OK, now we’re really confused. After posting the “final schedule” for North Carolina nationals, USATF has published a new sked, dated July 5, that contradicts a comment by national masters Chairman Gary Snyder. That same day, Gary wrote: “The posted schedule is in error. ALL 10k events are on THURSDAY July 17th at 7:30 AM.” I assumed he was referring to the first posted sked of July 2. But the latest schedule shows “W30-84 10000 Meter Run Finals” and “M70-84 10000 Meter Run Finals” on Thursday, “M30-59 10000 Meter Run Finals” on Friday and “M60-69 10000 Meter Run Finals” on Saturday. Under the latest scenario, “Thursday will begin at 7:30 a.m. with a monster 10,000 run of 32 people, including women of all ages plus the men 70+,” a friend writes. The situation is ironic in that many of the best 10K masters runners bypass track nationals since their main season is winter and spring, where club XC nationals and road runs/spring open meets command their attention. The elites tend to rest during the late summer. We hope this matter gets resolved soon.
Start of race at 2010 Sacramento nationals. (Anyone see themselves?)
Nice joint for a track meet in Turkey. Whodathunk it?
What would happen if USATF saw its top technical official quit a month before masters nationals? Right, I have no idea either. But that’s the scenario across the sea, where the Eurovets are holding their 19th championships next month in the Turkish town of Izmir (AtatĂĽrk Stadium, to be specific.) A week ago, EVAA President Kurt Kaschke of Germany sent out a pleading email: “Last weekend EVAA Council had a SKYPE meeting about the resignation of EVAA Technical Director Nicola Maggio. He resigned on Monday 16th at the meeting in Torun. To make a decision – so shortly before our EVAA Stadia Championships in Izmir – I asked EVAA Council members for a proposal. We all agreed to nominate Jean Marcel Martin for “Acting Technical Director” until the General Assembly in Izmir.” BTW, deadline for entry is today (July 6), according to the EVAA site. See this report for more info on the biggest masters meet of the year.
Maryline uploaded this image to her Facebook page in solidarity with Randy.
Sprinter Maryline Roux reported on her Facebook page Friday that Randy Sturgeon, the former publisher of National Masters News in a fight with cancer, was headed for the hospital and could use prayers. “I just talked to him and he is going to the ER now,” she said. On June 24, Randy himself posted: “Just wanted to update you on what is happening. I got so sick from having chemo five days in a row. There was a reason for it, to get the mouth under-control. 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.” Randy has been courage personified through this ordeal. We share Maryline’s sentiments.
Jerry “Throws Guy” Bookin-Weiner shares news of two American records set Saturday and Sunday at the USATF East Region Masters Championships at Howard Community College in Columbia, Maryland. He writes: “There were 177 athletes entered, the total held down by competition from the New England Association Championships unfortunately held in the Boston area the same weekend. We had two American records set by Marilyn Coleman (W39 thrower from the Shore AC in New Jersey). One of them, in the 20-pound weight throw, exceeded the current record of 14.71 meters (48-3 1/4) by just one centimeter. The other, in the 35-pound superweight throw, shattered the mark she set the previous weekend at the East Region Ultraweight Pentathlon Championships in Chelmsford, MA. Her mark Saturday was 9.32 (30-7), eclipsing her mark in Chelmsford by 48 centimeters. She said on Saturday that before Chelmsford she had been ‘afraid’ of the superweight, but that is no longer the case!”
And just in time. The hourly sked for North Carolina masters nationals is posted here. It was five years ago when USATF masters national Chairman Gary Snyder pledged on his short-lived blog that final skeds would be posted at least 14 days ahead of the meet. He wrote in January 2009: “The committee also voted to approve a standard time line for the indoor and outdoor USA Championships meets. This provide for the posting of schedules on a consistent basis to aid travel and lodging arrangements. 6 Months prior to first day of competition — Entries open with day of event schedule; 26 Days prior to first day of competition — Entries Close; 19 Days prior to first day of competition — Late entries close; 14 Days prior to first day of competition — Detail Schedule Available.” The North Carolina sked shows distance races in the morning, but no midday breaks. Many races and events will thus be contested in the sweltering heat (if that’s our fate). According to one extended forecast, highs in the low 90s are expected on opening day, July 17. But it cools after that. We’ll see.
Two weeks out from nationals, here’s the weather outlook for Winston-Salem.
Olympic high jump champ Charles Austin set an M45 world record of 6-8 3/4, we know. He was named USATF Athlete of the Week, we know. But how he set the record and how he views the jump may be the most amazing story of all. In a recent email interview, Charles graciously submitted to my usual shameless interrogation. Charles lives in San Marcos, Texas, married to Natalie, a microbiology lab supervisor at a local hospital. “My son Camron is a senior at Texas State University,” he writes. “My son Allex is at Baylor University. He was the top high school high jumper in the nation back in 2012 and was also recruited to play college basketball. He is no longer in sports due to suffering an foot injury. My youngest son, Christian, is 10 years old and showing signs of great athleticism.” And Charles? He owns a sports and fitness training business, So High Sports & Fitness. “Also, I have a new piece of fitness equipment that is getting ready to hit the market next month (in July).”
Chris Brown of the Bahamas has blown away the listed M35 world record at 400 meters. And he might do it again Thursday in Lausanne. At the June 14 Diamond League meet in New York, Chris clocked 44.61. (His PR is 44.40 from 2008.) WMA lists the WR as 45.76 by France’s Ibrahima Wade in 2004. But Andy Hecker’s Wikipedia page says Alvin Harrison ran 45.68 in 2009. In March, we reported Chris setting an indoor M35 record of 45.58 at Poland worlds. More on Chris from Wikipedia: “Brown (born 15 October 1978), also known as “Fireman,” is … from the Bahamian island of Eleuthera. In addition to winning medals in individual contests, he has also won four World Championships medals in the relay. He also won a gold medal in the relay at the 2012 London Olympic Games. He is an alumnus of Norfolk State University. In 2005 he finished fourth in the 400 m final at the World Championships. Also took a silver medal in the 4 x 400 m relay a few days later. In 2008 at the Beijing Olympics he placed fourth in the 400 final when he was initially in 3rd place, American runner David Neville dived across the line just ahead of him. He lost the bronze by 0.04 seconds.” Diamond League results should be slam dunks for record ratification, so get on it, WMA!
Otis Burrell turned 70 in May, and when I met him for the first time at the Chuck McMahon meet Saturday, I was in awe. Sorry. Greats of the 1960s have that effect on me. He never made it to the Olympics, but he was often world-ranked and had a best of 2.19 (7-2 1/4) as one of the best straddlers of his era. (He was fourth in the 1964 Olympic Trials and no-heighted at the 1968 Trials when he came in at 6-11.) Otis had great confidence back in the day. In a 1965 news story, he talked about shooting for Brumel’s world record of 2.28 (7-5 3/4). Flash forward to Cal State San Marcos. With Brenda, his wife of five years looking on, he cleared 1.43 (4-8 1/4) but chalked that low height up to hard recent workouts and said he would be going after records this season, possibly as soon as Sunday at the Trojan Masters meet at USC. The listed WR is 1.59 (5-2 1/2) by Sweden’s Carl-Erik Särndal in 2007. The American record is 1.57 (5-1 3/4) by John Dobroth. Otis was the 1966 NCAA champion out of Nevada-Reno. So I loved it when James Lofton, the 1978 NCAA long jump champion, came up to Otis and introduced himself, and began recalling their SoCal youth and coaches. Here are results from the McMahon meet. (Otis also ran the 80-meter hurdles — clocking 17.20.)
James Lofton visited with Otis after high jump at Chuck McMahon meet.
Gia threw at 2013 Moscow IAAF worlds, taking fifth.
Hall of Famer Carol Finsrud, now 57, has set American records in the discus in every age groupshe’s been in since 1992, when she was 36. She holds ARs in W35, W40, W45, W50 and W55. Quite a run. But Sunday at the USA nationals in Sacramento, 35-year-old Gia Lewis–Smallwood won a national title by flinging the platter 65.96 meters (216-5). Carol’s listed W35 record? Just 54.52 (178-10). In fact, Gia threw 65.77 (215-9) two weeks ago in Oslo, which also should be a W35 American record. Yet here we go again: At least three other American discus throwers over 35 have better marks than Carol’s. Check out the all-time rankings on mastersasthletics.net. In 1999, Connie Price Smith threw 58.32 (191-4). In April 2012, Aretha Thurmond threw 63.44 (208-2), and in May 2012, Suzy Powell-Roos threw 60.77 (199-4). (IAAF lists a 60.98 by Suzy in June 2012.) So how did all these marks fall through the cracks? And why do we keep putting up with this nonsense?
Ageless Earl now owns outdoor WRs in 800 in four age groups.
It’s not unusual to see world records at masters nationals, but regionals are blessed to see one or two. If you live in eastern Canada, though, it’s par for the course. That’s because of Karla Del Grande and Earl Fee, aka Record Machines of Masters Athletics. Alice Cole is bidding for RMMA status as well. According to results over the weekend from the Toronto Track and Field Centre, W60 Karla ran the 100 in 13.66 to beat the listed WR of 13.75 by Germany’s Ingrid Meier in 2008. Later she ran the 400 in 65.95, lowering her own WR of 66.24 at Porto Alegre worlds. Earl set an M85 WR in the 800 by clocking 3:15.15. That bettered the listed WR of 3:17.45 by Brazil’s Francisco do Carmo Oliveira. (Earl owns the 800. He also has WRs for M65, M70 and M80.) Alice, of Montreal, ran the 8 in 3:43.62 to break the listed WR of 3:45.00 by Russia’s Nina Naumenko in 2005. Karla also had a sensational 200 (with an illegal wind of 2.2 mps). Her 28.31 was two-tenths off her own WR of 28.11 set last year at Porto Alegre.
Karla creams younger runners in her 400. Photos by Doug “Shaggy” Smith
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...]
