Overage Juniors

[Chris Moulton]

I know many of us believe that the african "juniors" are largely over age but Tadesse the winner of World Cross is by far the worst case I have seen, he looks to be at least 28, he also ran sr 4k last year but not junior and then this year he is in the junior race, I gues he didn't make the 4k team.

Here is a photo,

www.trackandfieldnews.com/general/features/2004/WXC04jmw/pages/WXC04530.htm

He is no. 42. Kiprop the Ugandan and the two kenyans I can see them being under 20 but there is absolutely no way, Tadesse is under the age, just like Ngeny was not 20 when he won the olympics in 2000.

Does anyone know if there are any ways to combat this problem, I understand that in theory african athletes should dominate junior ranks since they dominate senior ranks, however our athletes are being screwed by these "kids".

[ireid]

Tadesse could very well be senior age. But don't be quick to absolve the rest of them either. Take a look at past Ugandan junior teams (which did quite well, but never seemed to result in them sending a senior team, or at least a senior team that ran in the senior race):

2000 World Cross, Uganda junior men 3rd place:

498 Toroitich Martin 11
500 Wakou Paul 15
497 Sikoria Job 20
496 Okello Tonny 22
499 Kiprop Boniface Toroitich (27)

2001 World Cross, Uganda junior men 3rd place:
510 Wakou Paul 10
509 Okello Tonny 16
508 Musani Francis 19
507 Mpanga Moses 23
511 Yiga Francis (25)

2002 World Cross, Uganda junior men 3rd place:
117 Kiprop Boniface 3
120 Toroitich Martin 11
301 Wakou Paul 15
119 Musani Francis 17
116 Cheboto Patrick (DNS)
118 Kipsiro Moses (DNS)

2003 World Cross, Uganda junior men 3rd place:
290 Kiprop Boniface 2
125 Kibet James 13
128 Kipsiro Moses 18
127 Kiprop Isaac 27
126 Kiplimo Martin (32)

2004 World Cross, Uganda junior men 3rd place:
313 Kiprop Boniface 2
115 Aliwa Moses 8
119 Okuti Harbert 11
117 Kwemoi Nicholas 12
118 Muhwezi Ivan (DNS)

According to tilastopaja.com and the IAAF, Kiprop was born Oct 12/85, making him all of 14 years old when he made his international debut to finish 27th in the junior race. Anyone know the record for most junior appearances? Wakou has 3 appearances, yet should no improvement during the stage of his life when runners often make huge leaps.

As for what can be done, at the moment, not much. Unless there exists a non-intrusive, cheap method of carbon-dating junior claiming athletes, you are still faced with poorly developed nations that have minimal formal registration and documentation of births.

Maybe if they eliminated prize money and international focus on the junior races, there would be less incentive for unscrupulous officials to enter underage athletes in search of national glory.

[ahutch]

Ian said:

Maybe if they eliminated prize money and international focus on the junior races, there would be less incentive for unscrupulous officials to enter underage athletes in search of national glory.

Off the top of my head, I don't think there's any prize money for the junior races, either individual or team. Just glory. But glory's a pretty good incentive too.