COUNTDOWN TO THE IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN BERLIN
by George Kochman
Staten Island Advance – SILive.com
Thursday August 13, 2009, 2:29 PM
The general view of the Olympic Stadium, seen, in Berlin, Germany,
Monday, Aug. 3, 2009. The IAAF Track and Field World Championships
2009 take place at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin from Aug. 15
through 23, 2009. In the foerground, the top of the Olympic flame
from the Berlin 1936 Olympic games is seen. (AP)Editor’s Note: Staten
Island Advance track and field reporter George Kochman is in Germany
for the International Association of Athletics Federations World
Championships. He sends a daily e-mail to friends that chronicles
his days in Berlin, and we’re sharing those notes with the readers
of SILive.com. Check back for correspondence from GK throughout the
event, which runs from Aug. 15 to 23.
Here in Berlin. Everything is going well. Got in yesterday morning. We
are downtown, a few blocks from the Brandenurg Gate. Dinner last night
200 yards from the Brandenburg Gate, and 200 yards from the Reichstag.
At the stadium now, which is old but modernized. As with all stadia
that hold IAAF championship events, the seating areas are covered.
Ran on the grounds of the Reichstag for about 20 minutes this
morning. Breakfast is better than the buffet at the Penn Towers,
and comes with our room. We also get 2 for 1 coupons for drinks at
night. Transportation is free, and the press gets a lot of extra perks,
which makes our job easier.
Also on the plane coming over was Dave Johnson, director of Penn
Relays, John Nepolitan of Dyestat. As we were eating last night,
John Godina went by, along with the Armenian team, beautiful Dutch
athletes, and some Italian athletes.
Missing the Newport Running Camp, and some good conversations with
Steven McChesney and Pat Tyson, along with the other coaches and
guests. McChesney, one of the famed sets of brothers, may be the best
girls’ coach in the U.S.. He coached Newton South to NTN XC champs,
8.5004 4×800 indoors, and a national 4xmile outdoors. Pat, the
legendary coach at Mead HS in Spokane, has taken the job at Gonzaga,
and is slowly building up the team. Their insights are always welcome,
along with those of the other coaches- Centro, et al. Missing talking
to little Matt, a champ already, and Lauren, who won a race in Italy
this summer (a real sweetheart).
That’s it for today.
Rosemary at the Reichstag- me here- enough said.