World champions Joy Upshaw and Kathy Bergen saved some of their best efforts for last, setting American records in the W50 long hurdles and W70 200, respectively, on a gorgeous Saturday at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. They ran in the USATF-sanctioned San Diego Senior Games. Both had busy days. (See results here.) Joy did won the 100 (13.03), 200 (26.90), triple jump (10.50/34-Â05 1/2) and the 300 hurdles in an AR of 46.17. All marks were legal wind. Kathy won the 100 (season best 14.78) and 200 in an AR of 31.65 (and also threw the discus and javelin). The listed records are Phil Raschker’s 49.20 and Kathy’s own 32.35 from 2010. But Joy has run under 47 seconds four times this season, so finally a mark that counts! But Joy’s best effort was getting this photo of me in the 100!
From The Associated Press report on today’s Fifth Avenue Mile: “American Bernard Lagat, coming off a silver medal in the 5,000 at worlds, earned his first victory in the men’s race in his fourth try, finishing in 3 minutes, 50.5 seconds to beat defending champion Amine Laalou of Morocco by 1.2 seconds. David Torrence of San Francisco was third in 3:52.4.” Haven’t seen masters results yet, but a master took the overall title. Show the kids how to run, Bernard! Later tonight: Details on two American records set at today’s San Diego Senior Olympics — W70 200 by Kathy Bergen (about 31.7) and W50 300 hurdles by Joy Upshaw (46.17).
It ain’t perfect, but it’s all we have. Martin Gasselsberger of Austria has been adding great seasonal stats to his mastersathletics.net world rankings page.See it here. He’s even reaching down to M30 and W30 submasters. It’s out of date already, of course, since it doesn’t list Clare Look-Jaeger’s world-leading 1.62 high jump of last weekend. But lot of stuff is there. Check out your event, and let me know if anything glaring is missing.
Homepage is dull, but the stats are to die for. Support this site by visiting often.
Larry Barnum is Don Quixote in a track suit. He’s a world-class M65 long sprinter who ran an amazing 58.62 for 400 meters last weekend at Long Beach State — the same meet where Clare Look-Jaeger set her W45 American record in the high jump. (See results here.) So what windmill is Larry tilting at? He’d like to get recognition for being the fastest 67-year-old American quarter-miler of all time. The problem: The only one who kept track of such marks is Pete Mundle, and he hasn’t updated his Masters Age Records booklet in years. And his booklet is unofficial, a hobby. But he raised expectations for years with the annual delivery of his MAR. He trained people to think such records count and were always collected. They don’t and they aren’t.
Larry (No. 38) battles world champ Steve Robbins at 2007 Orono nationals.
Jerry Bookin-Weiner officially is USATF Masters T&F throws coordinator. Unofficially, he’s the conscience of our weight segment. That comes through stunningly in his latest Throwers Circle column in National Masters News. (You can download it here.) He rips the sport a new one for the way it treats throwers at nationals and worlds. I can’t do justice to his litany of horrors. He’s got his ducks in a row, but who knows if anyone is listening? He deserves a hearing from you guys, though, and your support.
NMN column was graciously provided by editor and publisher Randy Sturgeon.
Southern Hemisphere aside, track season has weeks to go. But then it resumes shortly later — with the all-comers circuit. High schools and colleges are good for this. One especially noteworthy series is at Santa Monica High School near Los Angeles. See the three-meet series here. One meet is planned for December, January and February. And the price is right: $5 for all-you-can-eat. Here’s what the track looks like:
Clare Look-Jaegernever made it to the Olympics (although she made the Olympic Trials in 1992 and 1996 in the hep or high jump, or both.) But Sunday at Long Beach State, she topped an Olympian — beating Trish Porter’s W45 American record in the high jump, 1.62 to 1.61 meters. At 45, Clare is a Sacramento worlds silver medalist and having a blast. Check the video (and
ignore my reference to 2000 Trials). M50 Peter Hlavin, who jumped 1.76 (5-9.25) at the same meet (20th Annual Self-Transcendence), sent the video and said: “Perfect conditions. She made 1.62m (5-3.75) on her second attempt. Quite thrilling. Not bad considering she had knee surgery only two years ago.  Her record was verified by three officials. This was a big day for her cuz this was her last meet of season.”
The Eurovets are doing something a little crazy next year at their 18th European Veterans Athletics Championships — holding the meet in three countries at the same time. Actually, it’s not as bad as it sounds. The countries are Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic, and the cities of Bogatynia (Poland), Hrádek (Czech Republic) and Zittau (Germany) aren’t far apart. See the meet website. The event is 11 months away, but already a day-by-day schedule is out. See the entry book. Of the three-country setup, the meet organizers say: “This is a special challenge, and at the same time a wonderful opportunity to show how Europe is growing together.” As far as I can tell, it’s Euro athletes only.
Homepage of EVACS 2012 meet site shows a lot of stuff already has been done.
This was long overdue. Our M50 middle-distance star Anselm LeBourne is featured in Sports Illustrated’s Faces in the Crowd. I don’t have the magazine at hand, but here’s what the website said of AL: “LeBourne, a 52-year-old retired NYSE analyst, won gold in the 50–54 age group in the 800 meters (2:01.30) and 1,500 meters (4:15.87) at the World Masters in Sacramento, for his third double win of the events in his career. LeBourne ran the fastest ever outdoor 800 meters for his age at the New Jersey Invitational in June (1:59.33). He also owns American age group records in the indoor 800 and 1,500.” Of course, a lot of Sacramento ambien no prescription performers deserve this treatment. But it ain’t hard to get. SI says: “To submit a candidate for Faces in the Crowd, go to SI.com/faces.”
Susan Pearsall photo of Anselm at 2006 Saratoga Springs event in New York.
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...]
