Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 119, June 2019 | Page 67

We rarely stop to think what the
world of sport would be like without
those photos, how there would
be no goose-bump reminiscing
about a memorable event without
the photographers. They capture
moments like those, which we
would never be able to fully
describe to someone else. Because
it really is true what they say, “a
picture is worth a thousand words.”
On a related note...
WALK
THIS
WAY
By Anel Oosthuizen
A WALK DOWN
MEMORY LANE
Anybody that knows me well will tell you that I absolutely
love quotes, especially motivational and inspirational quotes.
I love having something to relate to, and regularly find that
in quotes. And having read hundreds of quotes, there is one
that stands out for me, which I have had vinyl-printed and
hung on my wall for about six years now. It became my
favourite quote when I won the SA Senior Championships title
for the first time.
The moment
Anel knew her
Olympic dream
was possible
I
had actually just gone to participate
in those Champs for the experience,
but then walked away with the gold
medal. That win was the moment
that I realised that I was capable of
achieving my dreams, of one day
going to the Olympic Games, and the
absolute shock and happiness of what
had just happened was beautifully
captured in a photo by Roger Sedres.
That photo captured the exact moment
that my life changed forever, and the
only thing that fully describes what you
see in that photo is this quote: “Life
is not measured by the amounts of
breaths we take, but by the moments
that take our breath away.”
I came across that photo again in the
last week, and realised how I have
never appreciated sport photographers
more than in those specific moments.
It is only when you look back after a
few years that you realise how many
of these incredible memories have
been captured by the photographers,
and today I have a collection of such
photos captured during my walking
career, that mean the world to me.
While photography is also regularly
used for purposes like photo
finishes in sport, it is forbidden
in race walking as ‘evidence’ for
judging of a race walker, or appeals
in the case of disqualification. The
definition of race walking clearly
states the rule: Race walking is a
progression of steps so taken that
the walker makes contact with the
ground so that no visible (to human
eye) loss of contact occurs.
In a recent IAAF meeting held in Monaco, recommendations were made that
RWECS electronic chip insole technology should be incorporated into competitions
from 2021. According to the IAAF, the implementation of the RWECS technology
is to assist judges to identify athletes who have lost contact with the ground. This
technology would only be adopted in 2021 if the necessary testing, roll-out and
distribution of the insole chips is concluded by the end of 2020. This will, of course,
then replace the rule of judging only being done with the human eye.
Another announcement coming out of Monaco was the news that there will be a
reduction of standard race distances from the currently prevailing 20km and 50km,
to 10km and 30km respectively. The IAAF wants to continue having two events
each for men and women, but wants to reduce the distance for each event, and
the suggested transition is to hold the current 20km and 50km for men, and 20km
for women, at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, then transition to 20km and 30km
for both men and women at the Oregon 2021 World Athletics Championships, and
from there to 10km and 30km for both men and women by the 2022 Race Walking
Team Championships. That format will then continue on to the 2023 Budapest
World Athletics Championships and the 2024 Paris Olympics Games.
So why these changes?
The reasoning behind these distance changes are best explained by Robert
Korzeniowski, a three-time Olympic and three-time World Champion in the 50km
event, and also a member of the IAAF
Race Walking Committee. “As you
know, my heart is passionate about the
50km, and all the great achievements
and medals I won were in the 50km,
but the world is changing fast and
we need to be realistic, to move
forward and be brave in order to be
relevant with the broadcast and digital
media, and to secure the future of
race walking in major competitions.
The numbers in 50km are not very
promising, and if we care about the
development and the healthy status of
our event, this is the only way to do it. I
have no doubt that 30km is a distance
that will provide equal opportunities
to endurance race walkers to perform
and achieve their goals.”
My opinion is best summed up by this
quote: “If you don’t like it, change it.
If you can’t change it, change your
attitude.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Race Walker Anel Oosthuizen is a multiple SA
Champion and Record Holder, and represented SA in the women’s 20km at the
2016 Rio Olympics.
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