Here’s a lovely story about a Connecticut police officer making a track comeback after 35 years. Her career was cut short at age 15, when her dad died. But Susan Kassey, the subject of a Hartford Courant report, deserved better. The story is full of mistakes and overstatements. Count ’em in just one paragraph: “Masters competition is for people who are 39 and older. So far, Kassey, who lives in New Britain, has competed in two meets. Her results have been good enough to qualify for the National Masters Track and Field Championship games next summer. According to rankings by USA Track and Field, which organizes these events, Kassey is ranked fifth nationally in her age group in the 55-meter dash, based on her performance in the USA Track and Field Connecticut Open Indoor Track and Field Championships in February. Kassey then went to the Nutmeg State Games in July and did well enough in the long-jump to be ranked eleventh nationally.” Oy vey and OMG.
Only days before getting her WMA World Best Masters Athlete award in Monaco,Lavinia Petrie of Australia added to her record-setting legend. At a Bendigo meet Tuesday night, she ran 3000 meters (a half-lap short of 2 miles) in 12:52.03. That makes her the oldest woman to go sub-13 and beats her own listed W70 world record of 13:07.79. Yowza! By comparison, the American record is 14:41.60 by our friend Mary Harada. The local paper said: “The 71-year-old from Kilsyth achieved 102.73% in age gradings. Petrie was the only competitor to surpass 100 [percent] in the age gradings at this competition. There were 40 starters in the 3km event.” The WMA records page shows her as owning WRs in the 3000, 5000 and 10K. It’s a long time to Lyon worlds. If she enters, she’ll be running on fumes.
David Pain, our Columbus, was honored Sunday by the San Diego Track Club with a lifetime service award. He and pioneer female road runner Donna Gookin were applauded by 200 people at the San Diego Hall of Champions, a sports museum in Balboa Park. Competitor.com ran a story about the awards, named for legendary San Diego streak runner Dale Larabee. “SDTC presented the first award to Donna …, known as the “godmother of women’s long-distance running” in San Diego. Gookin ran the 1972 Boston marathon, the first year women were officially allowed to participate. … After starting the first-ever women’s running division at the Mission Bay Marathon, she won 10 of the 40 women’s divisions she competed in the races that followed.” Coach Paul Greer said: “Both Donna Gookin and David Pain are truly great living examples of why this award was initiated since their lifetime service to the sport of running has spanned over the last 50 years. Many of the programs they introduced to the San Diego running community and worldwide still exist today.” You bet.
Lavinia set 3K and 10K world records on same day in January 2014.
A week before the World Athletics Gala in Monte Carlo, the IAAF itself and British track mag Athletics Weekly have noted the winners of WMA World Best Masters awards — Guido Mullerand Lavinia Petrie. (We had the news nearly two months ago.) WMA posted their credits. (Click on their names above.) I learned a few things about the German legend and Aussie distance star. For example, Guido barely missed making the 1964 Olympics in the 400-meter hurdles. And Lavinia is a “Briton-turned-Australian” who now holds eight world records or world best performances from the W50 to W70 age groups. Guido is quoted as saying: “I regard this recognition not only as an honour for myself, but also as an honour for the masters track and field movement in general. I hope that the Lord will give me the necessary health in the future that I may continue my good results.” Us too, GM. Have fun in Monaco (again).
Willie put on a show at Striders dinner. Click for photo gallery.
Look for the USATF Masters T&F Committee budget to double or triple in the next two or three years. That’s the prediction of Olympian and former world record holder Willie Banks, a member of the USATF Board of Directors since 2009. He made the forecast Saturday night as the featured speaker at the annual awards banquet of the Southern California Striders. The club met at the Park Ave restaurant in the Orange County town of Stanton. Since our 2014 budget is $132,000, we might be around $300,000 in 2016-2017. Where does the moolah come from? Willie’s theory is the Nike’s longterm $500 million deal with USATF will lead to more exposure of the elites (via expanded televised meets) and there greater awareness of our sport, which somehow will trickle down to masters. He says such efforts could make track “again the premiere sport in the United States.”
Olympian Adam Nelson, the 2004 shot gold medalist and 2000 silver medalist, has tweeted: “If eugene gets world championships, I’d consider coming out of retirement for a chance to represent the U.S. In the US.” He refers to the Hayward Field bid to host the 2019 IAAF world outdoor championships. Adam would be 44 at the time of 2019 worlds. The qualifying standard for 2019 hasn’t been set, but it will probably be close to that of 2013: 20.60 (for A standard) and 20.10 for B. That’s 67-7 and 65-11, respectively. The listed M40 world record is Brian Oldfield’s legendary 21.41 (70-3) of 1985. But it would take at least that far to medal in 2019. Hope Adam gets his shot (and considers sticking around for masters)!
Masters Hall of Famer Kathy Martin, 63, confirms that this week’s USATF Athlete of the Week designation was indeed her fourth. “And such an honor,” she graciously writes, responding to my inquiry. “As Masters athletes, we just keep raising the bar for our youth to surpass. It was a good race. Venue [at Indiana masters 5K cross country nationals] was great — not an easy course but every detail was managed. Weather cooperated, although I do think the wind was a factor. Great competition. I just wish we could get more masters interested in our events — especially XC. Andy Martin and Bill Quinlisk are an awesome duo. The differences I have found is the longer time to recover and more maintenance required — just like an aging machine 🙂 Need to stretch and cross-train. No longer just go out and run. Loss of muscle mass and strength is noticeable, so we have to do something to combat it. The need to listen to our body and accommodate the changes in training. Take time to heal if something happens (just had a fracture of foot — dropped granddaughter’s highchair tray on it. OWWWW. Trust you are well and thank you for being so attentive to all that the athletes do.” Thanks, Kathy, and keep on truckin!
Kathy, shown at 2013 Olathe nationals athletes banquet, knows how to take care of herself. But watch out for those pesky highchair trays.
Retire the award. Or at least name it for Kathy Martin. USATF on Wednesday announced its Athlete of the Week honor — and for at least the fourth time since 2011, it goes to our own Kick-Ass Kathy of New York state. She wins it for claiming the masters 5K cross country title (for the umpteenth time). Turns out she also was named USATF AofW for winning the same title in 2011 and 2013. Can’t blame Indy for going back to the well. Kathy dominates the age-graded race as well. And she had to beat Pete Magill out for the latest honor. (Pete was the top men’s racer at Carmel cross nationals.) Anyway, congrats to Kathy and to Indy for being open to back-to-back-to-back-to-back winners.
Kathy dominated at Winston-Salem nationals last summer as well. Whatta gal.
Bob (second from left) with other multi greats in 2009: Emil Pawlik, Phil Raschker and Bill Murray.
Bob Hewitt says he heard of his selection as USATF Masters Male Athlete of the Year from a friend in Stockholm, Sweden. “Lars Wennblom emailed me congrats for being selected male AOY. I told him he must be confused with my 75+ award from 2013,” Bob, now 81, graciously told me via an email Q&A. “After he guided me to the web posting, I emailed Mary (Trotto) and she confirmed the selection. I was both shocked and thrilled.” He told his family, tennis friends and the Portland Masters Track Club. “They are collectively surprised (as am I), supportive, happy, proud and grateful. Of course, they all suspect I may have to replace my existing headware.”
Outpolling the likes of steeplechasers/mile stars Brad Barton and Nolan Shaheed, multi-event record-setter Bob Hewitthas been named USATF Masters Male Athlete of the Year. Oregon Bob is an M80 superstar. He set world indoor records in the long jump and pentathlon and three American records (adding the indoor hep). He competes infrequently, but when he does, all stops come out. In fact, he deserves a WR in the 200-meter hurdles but didn’t make the Committee of One cut for the Anaheim convention. In addition, 36 other American men and women are age-division AoYs, according to votes by the USATF Masters Awards Committee overseen by Mary “Aloha” Trotto. Winner of the David Pain Distinguished Service Award will be announced at the USATF annual meeting in early December. Irene Obera was previously announced as overall USATF Masters Athlete of the Year, so she’s also the USATF Women’s Masters Athlete of the Year. (Making the 80-84 age group the hot one this year.) And watch out for next year! She’s reportedly training for the hep will soon add the javelin, HJ and discus to her repertoire. Go, Irene, go! (And congrats to all the folks below, even if you’re in boring age groups below 80.)
Here are 2014 Masters Athletes of the Year by age division.
Ken has followed track as an athlete, writer and web-master since the late 1960s, and saw most sessions of track and field at the 1984 Los Angeles and 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He also attended the 1988, 1992, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Trials, the last three as a blogger and Patch correspondent. [More...]
