Brooklyn photo exhibit features masters track in ‘Racing Age’ show
Angela Jimenez, a former Penn heptathlete (late 1990s), has been following masters track in recent years — as a photojournalist and fine-art photographer. She shot 2007 Riccione worlds and 2009 Landover nationals, in fact. More recent images were used in the August 2009 New York Times story on geezer doping. Now she’s going to exhibit her photos — all black-and-white — starting tomorrow in a Brooklyn restaurant called Superfine in DUMBO (which stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass). She focuses on the elders. (Black-and-white makes them seem historic, I guess.)
Johnnye Valien of Los Angeles, one of the world's oldest female vaulters and hurdlers, is part of Angela's exhibit.
With Barnwell expunged, WMA posts corrected results for Lahti
World Masters Athletics has posted new results for the events Val Barnwell took part in at Lahti, Finland. See the redo here. Val’s suspension for a drug positive at Lahti worlds means everyone behind him moves up a spot, but WMA President Stan Perkins has decided (on his own authority?) to let Val’s M50 teammates in the 4×100 and 4×400 keep their medals. It wasn’t a popular decision, but I think it was the right one. Just because Olympic teammates of Marion Jones or other cheats lose their relay medals doesn’t mean WMA has to follow suit. If WAVA (the predecessor to WMA) had followed IAAF dictates in the 1970s, no coach would be eligible to compete in masters track, since that would open the doors to “professionalism.” WAVA told the IAAF to stuff it, and we’ve gone our own way on many issues ever since.
Oregon Invitational Masters Mile again looks for 16 good men
Dave Clingan, my partner in crime, writes: “Time to start thinking about the 2010 Oregon Invitational Masters Mile– to be held this year during the Portland Track Festival in the evening on Saturday, June 12 at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Ore. Last year’s mile was a big success and space is limited. There is a small amount of prize money for first, second, and third place. We will again accept 16 entries for the field. Entry fee is $25 and on-line registration is available now. You may self-register if you are capable of running a time of 4:45 or better. Slower athletes will be given consideration based on their age and space availability. Entries will be closed when the field is full. PLEASE EMAIL ME if you intend to compete, so that I can put you on my entry list.
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Mt. SAC Relays adding masters hammer throw to April festival
Hammer throwers, start your windups! A major elite invitational is carving room for you on its dance card. Ron Kamaka, an assistant track coach at Mt. San Antonio College, writes regarding the lineup of masters exhibitions at the April 16-17 Mt. SAC Relays. They are the men’s and women’s 800, men’s 4×800 relay, men’s hammer throw, M40-45, M50-plus 100/200, women’s 100 and men’s 110 hurdles. Deadline is March 30. Ron writes: “Presently, we have confirmations for 8 hammer throwers, 4 relay teams, and several expressing interest. The sprints will be limited, due to lane limitations, but we are hoping to pack the fields in the other events. Our goal in the hammer is 12-15. Notables are Bob Ward and Ed Burke, with Ed seeking to break Bob’s World Record. The 4×800 team will be aiming to reclaim the M35-39 WR from Spain.” Here are the schedules.
Sacramento sweating bullets? Budget ills could kill 2011 worlds
The official Web site.
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Bernard Lagat demolishes M35 world indoor record for 3000
In 2002, Germany’s Dieter Baumann ran a 3K indoors in 7:40.68 — an M35 world record. It’s been untouchable ever since. But Bernard Lagat turned 35 in mid-December 2009. So bye-bye, Dieter. Here’s how USATF reported Bernard’s run today in Doha, Qatar: “Six years after first winning the men’s 3,000m at a World Indoor Championships, Bernard Lagat won his second world indoor 3,000m title. Sitting mid-pack through most of the race, Lagat and defending champion Tariku Bekele (ETH) surged ahead of the group with three laps to go. Just before the bell, Lagat kicked again, opening up a 10m lead and leaving Bekele in his dust to win the gold medal in 7:37.97.” Another story noted: “In the process, the 35-year-old also became the oldest man in history to win gold at a World Indoor Championships.”
Bernard is on an M35 roll this year. (Photo by Associated Press)
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M50 ‘unknown’ sets 800-meter indoor world record in Belgium
At Lahti worlds, I was glued to the main stadium, so I didn’t witness races at the other track called Radiomaki. Missed some great 800s, including Anselm LeBourne’s close M50 loss to Belgium’s Andre Lafere, 2:00.99 to 2:01.40. Well, maybe I didn’t know Lafere, but now the world does. Andre broke American Steve Gallegos’ listed M50 world indoor record for 800 Saturday at the Belgian nationals in Ghent. Andre clocked 1:59.74 to nip Steve’s 1:59.99 at Idaho nationals in 2005. Belgian 800 results are here. For all events, click here. On the Age-Graded Tables, Andre’s mark is equivalent to an open time of 1:44.09!
Andre finishes his WR at Belgium nationals. (Photo by Tom Phillips)
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M55 Rich Burns describes his American record in 1500-meter run
Pete Magill interviews his buddy Rich Burns after Rich ran a 4:17.80 for 1500 over the weekend, beating a Nolan Shaheed M55 American record. Rich says his last quarter was 65 seconds. Incredible. I could barely stay with him for a 300. More details are on Pete’s blog, including a video of the race.
Gentlemen (and ladies), start your Penn Relays entries
Phil Felton, majordomo of masters events at the Penn Relays, has begun circulating entry information for this year’s event, which is April 23-24 at Franklin Field in Philly. As usual, you can expect 50,000 people in the stands going ape over age-groupers (as we certainly deserve). Click here for the entry form. Phil says deadline for entries is April 2. A slew of 4×100, 4×400 and 100-meter elite races are contested. YouTube has archived dozens of masters videos from Penn. Here’s one of my faves: Bill Collins beating Oscar Peyton to set the listed M55 world record of 11.44 in 2008. (Bill has several faster legal times.)
File this under: M40 indoor records you won’t see on the books
Mike Godbout, one of the surprise newcomers at Lahti worlds, didn’t know any better when he ran the 42-inch hurdles a year ago at Iowa State University. It was just an innocent collegiate indoor meet, an NCAA qualifier for the kids. But Mike, who at 40 was racing cats half his age, clocked 8.18 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles. Uh oh. That beat the listed M40 American record of 8.22 — for the 39-inch hurdles. (See results here.) In an email exchange, I told Mike that even if he could somehow gather all the requisite signatures and phototimer shots, he still might not qualify for the AR. Dang hurdles were too high! On the other hand, Darren Scott of the UK will never see his latest mark on the record books. That’s because nobody keeps age-group records for the 300-meter dash.
Mike won the M40 short hurdles in Lahti with a time of 14.32. Second place was a full six-tenths back! (Photo by Ken Stone)
