Tony Young’s quadfecta: 400, 800, mile, mile at Wash. all-comers
Tony Young
Harvey, Troncoso claim American records in Portland 3,000
Sabra in summer 2009.
Don Pellman a 4-foot high jumper — try that when you’re 94!
This took a while to nail down. But even now, it takes my breath away. Almost a week ago, Weia Reinboud of the Netherlands sent me a link to the results of the Bay Area Senior Games — an April 10-11 track meet held at Stanford. Buried therein was this line for the M90 high jump: “1 Pellman, Donald M94 4-00.00 1.21m.” To knowing eyes, this is a stunner. It means Don had raised his own world age-group record in the high jump by more than 4 inches! (He cleared 1.11, or 3-7 3/4, at the Huntsman World Senior Games in 2005.) I couldn’t believe it, and neither could Weia.
Don used a dive straddle at a September 2005 indoor meet in Colorado.
Rich Burns incinerates 33-year-old world record in the M55 mile
Rich Burns
Canadian athletes can help pick nominees to Masters Hall of Fame
Up north, masters middle-distance great Diane Palmason is chairing Canada’s Masters Hall of Fame Committee. And her group isn’t assuming (like America’s HoF committee) that all wisdom resides in their little group. Diane writes: “On behalf of all the members of the CMAA Hall of Fame committee, I am inviting all Canadian masters athletes to assist us in gathering data on Canadian masters who have excelled in the past -– and in many cases continue to do so -– in Athletics and/or in Road and Cross-Country running.”
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Watch for women to shine at Saturday’s Portland Track Festival
Joanna Harper
Bud Held holds forth on new theory for tracking runners’ decline
Bud Held after setting a world record in 2008.
Lots of folks have puzzled over age-grading — which helps oldsters compare themselves to youngsters. Truth is, our current WMA Age-Graded Tables (officially used only for combined events) are the work of a committee. Based on real stats but with some marks excluded as too “out there.” But committees involve egos and compromises. So we’re always on the lookout for a new theory. Up steps Olympian Franklin “Bud” Held, inventor of the modern javelin and current WR man in the M75 and M80 vault. He writes: “From time to time I put some effort into looking for a better way to predict human decline in track and field events. Our current age-graded tables are dependent on current performances. In many cases, current world records are not good markers for what is humanly possible. This is likely a result of some events lacking heavy competition.” (Here’s a video of a well-known “outlier.”)
Qualifying standards lowered for masters 100s at Des Moines
Hoping to save the masters exhibitions at the USATF open nationals, event coordinator Mark Cleary has decided to lower the qualifying standards. Only three men (Lonnie Hooker, Reggie Pendland and Khalid Mulazim) and no women are listed as entrants in the masters 100s at Des Moines. Mark writes: “We will definitely lower the standard. We will still take the top 8. I would say any athlete at least 40 who is under 11.90 and any female that is 14.00 or faster should consider entering. . . . I know this is a tough economy, but there have to be some people out there that would want to race at a great venue like Drake.” More details are here.
Roger Tsuda dies at 74; masters mainstay of Southern California
Jane Tsuda shares the tragic news of her husband’s death: “Just to let you know that my dear Roger passed away on Thursday, June 3, from complications of his lung/brain cancer. He was active to the end and, fortunately, was never in any pain. He fought a valiant battle because he was so determined to get back to participating in track. On May 3 he did the survivor/patient lap (riding in a cart) during the Bakersfield Relay for Life. He cherished the many great friends he made with the Striders. He was very proud of this great organization.” Jane says an informal celebration of Roger’s life will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 23, at Faith United Methodist Church, 2115 W. 182nd St., in Torrance. “The children and I will be taking his ashes to Maui, in August, to be scattered off the coast of Lahaina,” she says. Roger was 74.
Roger Tsuda, far right, competed at a Striders Meet of Champions in May 2007. His last meets were in 2008. (Photo by Ken Stone)
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Daniel Alonzo’s age aberration: 42 in 2009 results but 49 today
Javelin star's age is a real head-scratcher.
