Under Age records (BLOE era)

bitrot

Back in the day (quarter+ century ago), I won many national titles - Community Games, Schools, BLOE. I emigrated from Ireland almost 20 years ago. I only recently found out that BLE/BLOE as an organization no longer exists. What I would really like to find out is whether 2 of my age records set in 1979 and 1980 still exist. The nearest thing I could find was the Youth bests on the AAI site where Youth is any age under 17. I am seeking the old BLOE format where records were recorded per age (U-10, U-11 all the way to U-17).

Linford

bitrot wrote:

Back in the day (quarter+ century ago), I won many national titles - Community Games, Schools, BLOE. I emigrated from Ireland almost 20 years ago. I only recently found out that BLE/BLOE as an organization no longer exists. What I would really like to find out is whether 2 of my age records set in 1979 and 1980 still exist. The nearest thing I could find was the Youth bests on the AAI site where Youth is any age under 17. I am seeking the old BLOE format where records were recorded per age (U-10, U-11 all the way to U-17).

In the late 80s early 90s when I competed in the above many of the races weren't even timed. Was there ever/is there now proper underage records kept?

Always thought it was funny that I competed in my local community games in Belfield, the Dublin community games in Santry and when I made it to the all Ireland community games it was held in a rain soaked field in the middle of no where.

bitrot

Linford
I do recall a very comprehensive under-age record list published in some commercial athletics magazine in the early 80s. All national champioonships I competed in were timed and usually meet records were listed in the program for that event. New records would be announced over the PA etc.

I set an U-14 100m record of 11.2 back in 1980 (on a cinder track) which lopped off 0.4 off the existing record. I've always wanted to find out how "Beamon-esque" this record would be. Could it still possibly hold to this day?

Linford

bitrot wrote:

Linford
I do recall a very comprehensive under-age record list published in some commercial athletics magazine in the early 80s. All national champioonships I competed in were timed and usually meet records were listed in the program for that event. New records would be announced over the PA etc.

I set an U-14 100m record of 11.2 back in 1980 (on a cinder track) which lopped off 0.4 off the existing record. I've always wanted to find out how "Beamon-esque" this record would be. Could it still possibly hold to this day?

That's pretty quick for a 14 year old. Maybe things changed in the following decade, but I never recall it being that organised. I remember there being school records but that was broken down into Minor, Junior, Intermediate and Senior.

Did you continue running/get any faster?

Common Sense

From my many years of involvement with BLOE I don't recall there ever being 'records'. What they had was championship best performances, which related only to a relevant championships such as Dublin, National etc. In any event, it would be very difficult to compare times records between now and the 80s as the age year, to the best of my recollection been been changed three times in that period - September, January and, currently December. So an under 16 under the 'January rule' would be an under 17 under the current rules.

thirtyfoot

Yes they were championship best performances and unless it was a middle distance or field event it was dubious as non electronic timings in a sprint event are a joke. I still have a cbp in a short sprint and it was 0.5 ahead of the pace I know I was really running at the time.

To the op, fair play to you. I'll have a look at home to find an old BLOE programme and scan if I can find it.

louthandproud

Linford wrote:

In the late 80s early 90s when I competed in the above many of the races weren't even timed. Was there ever/is there now proper underage records kept?

Always thought it was funny that I competed in my local community games in Belfield, the Dublin community games in Santry and when I made it to the all Ireland community games it was held in a rain soaked field in the middle of no where.

That was just so us mucksavages could compete with ye slick Dublin folks! LOL just kidding, but maybe some truth in it.