What would Gandhi do? (Fast for a ticket to meet?)
Reporting from Mangaldai in northeast India, local papers are telling the story of Kunja Lata Boro, a “poor but talented female athlete from a remote area of the State, who has been compelled to sell her power tiller and keep her agri land on mortgage only to meet the financial expenditure to represent the Indian national team in the 18th Asian Masters Athletics Championship to be held at Kitakami, Iwate Prefecture in Japan from September 19 to 23.” Another account appeared in the Assam Tribune. It said: “Though both [needy athletes] approached the State Government, Sports Department and Deputy Commissioner for financial assistance, they returned empty-handed. However Minister of State for Fisheries, Information & Public Relations Basanta Das has offered them an amount of Rs 10,000 each.” This puts new spin on the offer of money for medals. Westerners sacrifice for track travel, no doubt, but has anyone taken out a mortgage?
Track season is on its last legs, so you’re s—outtaluck if you want to qualify for the 2015 National Senior Games, right? Not so fast. As we learn from the Las Vegas paper, the Nevada Senior Games provide a last-chance meet for next year’s NSG in Minneapolis. The story says: “Nevada is considered an ‘open state,’ meaning residents from other states and countries may participate in the Nevada games to qualify for the U.S. nationals. ….” An organizer says: “Since we’re smaller and later in the year, we do get quite a few out-of-state participants that perhaps didn’t qualify in their state, so they’re trying to qualify through ours.” Nice! Just put up with the heat. Here’s info on the Nevada SG, set for Sept. 22 to Oct. 12.
Whether you’re a disease or music genre, you haven’t made it until you’ve become the subject of a symposium. So check it out! Part of the Pan Pacific Masters Games in November is a two-day symposium on masters sports. We are told: “The aim of the conference is simple. To bring together some of the world’s leading masters athlete research scientists and practitioners to share their knowledge with masters athletes, coaches, sport administrators, health promoters, clinicians and health allied health practitioners working with masters athletes and older exercisers.” Cool. One of the speakers is our old friend Peter Raeburn, who literally wrote the book on the niche. Thetrack meet, BTW, is at City of Gold Coast Athletics Track. Good on you, guys!
Poor cropping but great shot on site. That’s how to put your brain in the game!
Gotta give credit to Yomiuri Shimbun, another major Japanese newspaper. Its own story about the “116-year-old” sprinter entered at Asian WMA regionals showed some healthy skepticism. But it quoted the president of the Asia Masters Athletics as saying: “But there might really be a 116-year-old person in India.” Whatever. But at least we learn the events the gent is tackling: the 100, 200, 400 and 800. What we don’t learn (from this or the previous article) is the guy’s name. What gives? Face-saving? Elder-honoring? Google Dharmapal Gujjar and see who fingers the guy. Grow a pair, Japan press.
I’m not sure if this is Dutch masters nationals, but results here look pretty solid. The headline, translated, reads: “Final Masters competition 2014.” The text above results links reads: “The results of women’s javelin throw is not in the results file. I can not for export. Them from the software along The outcome of javelin women is to download separately. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
View of Dutch track site. Where is it, my Holland-speaking friends?
A recent story about a W60 Philippine star (“javelin queen Erlinda Lavandia”) prepping for WMA’s Asian regional meet shares info of nations entering: “Other countries to be present during the 18th AMAC will include Uzbekistan, Brunei, Indonesia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, China, India, Iran, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Japan, Hong Kong, and Chinese Taipei.” Their combined populations? What, close to 3 billion? Too bad only a handful are exposed to masters track and allowed to travel to Kitakami Sports Park in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. Otherwise, the meet September 19-23 could smash a bunch of records. Seems it will be well-organized. The LOC in June put out a call for translators. “In this year’s compionships, athletes, council members and related parties from 45 affiliate countries will gather in Kitakami,” said the LOC.
The National Art Museum of Sport this week announced awards for the 4th Annual International Fine Art Competition, called Commitment to Excellence in Art & Sport. Medals for 2D works were awarded, including a bronze to Peter Hlavin of Aliso Viejo, California. Yes, that’s our Peter Hlavin, the former M55 American record-holder in the high jump. A news release said: “The National Art Museum of Sport, NCAA and New Canaan Historical Society will host an awards ceremony and opening night reception for the competition exhibition featuring the artwork of the finalists at the New Canaan Historical Society, 13 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, CT, Sunday, September 7, 5-7pm EST. A special preview for families with young children will be Sunday from 3-5pm. Sponsors of the competition will attend a preview and VIP reception Saturday, September 6, 5-7pm. Christine D. Glidden, Redding, CT, is chairman of the competition and exhibit. … The exhibit is open to the public through November 3, 2014.” Congrats, Peter! Tell us where you get your art ideas!
As noted, Randy Sturgeon gave the USATF Historical Archive Committee permission to post complete early issues of National Masters News. Today the first 28 issues of this pivotal publication appeared on mastershistory.org. They are color, searchable PDFs. That means if your name was in the paper between the summer of 1977 and December 1980, you’ll find it. Many photos grace these issues as well. Among current stars who showed up in NMN during its infancy was Irene Obera, who set a bunch of records in 1979 and was named Masters Athlete of the Year. She was 45. Read Al Sheahen’s fire-breathing reports on issues in the World Association of Veteran Athletes and Mike Tymn’s first columns. On behalf of the USATF-funded committee (me, Jeff Davison and Andy Hecker), I welcome you to view these historic documents. (Easy way to search the issues: In Google, type: site:mastershistory.org “Your Name or Keyword Here”)
First 10 covers had no photos, but were packed with bold reporting and opinions.
Randy’s last major meet was 2010 Sacramento nationals, near home.
Randy Sturgeon, who bought National Masters News in November 2006 and gave it up last January amid a cancer fight, died with dignity and courage about 5 a.m. Thursday. NMN’s current owners followed Facebook postings with an email that said: “It is with heavy hearts that we share with you the news of Randy Sturgeon’s passing. Randy, former publisher of National Masters News, coach, athlete and friend to all in Masters LDR and Track & Field, slipped away peacefully early this morning after a long and hard fought battle with cancer. He will be greatly missed.” In May 2013, he gave people hope that he was beating mouth and throat cancer. But in July 2014, he was looking at the end game, writing “The plan is a two- to three-week break and then start a lesser chemo regimen [or] go with none. None really isn’t an option because they want to keep the mouth cancer in check [and] focus on the lung, giving me some more quality days. I am hopeful. However, I am okay and ready to go home anytime the Lord calls. I just want to finish with grace, dignity and at home with friends and family. That is the best thing that can happen.”
If track and field is ageless, then so is the hunger for attention. Remember Dharmapal Gujjar — the skinny sprinter claiming to be 116? Well, he’s baaaccck. Otherwise reputable Japanese mega-newspaper Asahi Shimbun reports (without using his name) that DG has entered the Asian Masters Athletics Championships in Kitikami City, Japan. The credulous headline: “At 116, Indian man ready to take on younger athletes.” Gag me with a Pacer pole. At least the newspaper quotes the chairman of Japan Masters Athletics as saying: “He looks a far cry from 116 years old in the photo. If (the man’s age) proves authentic, it would be astonishing news.” Don’t bet on it, fella.
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...]
September 13, 2014
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Track season is on its last legs, so you’re s—outtaluck if you want to qualify for the 2015 National Senior Games, right? Not so fast. As we learn from the Las Vegas paper, the Nevada Senior Games provide a last-chance meet for next year’s NSG in Minneapolis. The story says: “Nevada is considered an ‘open state,’ meaning residents from other states and countries may participate in the Nevada games to qualify for the U.S. nationals. ….” An organizer says: “Since we’re smaller and later in the year, we do get quite a few out-of-state participants that perhaps didn’t qualify in their state, so they’re trying to qualify through ours.” Nice! Just put up with the heat. Here’s info on the Nevada SG, set for Sept. 22 to Oct. 12.
