Heartfelt Harold Morioka: ‘The Good Lord heard your prayers’
A “dear friends” note from Harold Morioka in Surrey, British Columbia: “I’m home now and on the road to recovery. I had quadruple-bypass surgery, with complications. My first operation began at 1 p.m. Because I was practising kung-fu as I was coming out of the anaesthetic, the doctors decided to keep me sedated. Finally at 10 p.m. they decided to do a second operation to stop the internal bleeding. My wife (we’re separated) told me that as she was driving back to the hospital at midnight, she was arranging my burial. I’m not dust yet. When I opened my computer yesterday, I was surprised to find so many get-well emails and prayers from my friends from across North America. The Good Lord heard your prayers and decided to keep me here a little longer. Now that I have a ‘new’ heart, I must warn my competitors that I have an advantage. Of course I’m not sure if I’ll be ready to compete in Kamloops, but I’ll be there. I hope you’ll be there too because I would love to see you.”
Harold (right) with one of his many friends: Peter Crombie of Australia.
European Senior Games are latest offering on masters scene
You can’t tell your masters games without a program. The National Senior Games took place last month in Northern California. The World Masters Games are next month in Sydney. But right now, the European Senior Games are wrapping up in Holland, and in 2011, the European Masters Games are set for Lignano, Italy. But WMA is conflicted on sanctioning. The 2011 Euro games are not sanctioned, but the 2009 World Masters Games are. Not sure what this means for any records set at the 2011 event or the one ending tomorrow. Our SoCal friend Annelies Steekelenburg notified us of the Dutch event, where she reports: “The first European Senior Games are being held between Sept. 8-12 in this most charming medieval town of Zierikzee in the south of Holland (with) 2,000 athletes from 33 . . . nationalities. Beautiful track, fantastic organization, lots of press in major papers and TV. Had hoped for more track and field athletes, but it is a start.” She notes her winning W60 high jump of 1.37 (4-6). Frequent commenter Weia Reinboud won the W55 event with a 1.40 (4-7). Other results are here.
Annelies Steekelenburg arches at Euro Senior Games in her native Holland.
Fab Four made Penn Relays history in City of Brotherly Love
No, the Beatles didn’t reunite (and half-return from the dead). But four brothers in their 60s and 70s did come together in April 2008 for an amazing relay at Penn — which I learned of only recently. The youngest (and fastest) sent me a note and this news clip from May 2008. Hugh McCay wrote: “I want to draw your attention to an event that took place in the 2008 Penn Relays 4X100 Mens 60+ that you are probably not aware of. As you well know, Sprint Force America set a world record for the Mens 70+ that day. But the last-place team, in 1:09.38, (probably) also set a record. We were (and are) the McCay Brothers. Literally, four South Bronx-born brothers who have loved track and competition all of our lives. On that day we were ages 74, 68, 62 and 60, and hailed from Corona, California; Newark, Delaware; Garden City, New York; and Kansas.”
Click on image to read hometown paper’s report on McCay brothers.
U.S. superstars trying new events at World Masters Games
Bruce McBarnette in the sprints? Bill Collins in the long jump? Yessiree! According to the 205-page entrants list of the Sydney World Masters Games track meet provided by at least four people, high jumper Bruce and sprinter Bill will test waters outside of their comfort zone next month. But what happens in Australia stays in Australia, right? Several dozen Americans will travel Down Under, including some who also competed in Lahti, Finland — Caren Ware, Richard Watson, Marilyn Mitchell, Mary Harada, Jeanne and Bill Daprano and Becky Sisley and Bruce, of course. Phil Raschker is entered in her usual 10 events, with Steve Kemp and Dr. Watson in eight events, including pentathlons. Other U.S. stars entered include Charles Allie, Doug Smith, Larry Barnum (with Aussie bride Carmel), Don Drummond, Jerry Bookin-Weiner, Bob Cahners, Bob Cozens, Ken Jansson, Tom Fahey, Mack Stewart, blogger Bubba Sparks and the star of Oshkosh M50 sprints — Michael Waller. The vast majority of entrants are Aussies, but I also noted a handful from Mongolia. A first for a major masters meet?
Sydney World Masters Games entrants posted — for a price
A couple days ago, I wrote some folks at the Sydney World Masters Games. I had a simple question: “Where might I find a final competitors list for the Sydney World Masters Games athletics meet? It had been promised for Sept. 7.” I got this not-so-simple reply yesterday from meet organizer Gill Elphinston: “Hi Ken, This information is located in your myGames account. Please find below details on where to find this.”
Community college track class for masters being explored
A few masters athletes in San Diego are hoping to interest a local community college in offering a masters age-group track and field class. It might meet twice a week as a credit/no-credit option. Anyone could join, at any experience level. This could help expand the pool of age-groupers in the region and lift the skill levels. The San Diego masters trackfolk are open to ideas. So help them out. Has any other community college — aka junior college — ever offered track and field classes geared to older adults? If so, when and where? Feel free to comment below or write me privately, and I’ll forward your wisdom to the parties involved.
Need for speed: Why masters records must be posted pronto!
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In her latest blog entry at YLFOR, Alyssa Tower admits that she wept when she saw the USATF W45 record for the track 10,000. It showed a pending mark from April 2008 by Monica Joyce — and not Alyssa’s own 38:10 at the USATF National Club Championships in mid-July 2009. Alyssa wrote today: “Last week Sandy Pashkin asked for my birth certificate as proof of age for my 45-49 record in the 10,000 meters. I was very happy just knowing my record was going to finally be recognized officially. So this morning I checked to see if they changed the record, only to discover that Monica Joyce’s name is written down instead. Her pending 10,000-meter time was a staggering 34:44 at age 49. . . . All I could do was cry — and I did. This record meant a lot because, like most of you, I am a mere mortal.”
Anselm’s masters advocacy group has a name: USAMA
Anselm LeBourne, the world champion sparkplug of the Lahti meeting that led to a masters athletes group within USATF, writes today: “The name of the group will be USAMA based on the votes received. I want to personally thank all of you for contributing to this advocacy group . . . so we can move masters athletics in a positive direction. I really believe that we are now of the radar of the USATF (especially Mike McNees and Stephanie Hightower) and they are going to do their best to address our concerns that Robert Thomas is going to be discussing with them. Thanks.” USAMA stands for USA Masters Athletes, and now boasts about 75 (corrected from 765, sorry!) members. Folks interested in more information can write Anselm directly.
Untold story of Bill Murray: From whale to world champion
Bill Murray is the biggest loser I know. But I didn’t realize this until after he’d returned home to his real estate business in Alabama following Lahti, where he won the M55 decathlon in an American record. Bill doesn’t boast about his weight loss. In fact, he fessed up details (and sent me the photo below) only after I sweet-talked him. He had sent me a link to a local newspaper story because it mentioned me (and got the story wrong). But Bill’s yarn is the real deal — and one that could inspire anyone to take up track after time on the potato-chip couch. The bottom line: Bill lost close to 80 pounds in his late 40s — equivalent to five 16-pound shots.
Bill and youngest son Will (left) about 2001; Bill hurdling in Lahti in August 2009.
Olga Kotelko and Jerry Smartt nicely profiled in home press
Jerry Smartt ran some M75 distance races at Lahti worlds, and though he didn’t bring home a medal, his visit was golden. It was a homecoming of sorts. In a great profile published today in the Columbia Missourian, he tells Sarah Nail: “I learned how to run when I first went to Finland in 1956. I had their Olympic coach as my coach. He taught me how to land softly instead of shocking my knees hard.” And there he was in August, still running lightly. W90 record-setter Olga Kotelko also got some smart press on her return home to West Vancouver, Canada. But “one of her (11) gold souvenirs from Finland is already on someone else’s neck: the captain of the cruise ship she sailed in on her return voyage.” Said Olga: “He’s the captain. Who else? Why not?” Why, Olga! You little fox! Gotta love it.
Jerry and Olga have a combined 167 years on this planet. And 167,000 medals.
