The Beijing 2015 stats book is now available for download...

If the world track & field championships are around the corner, that means that the IAAF’s statistics handbook is ready for download!

The IAAF statistics handbook is now available for download in advance of the IAAF world track & field championships that begin a week from Saturday at the Bird’s Nest in Beijing, which hosted the 2008 Olympics.

Produced in collaboration with the Association of Track & Field Statisticians (ATFS) and edited by renowned statistician Mark Butler, the 830-page book is nothing short of a historical and statistical feast for media and fans alike.

In addition to complete results – including each round of every event – from each of the previous 13 editions of the IAAF World Championships, the book also includes important facts and figures from the championships, an analysis of performance trends, superlatives, and listings of multiple medallists and placing tables.

Also included are results from past major championships: The Olympic Games, other IAAF World Athletics Series events, and area championships. There is also a World and continental records section, all-time world lists, listings of national records, a section outlining official World record progressions as well as biographical summaries of many of the stars expected to figure prominently at the World Championships.

The publication is available as an e-book, which makes it easy to go through the pages with your web browser.

The link is available here.

Meanwhile, USATF media manager Amanda Brooks has posted some photos from Team USA’s training camp in Narita, Japan.

Click here to get an up-close look at what the team is up to a week before the world championships.

Finally, for those readers in the USA, here is the NBC/Universal Sports broadcast schedule for the world championships:

NBC (Channel 105 on Comcast in Seattle)—All times listed are Eastern time

Saturday August 22:  3p-430p

Sunday August 23:  1p-230p

Saturday August 29: 230p-4p

Sunday August 30: 2p-330p

The Universal Sports broadcast schedule (most are live) is available here.  Note that Comcast in Seattle does not offer Universal Sports.   It is available on DirectTV, Dish Network, and Verizon FiOS, among other providers.

paulmerca.blogspot.com will be in Beijing to cover Washington athletes at the world championships beginning August 21st.