By Jacob Norling
July 15, 2022
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Ahead of competition in the 2022 World Athletics Championships, the German Track and Field National Team has found a home at Westmont College. For the first time in the competitions' history, the World Championships are taking place in the United States. Specifically, competition is taking place at the University of Oregon in Eugene.
 
After connecting with Westmont Track and Field head coach, Russell Smelley, and fellow track and field coach, Tom FitzSimons, the German club arrived on campus at the beginning of July.
 
"Remarkably, a lot of the German managers had been to Santa Barbara previously on vacations," shared Smelley in regards to how the group's stay came to be. "After taking a liking to the area, they found Tom FitzSimons on Instagram, messaged him, and made a connection.
 
"We followed up with them and they came and visited with their head coach and other people. That meeting went well, and then they came back and made one more visit to confirm things. It was a process of them chasing us, and then us opening the door."
 
A total of 135 athletes plus coaches, trainers, doctors, and managers are calling Westmont home for most of the month, as their stay will extend all the way through July 21. The World Championships begin today, July 15, and continue all the way through July 24 in Oregon.
 
"With over a hundred people staying here, there's a lot of logistics involved because not everybody is arriving or leaving on the same day," shared FitzSimons. "The size of this camp has had me on high alert, but we've gotten into a routine and everybody is having a good time."
 
With that, the Germans have several different athletes on different schedules. While some have had their time in Santa Barbara already come to a close, others are still preparing for their trip up the coast.
 
"Today is the 15th, and it is the first day of the World Championships," noted FitzSimons. "We have German athletes today competing along with the rest of the world. With that, we have another group of people here that will still be training for another five days before they take off."
 
Among the athletes still at Westmont are a pair of former World Champions, whom FitzSimons has taken a particular interest in. Westmont fans might also remember that FitzSimons has crossed paths with some of the athletes involved, given his career as a decathlete twice took him to Germany to represent Team USA in the Thorpe Cup.
 
"It's been a lot of fun reconnecting with some people I've competed against in the past, and meeting a whole lot of new people as well," reflected FitzSimons. "Andreas Hoffman, a javelin thrower, is incredible. I've never seen anyone move a med-ball so fast. I've never seen somebody so strong while bouncing around.
 
"Also, there's two World Champions walking on this track today. Niklas Kaul, the 2019 World Champion in the decathlon is here, and so is Malaika Mihambo, who is an Olympic and World Champion in the long jump. It's an honor to be hosting them, and it's safe to say they are enjoying their time here."
 
Also training at Westmont this week are the German pole vaulters, who Westmont Track and Field fans know FitzSimons will have great interest in as well. In recent memory, Westmont fans will remember Warrior-great Seth Wilmoth, who FitzSimons helped coach to two individual National Championships as recently as 2021.
 
For the Germans, Bo Kanda Lita Baehre is the vaulter's best chance to place at the World Championships according to the club's pole vault coach, Christine Adams.
 
"Out of our three pole vaulters, I think Bo has the best chance to compete", said Adams. "Bo has a good chance to get inside the top-five places, if not the top-eighth."
 
In regards to their temporary home, Adams said, "It's really nice here. We were afraid it was going to be too hot, but it is so nice and the view is great. Everything is perfect for training here."
 
The pole vaulters leave Westmont on Tuesday and will compete on Friday, July 22 in Eugene. Training for the men's decathlon, which begins on the penultimate day of the event (July 23), is Kai Kazmirek. Kazmirek is one of the athletes that FitzSimons has reconnected with, as the two shared the track during the Thorpe Cup in 2014.
 
FitzSimons was sure to mention that Kazmirek finished a 400 meter dash well ahead of the American decathlete.
 
Kazmirek, in regards to his time in Santa Barbara, said, "It's an amazing city. We went to State Street and got to spend time with some locals, and it's been very fun to be here. The track is great, the college is great, and the food is great.
 
"The facilities have been really nice as well. We've had a lot of fun here as a team and it's been fun with Tom as well. We leave on Wednesday, and when we get up to Oregon, having fun is the most important thing. I hope to get in the top-eight, maybe even the top-five.
 
"I'm 31 years old, so I'm one of the older ones. For me, having fun is the most important thing."
 
Smelley as well has gotten to spend an extended period of time down on the track while witnessing some of the world's best prepare to compete against their counterparts.
 
"Watching their women's sprinters flying, their distance runners go with such beautiful form, and the throwers using up most of the field has really stood out," said Smelley. "The nicest thing about it is that track and field is a universal language. There are 25 coaches here for their different athletes, but not a lot of egos show up to the track."
 
Looking down the road, the 2028 Summer Olympics come to Los Angeles, and if all goes well this time around, the Germans may return to Westmont Track and Thorrington Field six summers from now. According to Smelley, the club's team managers are very excited about having Westmont as the team's training base, and they lobbied hard this time around to the German National Track and Field Federation to make Westmont the choice.
 
"We'd love to have them here for the LA Olympics in '28," assured Smelley. "After how well things have gone this month, they see that as a possibility now as well."
 
Members of the Santa Barbara and Westmont community are welcome to come watch the athletes train before the remainder of the club departs for Oregon in the middle of next week. Fans in attendance will have access to the Thorrington Field stands.