Eye Opener director Jack Todd is missing the 2006 meet for only the second time. Todd missed the meet in 1988. "I missed 1988 when I was coaching the U.S. Blind Track and Field Team at the Paralympics (Seoul)," said Todd. "Jim Kilbreth (Spartanburg/Summerville HS) was the meet director that year."
According to usolympicteam.com more than 1,500 athletes from 72 countries are expected to compete. U.S. Paralympics will send 36 athletes.
This year, Todd is serving as Chief International Technical Official (ITO) at the IPC Athletics World Championships in Assen, The Netherlands.
Todd mentioned his role as ITO along with others, is as follows, "Our role will be to observe the conduct of each event to ensure the rules are followed (especially rule adaptations for the disabled). I have been assigned as the Chief ITO. As such, I will likely have more administrative duties than on-track duties."
Former South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind in Spartanburg student-athletes Josiah Jamison and Royal Mitchell are competing in the meet, according to Todd. "Both are currently residing at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista until the (2008) Beijing Paralympics," Todd said. "Royal tore his quadriceps at the Trials six weeks ago and may not be ready to compete (at the IPC World Championships). He set a new world record for a visually impaired runner earlier this year at 10.90."
The event starts Sept. 2 and concludes Sept. 10.
The 2006 Eye Opener is slated for Sept. 9 at Milliken Plant in Spartanburg.
Todd served as ITO at the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney, the 2002 World Championships in Lille, France, and 2004 Paralympics in Athens.
Todd has been involved with the Eye Opener for 23 years, counting 2006 where Eric Cummings (Riverside HS) and Jimmy Stephens (USC-Upstate) are helping with meet operations.
More details about the IPC Championships can be found at wkatletiek.nl.