BAC’s Meyer walks his way to victory at inter-provincials
He finished the race in 02:08 and was first in his category and 12 overall.
The Boksburg Athletic Club (BAC) veteran race walker Carl Meyer walked to victory to clinch the national masters over 60 20km mixed-relay title during the race walking inter-provincial championships in Pretoria on October 21.
Meyer and his partner, Ronel Botha, crossed the line in 02:08 to finish in first place in their category and 12th overall.
The record-breaking walker started the race fiercely, completing his first lap in 05:38 and maintaining the pace until Botha came in at the exchange after 5km.
They were at the halfway mark just under 60 minutes and eventually breasted the tape seven minutes ahead of the second-placed duo Johan Coetzee and Retha Knoetze for the gold.
“It was boiling, but the race was okay,” said Meyer.
While he welcomed the relay concept, introduced by World Athletics to increase participation, he said the event was problematic, adding that he doesn’t see it working.
“It is an interesting concept, but it’s problematic. Other provinces could not participate in it because they did not have enough women. Unless Athletics South Africa (ASA) decides to allow the same genders to participate, I don’t see it working because we don’t have enough numbers,” he said.
The record-breaking race walker was born in Springs in 1957. He started race walking in school and rose to stardom in 1975 when he broke his first national record in the U19 boys’ 3 000m.
From 1975 to 1977, he broke 36 national records at 1 500m, 3 000m and 5 000m for the U19s and 10 000m for the U21s. He won his first South African race walking title in the 5 000m in 1977.
The Boksburg resident earned his national colours in 1995 when he was selected to represent the country in the IAAF/Reebok World Race Walking in China.
He retired that year and went into coaching. He is the only South African with a World Athletics (WA) level four race walking coaching certificate and has produced over 40 national champions, with more than 40 South African records.
“Race walking today is a lot more competitive but numbers-wise, especially in juniors and seniors, there is a decline. The juniors are a feeding system for the seniors and if you don’t take care of them, there is no future.”
He bemoaned the lack of participation at the school level and poor selection of athletes by administrators, saying they prioritised athletes who lacked a passion for the sport.
Despite his credentials and 50-year experience in race walking, the 66-year-old has had to watch from the sidelines as race walking played second fiddle to other road and track and field events in the past five years.
He said it was shocking that his 1976 U19s record at 5 000m was still standing today, adding this was because of poor management at the junior level.
“Something is wrong with the system. The WA changed the distances to allow juniors to race in 10km events and they soon realised they were wrong.
“ASA did the same and is still insisting on the wrong distances for juniors. If you don’t have a good record at 1 500m, 3 000m and 5 000m, how will you manage in the 10 000m?” he asked.
Meyer believes the sport needs experienced and passionate coaches who will drive up recruitment and increase participation.
“I would like to help with the young guys, but CGA and ASA are not making use of my knowledge. I can do courses and training. I can help with my experience,” he said.
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