It did not go as planned for high-jumper Mike Mason, of Nanoose Bay, on Friday in Tokyo, but anybody with the staying power to be in his fourth Olympic Games has little to apologize for. The 34-year-old Islander was seventh in Group B at 2.25 metres and did not advance to the final.
鈥淚t was all really good until it wasn鈥檛, to get right to the point,鈥� said the Ballenas Secondary graduate, who was a finalist in placing seventh at the last world championships in 2019 at Doha.
鈥淸My attempts] just flew by. I don鈥檛 even know what happened. I鈥檓 at a loss for words.鈥�
Mason has a bronze medal from the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and silver medals from the 2015 Toronto and 2019 Lima Pan Am Games, but the biggest podium has eluded him.
After the immediate disappointment was dealt with in Tokyo, Mason was more reflective: 鈥淭his my fourth 颅[Olympics]. I love it. I love the competition. Being out there was a really good atmosphere and I鈥檓 proud of the work I鈥檝e done. And a huge thanks to my family and friends. And my coaches who worked so hard with me.鈥�
Mason has not ruled out anything, including a possible fifth Olympics at Paris in 2024: 鈥淸Still working on] being better as a high jumper and being more consistent,鈥� he said.
And the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games are only a year away. 鈥淚鈥檓 not focusing on longevity records or lists or anything like that 鈥� [but] I鈥檓 not ruling anything out,鈥� he said, heading into Tokyo.
It was a big day, however, for Mason鈥檚 Canadian teammate Django Lovett of Toronto, who achieved 2.28 metres and qualified first out of Group A for the final today.
鈥淚 had a plan and executed it and things went accordingly,鈥� said Lovett.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited to make the final, but still maintaining my composure throughout the competition. There鈥檚 still a job to do. So I鈥檓 very much focused. It鈥檚 definitely a strong field, but I think I鈥檓 just as strong as any of them. If I continue my momentum I鈥檓 sure I can put myself in contention.鈥�
Also in track and field at the Olympics, Canadian 颅record-holder Melissa Bishop, who trained in Victoria in 颅preparation for the Tokyo Games, ran 2:02.11 in her preliminary women鈥檚 800-metre race and did not advance.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not a nice position to be in. It鈥檚 my third Games and I know a lot can go down on that track, no matter the round. You have to run all these rounds as a final,鈥� said Bishop, the former world championships silver medallist, who was fourth in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
鈥淭hat was all I could give. I really hate this position. I鈥檇 rather have a DQ. It鈥檚 much more satisfying.鈥�
Mohammed Ahmed of sa国际传媒 was a credible sixth in the men鈥檚 10,000-metre final Friday.
Alycia Butterworth of Parksville and Gen Lalonde of Victoria go for it today in the Olympic women鈥檚 3,000-metre steeplechase with the first qualifying race set for 5:40 p.m. PT and the second at 5:55 PT.
