Isett’s M70 USA record vault is equivalent to 19-foot open mark
Wayne Bennett down in Texas shares news of an M70 American record (not world, as I erred in saying earlier) in the vault by Don Isett, who cleared 3.23 meters (10-7) last Saturday at the USATF Southwest Association meet at Coppell High School. “Paperwork was done correctly with certified officials, so should be ratified,” Wayne adds, presciently. The listed AR is 3.20 (10-6) by Terry Cannon in 2006 and tied by Don in 2009. The listed WR is 3.31 by Britain’s Robert Brown in 2002. On the Age Graded Tables, Don’s 3.23 is equivalent to an open (age 20-30) mark of 19 feet. Not bad, Don. Go for 20!
Don shows spiffy form in American record 3.23-meter vault in Texas.
Lowdown on high jumper Dick Lowery: once did 5-10 with scissors
Dick Lowery is one modern guy. He does the flop. He sends email. At 80, he still enjoys sports. Not a bad jumper, either, as his WR-equaling 1.35 the other weekend showed. This week he replied to my usual inquisition via Internet. He writes: “I took up high jumping when I was 70. I had done some jumping when I was in high school and wondered if there was anything left in the old legs. Well there wasn’t, and that was the start of my new career. That year was 2000, and in 2003 in Hampton Rhodes, Virginia, I set a national record of 4-10. Then in 2007 at the age of 76, I jumped 4-7. Now at age 8o I’m heading to Houston Texas, and I wish I could tell you what I thought I could do, but I can’t. I am so erratic, but I am hoping for 4-6 (a world age-group record).
Dick floats over the bar backward like that other guy from the late 1960s.
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Mo Greene says no to masters — but at least question is asked!
It used to be rare that anyone aside from moi would ask elite tracksters whether they’d consider masters track. Now the question is becoming commonplace. The latest example appears on an obscure site called Sporting Alert. Gave me a heart attack, though. They ran this headline yesterday: American Maurice Greene has plans to run in the masters. Oops, the story said the exact opposite. But I give writer Gary Smith credit (or someone at a press conference he attended) for saying the M-word. Olympic champ Maurice, the former world record holder at 100, turns 37 in July, so he’s eligible for worlds. But he’s still too elite-minded to return to Sacramento (site of his 2000 Trials glory). Maybe in a few years, he’ll realize masters isn’t about “proving yourself” but having fun.
If Mo ran masters, he'd have to tone down his act. But we'd welcome him!
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Richard Lowery, Gerald Vaughn snag M80, M75 records in HJ, shot
Catching up on great marks from a week ago: M80 flopper Richard Lowery cleared 1.35 meters (4-5 1/4) at Clermont, Florida, to equal the age-group world record and M75 thrower Gerald Vaughn raised his own American record in the shot at UNC Charlotte (site of the 2006 masters nationals) by putting the iron ball 13.30 meters (43-7 1/2). Video below by Patrick Toland shows Gerald nonchalantly signaling satisfaction with his throw, and USATF officials using a cloth tape to measure it. Hope they came back with a steel tape. The previous M75 best with the 4-kilo shot was 13.19 (43-3ÂĽ) by James Oglesby in 2010, but Gerald threw 13.25 at an April meet in Charlotte. Richard tied the listed HJ WR by a Finnish jumper and smashed the listed AR of 1.24 (4-0Âľ) by Bill Wambach in 2007. See Florida results here. Nice work, gents!
Bart Thomas has track in his genes — and football in his family
Bart's little brother Zach
Bart poses with USATF officials at Charlotte, along with his wife, Lesa (far right)
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Decathletes rally to rescue Joplin a year after nationals held there
Stefan Waltermann writes: “Almost exactly a year ago, Joplin, Mo., hosted the USATF Masters Decathlon Championships. We had wonderful hosts, hospitable, generous, helpful, knowledgeable people. The competition was well run, the parties were memorable. On the second day of the competition, a Sunday, our host asked for a little get-together and sang Amazing Grace in his native language, Cherokee. It was moving and wonderful, for me one of the most memorable moments in my life as a masters athlete. Now, this beautiful small town is destroyed. From all I’ve learned during my visit last year, Joplin will be rebuild. But they could use our help. While I will not be able to repay their hospitality, I will answer Tom’s call for help.” Stefan shared a plea from Tom Thorne of nearby Neosho (and not far from Lamar, where I had my first job in 1976).
Tornado's death toll in southwest Missouri town of Joplin has topped 120.
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Bart Thomas claims M40 American record in outdoor pentathlon
Bart Thomas of Texas says he “worked like a madman” for two years, and got his chance May 21 — a shot at the world record in the M40 outdoor pentathlon. The result? He beat the listed American record by 212 points but fell short of the WR of 3909 by Germany’s Joerg Lorenz by 189 points. Official results aren’t online yet, but Bart has begun submitting record paperwork to Sandy Pashkin. His 3720-point performance at the Queen City Pentathlon Classic at UNC Charlotte exceeded the 1998 AR of 3508 by Michael Janusey, he says. “They knew I was coming and everything was official,” Bart writes. “USATF officials followed me like a hawk. Great guys, though, and [a] great meet. They weighed implements before and after competition, measured all marks with steel tape. If I could run even a decent 1500 I would have broke world record pretty handily also, but ran a 5:50.09!”
Throwers have active chat going on Facebook, posting results, etc.
Paul and fan. (He's a TV weatherman.)
Can’t wait to see their uniforms! Jamaicans entered at Sacramento
The homeland of Usain Bolt is sending 23 athletes to Sacramento worlds, according to this report. With their traditional yellow-and-green colors, they could have the coolest unis at the meet. The story says: “The athletes, eight of whom reside overseas, will compete in the sprints, field events, and the marathon, according to the Jamaica Masters Athletics Association. As the athletes tune up for the championships by participating in various local and international meets, 60-year-old Cleston Morgan showed the way when he placed third in the 100 metres at the recent Penn Relays clocking 13.13 seconds (-3m/s) in the Over-60 category.”
Above the Norm and below the belt? Seed times should be legit
Norm Harding of the United States has submitted marks of 10.70 seconds in the 100 and 21.70 for the deuce at Sacramento worlds. That would raise eyebrows even in the M35 age group. But Norm is an M60 sprinter. Oy vey. Not again. This recurring problem of bogus seed times — probably from their college years — has to stop. It misleads the press and frustrates fellow athletes. And I can’t find hide nor hair of him on the Web. Anyone know Norm? Bill Collins is a slam dunk to double here, however.
