As CMA members know, each month an athlete is selected as the “CMA outstanding athlete of the month”. What some of you may not know are the criteria used to compare performances across various athletics disciplines, ages and genders. The highest weighting is given to world record breakers (such as Earl Fee and Karla Del Grande in July). However, athletes who have already won AOTM honours in the calendar year are excluded from the voting. Consideration is also given for CMA record breaking performances, age-grading, world ranking, breaking long-standing records, and the profile of the track meet where the performance occurred. A representative from each Canadian province and territory can vote for AOTM. Consensus is rare so discussions are held and representatives are given the opportunity to change their votes until a majority is achieved. For example, in July 2019 the following athletes set new CMA records: Earl, Karla, Sunette Lessing, Kristen Dajia, Nicole Carlos, Kris Kozell, Jean-Pierre Mayer, and Eric Forshaw. The committee decided that since both Kristen and Kris broke two CMA records that they would be named co-winners.
At the NCCMA in Toronto, Kristen set a new CMA W55 record in the throws pentathlon with 3523 points and also broke the weight throw record with a distance of 12.06m. Kris broke CMA W65 records in the 1500m and 5000m racewalks, both in Montreal, with times of 8:34.73 and 29:51.72, respectively.
Congratulations to co-winners of AOTM honours for July 2019,
Kristen Dajia and Kris Kozell
