Team Manager Report: 2023 IAU 24hr World Championships in Taiwan

I volunteered to be the Aussie 24hr Team Manager at the IAU 24hr World Championships in Taiwan recently (1 December) for a number of reasons. 

Several team members had qualified at the 24hr race I host in Australia and I wanted to support them further at the World Champs. I’m the local organising committee for the IAU Asia & Oceania 24hr Championships in Australia for 2024 and so wanted to bring my event manager along to these World Champs to assess everything and ensure we are well prepared for next year. 

I’ve raced 24hr in Taiwan three times before and knew I could offer the team some valuable local knowledge. I retired from running in 2021 and miss the Aussie 24hr team experience. I had several goals as Team Manager:

1. Make the World Champs as stress free as possible for all runners and their crew so they could put all of their energy into the race.
2. Ensure we, as a team, were well organised, over prepared and able to deliver our best on the day.
3. Focus on team culture, comradery and the Aussie spirit.
4. Make the whole World Champs experience, not just the race itself, a magic memory for all of team. 

All of the runners’ race reports since give a great recap of the event, results and their race experiences so I don’t feel the need to cover them again as well. I would like to share my magic moments though from each of the team members and what will stick with me. 

Summarised in no particular order - a reenergised Matt Griggs pushing for the team result, Chrissy Redwood staying to crew and support the team after injury ended her race, Kev Muller grinding to set the example as Men’s Captain, Allicia Heron wiping tears from her face from injury pain to continue leading as Female Captain, Cassie Cohen in the medical tent on an IV after giving it everything and collapsing at the end of race, Jenny White hitting a new 24hr PB and literally smiling the whole race, Maree Connor breaking an Australian Age Group Record that has stood for 8 years, John Yoon showing once again just how smart he is when it comes to pacing, Grant Brisbin smashing a new PB and running with pure focus, Joe Ward running until his legs no longer could and then collapsing, Sharene Blake with a massive PB and running with pure gratitude, and finally Michael Hooker rolling the dice and being a wind break for Aleksandr Sorokin. 

Thank you to the six official crew members and several unofficials who helped tirelessly in the crew tent and who contributed immeasurably to the success of the team. Thank you to AURA for allowing me to volunteer as Team Manager and thank you to each of the runners for being such great Aussie ambassadors. It was a privilege to witness so many magic moments and displays of Aussie spirit. Our team’s performance, comradery and conduct didn’t go unnoticed and it’s the envy to many others I’m sure. 

I can’t wait until April 2024 where we get to do it all again, but this time on home soil. 

Matthew Eckford
AURA Vice President since 2020