize indoor ovals (Washington’s facility, Notre Dame’s and others) only on its outdoor lists.
“This change will allow and actively encourage the possibility for 200m tracks to move to an outdoor environment and will provide a more affordable option to cities — especially where space is in short supply — while stimulating the growth of the sport through investment in new infrastructure.” (Continued below)
USATF typically tries to keep its rules in line with the international governing body, but there has been no official reaction from Indy on this proposal.
As for T&FN we’re still debating the merits of the concept and just how much a potentially jarring change such as this would unnecessarily confuse the sport’s fans, which is the last thing we need. (See box for what WA’s World Record roster of events will look like.)
More WA Council Decisions…
•3 major meet dates were set: ’24 World Team Walks (April 20–21, Antalya, Turkey; ’25 World Indoor (Nanjing, China, March 21–23); ’26 World Indoor (Toruń, Poland, March 20–22)…
•Protected National Champs Windows (major invitationals are not allowed to conflict) were set for ’24 (February 17-18, June 29–30), ’25 (February 22–23, August 02–03 & August 23–24) and ’26 (July 25–26)…
•Starting in Budapest, lane draws after the first round will follow a new methodology. In the past there were 3 draws: for lanes 3-4-5-6, then 7-8, then 1-2. At the WC, straightaway events will be 3-4-5-6, 2-7, 1-8. The 200 will be 5-6-7, 3-4-8, 1-2 and the 400 will be 4-5-6-7, 3-8, 1-2…
•Advancement in the 1500, steeple & 5000 will be by place-only, with no time component…
•Consideration will be given to the concept (long floated by T&FN) of filling empty lanes in major-meet semis and finals.