Jim Crittenden not being coy: He wants M60 WR in the long jump
Jim Crittenden
Pete Magill is back writing — for Running Times and its website
Nobody does it better.
An earlier project by Pete, a master of all media (as well as running).
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More than 200 expected at Western States masters invitational
This morning I competed at the California State Games masters meet at Balboa Stadium (scene of some Jim Ryun mile records) in San Diego. New track. Low turnout. Maybe 40 people showed. Lots of leftover PowerAde bottles. But it was a gorgeous cool day, and overcast. By contrast, the 3rd annual Western States Masters International Invitational — a three-day event starting today at UC Davis (not far from Sacramento) — will have a much bigger turnout. Some 171 athletes are entered, including Olympian Cherrie Sherrard (W70 throws) and Masters Hall of Famer Irene Obera (W75 sprints). See this entrant roster. But Mary Woo, one of the meet directors, says about 30 may register over the weekend, bringing the potential field to 200-plus. So folks should have some great competition. (But drink lots of fluids!) Best of luck to all.
From left: Elmer Haynes, Mary Woo, Liz Palmer and Parker White helped at last year's Western States meet at UC Davis, where several American records were set.
Going to Sacramento? Check this offbeat guide to California capital
Bob Weiner, the USATF masters media guru, and his wife, Pat Berg, found a website that creates customized travel guides. Check out this 64-page PDF, which they generated for their Sacramento trip. The info is supercurrent and doesn’t miss a lick. (I know Sacto. My brother-in-law once lived in Sacramento, and often saw then-Gov. Jerry “Moonbeam” Brown jogging down the Capital Mall.) Says the travel guide: “Unlike other traditional guidebooks, our guides are not out of date as soon as they are printed. We are adding and updating our databases in real-time to present the most accurate and relevant travel information available on the internet.” So if your plans include more than a track meet, skim through the guide.
M45 heart-stopper David Heath: ‘I do love beating the youngsters!’
Oops, I goofed. While researching M45 middle-distance star David Heath for a recent blog entry, I came across a bio that placed him in London. Actually, he lives in France. And that’s not the only revelation from a quickie Q&A I had with Monsieur David. He writes: “I had a heart attack at the end of 2002 (due to a blood infection from a dirty splinter) and competed again in 2003 to prove I was still all there.” His job is amazing, too. He makes you sleepy, sleepy . . . Read on.
9 Olympians counted for Sacramento — am I missing any names?
I’m preparing a press release for USATF on Sacramento masters nationals. One of my duties is listing the Olympians entered. I count nine hidden in the Status of Entries: triple jumper Tiombe Hurd, hurdler Cherrie Sherrard, sprinter Lorna Forde, javelinist Bud Held, hammer hero Ed Burke, hurdler Henry Andrade, high jumper Trish Porter, triple jumper Willie Banks and high jumper James Barrineau. Have I missed any? Any foreigners with Games cred? Any Canadian Olympians coming down to Sacto? Feel free to write me privately.
Merlene Ottey lowers own W50 world record in 100 to 11.84
Merlene in June.
Merlene's competition, as usual, is a generation born 25 years later.
USATF awards masters cash from Excellence Challenge Grants
(Updated to remove references to USATF Foundation) USA Track & Field’s Board of Directors have loosened the purse strings for masters track. See this announcement. “The USATF Masters Track & Field Committee was awarded $11,900 in support of the Masters Track & Field-Recruiting New Members initiative,” says a press release. “The grant will fund the purchase of projection equipment and supporting materials for seven region coordinators in support of the masters committee (Forever Fast) initiative to recruit masters athletes.” Other winners of the first batch of “Excellence Challenge Grants” were Team USA Minnesota-USATF Minnesota Association ($50,000) and the Randalls Island Sports Federation ($37,375). Our grant is kind of puny, but it’s a start.
UK’s Cecilia Morrison claims W70 world records for 1500, 5000
Mary Harada did it. Neni Lewis did it. Now Cecilia Morrison of Britain has done it — smashed world records within days of entering a new age group. Running at British masters nationals over the weekend in Cardiff, Cecilia took big bites off the W70 world records for 1500 and 5000. (Results are here.) On July 3 — six days after turning 70 — Cecilia ran the 1500 in an amazing 6:04.59, according to these results. The next day, she ran the track 5,000 in 22:19.99. The listed world records are 6:12.14 and 22:52.05, both by Germany’s Elfriede Hodapp in 2005.
Cecilia took a combined 40 seconds off two WRs. (Photo by Tom Phillips)
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Britain’s Jeff Battista gets 4 Lahti gold medals forfeited by Barnwell
Tom Phillips, our fast fotog friend, shares this touching story from last weekend’s British masters nationals: “There was . . . high emotion in Cardiff when British masters president, Olympic hammer thrower Paul Dickenson, presented four Lahti gold medals to M50 sprinter Jeff Battista. These were, of course, the four medals he was deprived by Val Barnwell — 100m, 200m and both (M50) track relays. Jeff had said that, given the circumstances, he had felt the medals would be a rather hollow victory. But when he actually received them, in front of all of the athletes and spectators at the British championships –- and received all four in one presentation — it all seemed far more real! Golds were also awarded to the other relay team members, Ian Broadhurst, Brian Matthews and Eric Smart.”
Jeff (with Paul) proudly displays Lahti golds. (Photo by Tom Phillips)
