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World Championships Wild Cards Benefitting SportPublished by
Wild Card WondersPublished by The Gleaner on June 18, 2015 When the IAAF introduced the World Championships' wild card in 1997, it wasn't welcomed by all. It seemed to appear all too suddenly to save superstar American Michael Johnson, who was struggling with injury a year after his wondrous 200/400 double at the Atlanta Olympics. The wild-card provision ensures that defending champions, like Johnson was in 1997, are guaranteed a place in the next World Championship and are certain to enhance the meet with their prowess and presence. It's looking like a pretty good decision now. Star throwers Robert Harting and Valerie Adams are recovering from surgeries. The giant German and the dominant New Zealander both need more time than they would have if they needed to prove their fitness to their home federations in the here and now. The same goes for Ashton Eaton, the decathlon world record holder, who withdrew from a meet recently because of injury. All three are superstars and, if they are absent from the World Championships in Beijing this August, they will leave a huge gap. Read the full article at: jamaica-gleaner.com
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