WMA veep threatens vaulter after gripe over Sac State practice
Serge Beckers
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Sacto CBS affiliate wins gold for most asinine coverage of worlds
With close to 4,900 entrants from 90-plus countries, Sacramento worlds has thousands of compelling stories. So what does the morning CBS-TV show cover the meet? It stages a relay race of guys carrying life-sized cutouts of Kate and William circling the track at 7:45 a.m. Saturday. With hurdles in the background, LOC spokesman Bob Burns bravely ignores the stunt while Ashley Williams asks rudimentary questions. Sunday night, on the rest day, KRON-TV Sacramento interviewed Phil Raschker and several other Americans attending the Team USA party at the local Buca di Beppo. (She says she needs two more golds to claim 75 world titles in her career.) Earlier, Channel 10 News shared video of Tuesday’s opening ceremonies (a bore, according to some attendees). And KCRA-TV reported on some foreign athletes complaining about traffic problems. Meanwhile, the Sacramento Bee has done little reporting on worlds, beyond a drug-testing story and one on Zola Budd’s race in at cross country. Pity. We deserve better.
Willie Gault highlights day of speed at Sacto world championships
When a 50-year-old man runs the fastest 100-meter dash at the world masters meet — faster than M35, M40 and M45 — you know you’ve seen something historic. So it was as Willie Gault won the M50 title with a 10.96 into a 0.5 wind Saturday at Sacramento State. Willie’s first world masters gold was matched by Kathy Bergen in the W70 race. But legends returned as well, including former WR holder Irene Obera in the W75 race and Pat Peterson in W85. Sadly, hamstring pulls prevented M70 Bob Lida, M75 Dick Richards and M40 Darren Scott of medaling (and possibly winning) their finals. In the field events, Jim Barrineau reprised his 1995 world high jump title by again beating a fellow Olympian. At Buffalo worlds, Jim beat Dwight Stones. In Sacto, he beat Willie Banks. And Carol Finsrud won the W50 discus gold — her ninth straight world title in that event. Incredible. See other sprint photos here (including semis and finals).
Willie beats (from left) fellow Americans Mike Sullivan, Ken Eaton and Mike Waller in the 100 final. Just think of the 4x1 relay prospects here!
Americans go 1-2 in W55 javelin at Sacramento world masters meet
Our friend Linda Cohn edged fellow Yank Monica Kendall in the W55 javelin to defend her Lahti world title of 2009. In Finland, she threw 38.12 meters (125-1). Today she threw 37.97 (124-7) in near-stifling heat (high 90s) at Sacramento State University. Silver medalist Monica, the W50 American record holder, was about a foot behind at 37.70 (123-8). Dozens of medals were awarded, and Canadian’s Olga Kotelko extended her own W90 world record in the hammer, tossing 16.71 (54-10). But Trent Lane was a no-show in the M100 shot put. Here’s the medal ceremony for Linda and Monica:
Ralph Maxwell adds to legend with world records in M90 decathlon
Ralph Maxwell started Day 2 of the decathlon at Sacto worlds by lowering his own world record in the 80-meter hurdles to 21.62 (from 21.74). Then he upped his American record in the pole vault from 1.12 to 1.40. And with two events left, he still exceeded the world age-group record in the decathlon — beating the listed 3190 by Aussie Vic Younger in 2003. Not bad for 91. He’s calling it a meet after the dec, flying home tomorrow to Minnesota. But as my wife, Chris, and I explored the Sac State venue, we were overwhelmed with magnificent performances — and disappointments. Rita Hanscom, using crutches, told of her plantar fasciitis injury in yesterday’s hep high jump. She’s out for the year, she says. Much more to report later. See our first photo gallery here. USATF intern Amanda Nappi has begun posting daily updates. Here’s her first release, featuring 8K cross country golds by Elena Shemyakina and Kathryn Martin.
Ralph clears a height on way to setting M90 American record in the pole vault.
Special guest coming to Sacto worlds: masters founder David Pain
If you attended Spokane masters nationals in 2008, you were treated to the presence of David Pain, literally the founder of masters track in America and the prime mover worldwide. He’s had medical issues for years, including two bouts of pneumonia in the past couple years. But nothing can keep him from attending his beloved General Assembly at Sacramento worlds on July 14. He and his wife, Linda, are flying up to Sacto next week from San Diego to witness some events and greet old friends in World Masters Athletics. I’m ecstatic. David is nearly 89, and he’ll have a chance to be honored by athletes born years after he launched age-group athletics in the late 1960s. I’ll let you know more http://premier-pharmacy.com/product/prednisone/ about his whereabouts later. Meanwhile, welcome back to worlds, David!
David and Linda Pain, shown at 2008 Spokane nationals, will visit Sacto soon.
Let the worlds begin! And best wishes from Dr. Stephen Peters
With opening ceremonies last night and the first day of hep and dec today, Sacramento worlds has begun. Results are being posted at all four venues. See the overview here. Dr. Stephen Peters, the British sprint star at worlds for decades, won’t be in them, sadly. He writes to share his well wishes for his recuperating friend Bill Collins and detail his own setback. Steve writes: “Please could you pass on my well wishes to Bill Collins as I don’t have any contact for him and I have just heard about his illness. I am only glad to hear that he is now on the road to recovery. It must have been distressing for him, not only to be ill, but also to miss a home games where I am sure he would have stunned the crowds and set new world records. Hopefully he will be back in action again next
Lots to chew on: WMA General Assembly handbook now available
Masters Mole No. 3225b sent me the rootin-tootin’ General Assembly handbook for Sacramento worlds, which includes eye-opening council reports and an audit of WMA finances (saying the council traveled too much in 2010 and lost $91,000). See it here. Lots to discuss, including WMA plans to hold the world outdoor track meet in 2016 as well as 2015 (in order to transition to even-year stadia championships and avoid bumping up against World Masters Games meets). WMA also is pressuring IAAF to dump its nonsensical rule that masters distance running starts at 40 while masters track starts at 35. Several WMA honchos also apologize for the lousy WMA website and call for a better one (and also urge the regions to launch their own websites. Ours has none.)
Serge Beckers (left) raps Rex Harvey, his predecessor, in WMA report but could lose his vice president gig under proposed new WMA Constitution.
Frank Struna still talking about M70 world record TJ at Sacramento
More than a year ago, we noted a Montana jumper named Frank Struna, who told his local paper: “I want to get that world championship and a world record.” Now 70, he’s still talking up his chances, according to the Missoulian, which said: “Starting this week he’ll shoot for the ultimate at the World Masters Athletic Championships in Sacramento, Calif. He wants a gold medal and a world record, and it doesn’t matter to him a bit that he’s pitted against ex-Olympians.” His entry mark in the M70 TJ is 9.98 meters (32-9) — behind only the submitted mark of 10.71 (35-1 3/4) by Finland’s Stig Bäcklund, who happens to be the M55 and M60 world-record holder. The listed M70 WR is 10.71 (same as Stig’s seed mark) by Japan’s Kyushichiro Shimizu.
Frank Luna in 2010 photo with some of his masters track hardware.
Mystery solved: Bill Collins diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome
Bill Collins had symptoms at Sacramento nationals last year and was hospitalized this year. Now we know why. Doctors have diagnosed Bill, our superstar sprinter, with Guillain-Barre syndrome, according to a note sent by his wife, Stephanie. She wrote some friends: “Bill has been sick and has been hospitalized, but he’s doing much better now. Bill’s been sick since Memorial Day and as of this past Thursday, the doctors finally diagnosed his illness to be Guillain-Barre syndrome. … It’s unknown what triggers it and it can occur at any age. The symptoms can get worse very quickly and if remained untreated, one can become paralyzed.”
Bill edges me (blurred at left) in 200 prelims at 2010 Sacramento nationals.
