My favorite shot from 2006 Charlotte nationals. Yes, hot.
Bob Weiner and his marketing team have produced another detailed previewof nationals, beginning: “More than 40 reigning world masters track and field champions who won gold at the last World Masters indoor or outdoor championships and at least six Olympians will be among over 1100 athletes 30-95+ years old, including the world’s and nation’s best, competing at the USA National Masters Track & Field Championships in Winston-Salem, NC, Thursday through Sunday, July 17-20. The meet will be at WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY’S Kentner Stadium, 1834 Wake Forest Road.” (But it errs in calling this the first national masters track championship in the region. Charlotte held the meet in 2006, as evidenced by this photo gallery.) At least six Olympians are set for Winston-Salem, including old reliables Ed Burke (throws) and Jim Barrineau (high jump).
Brad Barton recovered well enough from his 4:17.54 mile at age 48 well enough to describe his race Wednesday at Chula Vista’s Olympian High School. He talks about pace a lot. But looking at the video, one has a hard time finding fault with his race. He’s just a perfectionist. In any case, see my story at Times of San Diego, and check this out:
Brad Barton was disoriented and glassy eyed after running a mile in 4:17.54 this week. And no wonder. He’s 48 and had missed weeks of training with a groin strain. But he made an amazing effort at Olympian High School in Chula Vista. See my coverage of the magic man at Times of San Diego, where my wife, Chris, shot dramatic photos of the event. Brad is entered in the 1500 at North Carolina nationals and will be pushed by Nick Berra and Francis Burdett. He could run the oldest sub-4 15 as well, if conditions allow. (The M45 WR is 3:52.43 by Spain’s Jesus Borrego, 46, in 2008.) I shot video of Brad’s mile and will post when time allows.
Brad reacts after hearing he missed Tony Young’s M45 WR by 1.5 seconds.
USATF reports on Friday’s Diamond League meet in Glasgow, Scotland: “Gia Lewis-Smallwood turned in a major victory in the women’s discus, throwing a personal best of 67.59m/221-9. Lewis-Smallwood upset reigning European, World and Olympic champion Sandra Perkovic of Russia in the process, ending the Croatian’s unbeaten Diamond League streak of 11.” That extends Gia’s recent W35 AR of 65.96 meters (216-5). The WR remains 69.60 (228-4) by Russia’s Faina Myelnik. The Chicago Tribune added details: “It also made Champaign’s Lewis-Smallwood the third-longest woman in U.S. history, just six inches from Stephanie Brown-Trafton’s U.S. record. ‘This is the one thing you can be pretty doggone old and still throw well,’ she told the Champaign News-Gazette this week. ‘It’s not like any of the other sports. Thirty-five is not like you are barely holding on by your fingernails. That’s the reason why I picked the discus. I knew I could have a very long career.’”
Karen Davis shown with the pin being distributed at next week’s Winston-Salem nationals.
When you pick up your packet at North Carolina nationals next week, look for a pink pin with running shoes. A note will explain why. M55 sprinter Craig Davis is behind this. He writes: “(My wife) Karen was diagnosed in April with HER2 positive breast cancer. which is an aggressive, fast-growing type. [I] will not be competing this year and will not be attending this year’s masters championship in Winston-Salem but will be there in spirit.” He also has a Facebook page and Twitter feed. “I have wanted to share our journey with Karen’s cancer because this is not an easy road to travel. After reading [about] Randy Sturgeon, I now truly understand what he is going through. And as a sprinter, I have found that speed is critical with cancer. We have received great support from our track & field community and we hope that our page may help someone near and dear to you as you all of been our hope/support.”
Brad at an earlier race. Photos from his M45 outdoor WR mile attempt will be up soon.
Brad Barton of Utah said he felt his wheels were like peglegs on the final straight Wednesday night at a USATF San Diego all-comers meet. He had come through the half in 2:08 and the 1320 in maybe 3:13 and was ready to burn the final quarter. But in a near-solo effort, he ran the first 100 of the last lap a little too fast and paid for it. The result was an incredible performance: 4:17.54 for the mile. At 48, the steeple specialist is likely history’s oldest sub-4:20 miler. But the cheers of the small infield crowd vanished as he crossed the line when the clock showed he had fallen short of Tony Young’s listed M45 world record of 4:16.09. And an incredible performance became an incredible disappointment — in Brad’s mind. He groaned as he heard the time, announced by sub-4 miler Paul Greer, himself about to turn 50. Brad was paced by 29-year-old sub-4 man Darren Brown (son of steeple great Barry Brown), but it was all Brad on a supremely gutsy last lap at Olympian High School in Chula Vista, not far from the Olympic Training Center. We’ll have more details, photos and video soon. For now, join me in saluting an effort worthy of an Olympian.
Why wait for official results? Thanks to the magic of Twitter, you (and I) can read and share real-time updates about USATF masters nationals July 17-20 at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I’ll tweet when I can, but if I’m dozing, anyone with a smart phone or iPad can chip in. Just use the hashtag #WSnats in your tweet, and the timeline will display what you say. Be creative. Add photos or video. Link to your blog. Talk back. We’re all in this together. Have fun and stay safe in the heat!
Hall of Famer Flo Meiler of Vermont is a multi-event legend. But like Olga Kotelko, Flo is just coming into her prime — as an 80-year-old. On June 21, two weeks after entering her new age group, Flo became the oldest female steepler on record — and upped the WR in the vault several times as well. (Results are here for the USATF meet in Albany, New York.) According to her local paper, Flo “broke the world pole vault record, 5-6, on her first attempt at the (USATF) Adirondack Association Open & Masters Track & Field Championships East Region…. The previous age 80 record was 4-7 held by both Johnnye Valien of the U.S. in 2005 and Christel [Happ] of Germany in 2010. Meiler proceeded to break the record three more times with vaults of 5-8, 5-10 and 6 feet (1.83 meters). She declined to continue competing in the pole vault, because she was slated to participate in the hammer throw and discus. It was a good decision, as she won a gold medal in both events.”
More than 50 men and women gathered over the Fourth of July weekend in Neosho, Missouri, for a renewal of the USA vs. UK decathlon rivalry, also serving as USATF masters nationals. The result? American records in the M50 decathlon (officially recognized) and W40 dec (not). According to results posted on Jeff Watry’s decamouse site, M50 Brian Coushay’s 7467 and W40 Jessica Reifer’s 5515 are ARs. Brian fell just 89 points short of the listed WR of 7556 by Italy’s Hubert Indra in 2007. (But a pending WR of 7897 was claimed by France’s Jean-Luc Duez a month ago.) The listed AR is 7022 by Jim Russ at 2007 worlds. Brian’s marks were: 100 in 11.93, long jump 6.33, shot put 11.63, high jump 1.75, 400 in 56.68, 100 hurdles in 16.99, discus 40.53, pole vault 3.20, javelin 44.14 and 1500 in 5:47.36. Jessica did 100 in 13.87, discus 17.47, pole vault 2.70, javelin 26.06, 400 in 1:06.53, 100 hurdles in 14.01, long jump 4.37, shot put 6.95, high jump 1.34 and 1500 in 5:36.15. (Ladies do events out of standard order.)
Results and photos have been posted for Bubba Sparks’ first Masters Pole Vault Symposium and Competitionlate last month in Dana Point, California, south of L.A. It drew nearly two dozen vaulters from around the country. “This was a grand event and thanks go to all who sponsored and contributed to its success, and mainly to Bubba and Nancy Sparks who opened their home to host the social activities,” writes John Altendorf. “The extra marks after 3 misses are when the vaulter bought another attempt. (Of course those were not counted in the scoring.)” Great photos were posted by Jodi Altendorf. More details are onBubba’s blog.
Team shot of participants in clinic/meet in Dana Point. Bubba’s in the box.
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...]
