Number of U.S. masters relay records would double under proposal
Delegates to the USATF annual meeting next month in Indy will consider 97 proposals for rules changes. See the 22-page PDF. Several caught my eye involving masters track. Quarter-mile world champion Robert Thomas suggested that American relay records be kept in five-year age groups rather than 10-year. Reasoning: “Documentation of American records is to coincide with the events contested at World Masters Championships in five year age divisions. The current records kept in ten year age band will be moved to the lower age division. Starting in the 2012-2013 season the fastest times in the higher age divisions of each age band will become the new American record for that division.” Makes sense to follow WMA lead, but will add to Sandy Pashkin’s plate (making it even more essential that she accept help as USATF masters records czar).
Christa Bortignon accounts for her Best Master season in Q&A
Canada’s Christa Bortignon, recently chosen as Best Masters Athlete of 2013 (along with Charles Allie), shares her secrets in a quickie Q&A. But one tidbit stuck out: She was an accountant (and still works part-time). “When I started out, there were not too many females in a predominantly male profession. So I learned to stand up for myself,” she says. OMG! That’s Phil Raschker’s day job, too! Phil is 10 years younger than Christa at 76 — and may be the only athlete with a prayer of beating Christa’s records in sprints, jumps and heptathlon. [And look for me becoming a CPA soon.] My interview also reveals Christa’s dissatisfaction with WMA’s delay in posting records. In any case, the WMA Council made the timely decision in honoring Christa and making arrangements for her (and hubby) to attend the IAAF Gala in Monaco.
Christa sets WR in 100 (15.82) at BC Senior Games in August at Kamloops, British Columbia. She’s set W75 WRs in at least six events this year.
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A giant has died: Al Sheahen was our chronicler and conscience
Al Sheahen. Photo courtesy of Tom Sheahen
Al ran hurdles at Long Beach State in the late 1990s and last competed in 2006.
Al Erickson dies at 84; won decathlon gold at Sacramento worlds
Albert “Al” Erickson had the eye of the tiger. He trained ferociously and competed often, the oldest member of Seattle-based Club Northwest. His moment came in 2011, when he won M80 gold in the decathlon at Sacramento worlds, scoring 5579 points — 1100 ahead of second place. But about three weeks ago, he was diagnosed with leukemia, a friend writes. “He was the picture of health, competing at our weekly all-comers meets last summer,” my Northwest source says. Al died Oct. 27 at age 84. Services are pending. Below is a video apparently made by his grandchildren showing him at every stage of the Sacto decathlon. Wonderful tribute. Our deepest condolences.
Allie and Bortignon named WMA Best Masters Athletes of Year
World Masters Athletics yesterday announced its annual IAAF/WMA Best Masters Athletes of the Year. It was easy as ABC. A is for Allie, B is for Bortignon and C is for Charles and Christa — whose slew of world records and world titles made them slam dunks in 2013. At Porto Alegre, M65 Charles Allie won individual golds in the 100 (12.55), 200 (25.00) and 400 (56.60) by astonishing margins of 0.64, 2.32 and 7.85 seconds, respectively. He smashed WRs in the 200 and 400 this year, ending up with amazing marks of 24.65 and 56.09. His 25.41 at Landover nationals also was an indoor WR. Canadian W75 Christa Bortignon added to her 2012 world-record spree in 2013 when, at age 76, she won eight golds at Brazil worlds in the sprints, hurdles and jumps. But her best marks may have been in the heptathlon. First she scored 6293 points at a German meet, then 6519 at the World Masters Games in Italy, boosting the pre-2013 record by 1,100 points. Charles is the fifth American to win a trip to the IAAF World Athletics Gala (which will be Nov. 16 in Monaco this year). Earlier winners were Bill Collins (2006), Phil Raschker (2007), Rita Hanscom (2009) and Bob Lida (2012). Only Australia (with six picks) has more.
Charles and Christa won their sprint finals by miles in Porto Alegre. Photos by Doug Smith
San Diego boasts series of cheap winter, summer all-comers meets
Paul Greer of SDTC also announces meets and races.
Nadine O’Connor claims 80-meter hurdles world record on 2nd try
The Club West Masters Meet, one of the best club-run events in the nation, gives folks a last chance for a good mark at the end of a long season. On Sunday, it gave a second chance as well. Nadine O’Connor used this low-key meet at Moorpark College northwest of Los Angeles to run her first 80-meter hurdles race in three years. World-class starter Beverly Lewis fired the gun, and Nadine barreled out of the blocks. But she bailed out before the fifth barrier. End of season? Not quite. Nadine, 71, immediately asked for a chance to run again, and organizers graciously assented. Andy Hecker, a longtime hurdler and meet official, made sure Nadine was eligible for the record by offering competition. (Mixed-sex races are OK for masters records, and even Payton Jordan has set records on re-runs.) Nadine clocked 15.91 over the eight 27-inch hurdles, beating the listed W70 world record of 16.10 by Sweden’s Asta Larsson in 2004. In Porto Alegre, the W70 short hurdles went to Austria’s Marianne Maier, who ran 15.74 with an illegal wind of 3 meters per second. Nadine also holds world records in the 100, 200 and pole vault. Here’s a video of Nadine’s races:
USA teams dominate relays on final day; another Oliveira WR
Francisco Oliveira of Brazil added a second world record Sunday at Porto Alegre, the final day of worlds where Team USA dominated the relays as usual. Francisco clocked an amazing 6:37.75 for 1500 meters, beating the listed M85 WR of 6:51.32 by Japan’s Yoshimitsu Miyauchi in 2009. (Earlier he notched an 800 WR.) On the Age-Graded Tables, 6:37 is worth an open (age 20-30) time of 3:23.8. (The real WR is 3:26.) American quartets, meanwhile, won eight 4x100s and four 4x400s — far outdistancing British teams for golds. (The UK teams won a total of six.) The Yanks might have won more but were DQ’d in the M60 and M70 4×1. Other world records set Sunday were in the weight pentathlon — by M65 Arild Busterud of Norway, whose 5255 points shattered the listed WR of 5044 by American Paul Economides in 2010, and by W75 Evaun Williams of Britain, whose 5719 beat the listed WR of 4924 by Germany’s Susanne Wissinger in 2010. But Arild and Evaun are no strangers to the record books. Arild holds the M55 and M60 WR in the throws pent, and Evaun holds the W65 and W70 WRs in the same event. Talk about greedy.
Americans on W50 world champion 4×4 team show their medals Sunday.
Greatest day in masters history for quarter-miling? 4 WRs set!
Olympian Marie Mathieu at 2009 Lahti worlds.
Who to believe? Results at odds with blog over high jump WR
Flores shows Uruguayan flag after winning M85 high jump.
Here’s how the M85 high jump is depicted on the official results page.
