Dear Listers, I was just reading the NJ Star Ledger and they had a story about how the lap counter at a meet did not ring the bell lap provoking the anchor leg on a HS DMR to run an extra lap. His 4-lap split was 4:23, and he was very annoyed that had the bell rang, he could've sprinted and maybe his team had a chance at the meet record (which they missed by mere seconds). I get very angry when things like this happens because the officials are there for a particular reason and they fail to (at times) realize it. In AAU competiton last year, I witnessed an official stop 3 consecutive 3,000m races a lap short! I can understand one, but 3!! He even went over to one of the participants, who was now at a water cooler, and informed her that she had an additional lap! What if she didn't advance? Another example occurred an indoor county meet in NJ, where the official physically prevented the runners from exchanging the baton and attempted to make them run an extra lap. Officials, pay attention to the track, PLEASE!!
Larry A. Morgan, Sr. Elizabeth Heat TC
