World Masters Athletic Championships—all but ignored

The World Masters Athletic Championships, held July 6-17 in Sacramento, is kind of like an Olympics for slightly older runners.

(In track and field, masters is anybody 35 years or older.) They even have a participant who is 101 years old.

As you walk around, you hear a multitude of languages, from the Portuguese of Brasil (as they spell it) to Norwegian from Norge.

But when the runners step on the track, any difference in languages disappear.

They're here for one thing, and one thing only—to do their best with the hopes of bringing home a medal.

What's sad is the event attracted more than 5,000 participants. Yet many of the businesses around Sac State  University and Sac City College didn't know about it.

Sure, nearby restaurant employees wondered why they saw more customers and more customers who spoke different languages. But they didn't know why.

During the morning distance events one day at Sac City College, the stands were nearly empty except for a few friends who had come to watch.

The local television stations had a blurb or two at the beginning of the events July 6. But coverage was scant to non-existant after that.

You'd think with the football and basketball lock-outs going on, local t.v. sports would clamor for stories about inspirational athletes.

Take Ed Whitlock, the 80-something runner who continues to shatter age-group records. Whitlock, who calls Canada his home, ran a sub-3-hour marathon when he was 70.

If this is the type of reception that a major sporting event draws in Sacramento, it's no wonder why they have a hard time attracting events.