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Leeds Beckett lecturer selected to officiate IAAF World Athletics Championships
The race walking events will take place on The Mall on Sunday 13 August and will feature Leeds Beckett students and alumni including Tom Bosworth, Callum Wilkinson and Gemma Bridge.
Ian is an IAAF level 2 Race Walking Judge and is a member of the European Athletics Area Race Walking Judges Panel. He regularly officiates at national level competitions and was judging the London Diamond League, when Leeds Beckett alumni Tom Bosworth set the World Best in the mile walk.
Ian has officiated at several international athletics competitions over the last few years including the IAAF Race Walking Challenge meetings in Portugal and Spain, and the 2016 European Athletics Under 18 Championships in Georgia.
As well as officiating, he is part of the tutor team for British Athletics Officials education pathway, and is also involved as a track judge at local and regional level, and mentors new race walking judges.
Speaking about being selected to officiate the IAAF World Athletics Championship, Ian said: “It is a great honour to be selected to officiate at the Championships. This is the culmination of many years volunteering in athletics, and to be given such an important role at this event in such an iconic location as The Mall is worth the many hours spent on the track and roadside. The icing on the cake for me is the number of Leeds Beckett and National Centre for Race Walking athletes that will be competing.”
Alongside his officiating, Ian has also played a key role in the development and success of the National Centre for Race Walking which is based at Leeds Beckett University, and has been involved in the organisation and delivery of major athletics events, such as being the Event Director of the 2007 European Race Walking Cup.
Whilst Ian has been preparing for his judging role, race walkers from Canada have been using facilities at Leeds Beckett to help them prepare for the competition. Canada’s Evan Dunfee is amongst the favourites in the Men’s 50K walk.
Gerry Dragomir, a Canadian Coach and former world masters champion, said they’ve been enjoying their time in Leeds: “We’re taking a little time here in Leeds before we move onto London to give us a bit of sea level time. Leeds is gorgeous. We like the university, the environment and the people. We particularly enjoyed our 10k walk around Chapel Allerton – nice area.
“We don’t have a lot of volume in Canada in terms of athletes but we have high quality. The two athletes that we have are both looking longingly at the top of the podium. It was very close in the Olympics last year, and this time I think we’ve figured it out.”
As well Leeds Beckett alumni Tom Bosworth and current students Callum Wilkinson and Gemma Bridge who are competing for Great Britain, there are also Leeds Beckett alumnus representing two other countries – Alex Wright and Brendan Boyce for Ireland and Quentin Rew for New Zealand.