Paul Alsdorf writes: <<Ritz is currently 19 years, 5 months, right? �If Sanchez was older than this when he set his record, then it really doesn't make sense to call his performance the junior record.>>
Sanchez was just 19 years and a couple of weeks, but that doesn't weaken your argument. The fact that such a thing could happen indeed illustrates that the system is flawed. Paul then says <<While the overlap of birthdays and big meets will never give everyone the chance to peak at 19 years, 364 days at the world juniors, a system that allows junior competition until the 20th birthday will at least ensure that all under-20 performances are record-eligible. �This strikes me as the only fair way to look at the relative impressiveness of a mark, anyway.>> I still maintain that the by-birthday system is also flawed becuase of seasonal restraints. Not all events are the same, but let's look at the 5K, since that's our example to begin with. For all practical purposes, the window for setting an AJR in that event is roughly April 1 through June 15 (maybe less). If you find someone with a 3/30 birthdate, then he is a Junior (in the competitive window) when he's 19y,0M, 19y1M, 19y1.5M. Somebody with a 6/16 bd is a Junior when he's 19y10.5M, 19y11M, 19y12M. Bottom line is that age-based competition is artificial, no matter what you do. gh
