Hope for mediocre sprinters: Ken Stone anchoring at worlds
Pigs fly, hell froze over and I’m set to anchor the M55 4×100 relay for Team USA Saturday at Lahti worlds. Yeah, I’m thrilled to tears. This is the miracle of masters track. You gotta show up to have a chance at glory. Only four M55s have declared for the sprint relay at Lahti worlds. Joining me are Jim Broun (leadoff), Rick Easley and Thad Wilson. Now the only obstacle to my running one last time at the main stadium is the 100-meter hurdles. Jim and Thad are entered, and both have a great shot at medaling. I’ll be cheering for them to finish high — and unscathed. I’m sure the Brits, Germans, Canadians and Aussies (and perhaps the Finns) will be our relay competition. But I’l keep my palm up and hand wide for Thad and run like on a sonofagun Satuday. Pray for me.
Invitation to Lahti-goers: Record your memories on Forum
Ten years ago, I competed in the M45 high hurdles, 200 and high jump at the WAVA world meet in Gateshead, England. I’ll never forget three-stepping the first four hurdles or having my picture taken with Canadian Olympian Debbie Brill, who set a world record that day. But many memories evaporated. Don’t let this happen to you! When you get home, surf over to this Forum category for Lahti stories. Click on “newtopic,” write your name/event and recall as much as you can about your event, meals, lodging and fun with friends. Let’s create an archive of world championships stories that will last forever online. Your great-great-grandchildren will appreciate it.
Harold Morioka (left) and Courtland Gray staged titanic battles at 1999 worlds.
Rex Harvey loses WMA presidency election by single vote
Six minutes before noon today, delegates at the Lahti General Assembly gasped as election results were projected on an overhead screen. Ohio’s Rex Harvey craned his neck to see a 61 beside his name. Next to rival Stan Perkins’ name was a 62. Thus ended Rex’s 22-year stint with World Masters Athletics as he lost the race for WMA president to an Australian who took advantage of anti-American sentiment fanned by a German masters official. The German, Eurovets president Dieter Massin (pronounced Mah-SEEN), denied lobbying for Stan in European circles — saying he was “neutral” in the campaign. But Stan readily admitted that Dieter engaged in “electioneering” on his behalf, excusing Dieter’s reported pressure tactics as permissible because, he said, Rex had done the same.
Rex Harvey (left) congratulates Stan Perkins moments after vote was posted.
Day 7: Jumpers soar, then join the mortals at Lahti party
The seventh of 10 competition days at Lahti worlds featured some high-profile jump contests, including the M50 at the main stadium, where Bruce McBarnette won with 1.90 but missed an American record 1.95. Temps were in the 60s. But no rain today. In the M55 event, Jaroslav Lorenc of the Czech Republic won at Radiomaki stadium — up a steep road from the main venue. Jaroslav, a 2.14 jumper in his youth, won at 1.75 after an amazing three-step approach and later dropped his shorts, effectively mooning the crowd for about a minute. USA’s Glenn Sasser won the M65 shot at 13.93, Oregon’s Becky Sisley won the W70 vault at 2.10 and L.A.’s Johnnye Valien won the W80 vault at 1.10. At 5:30 p.m., a couple dozen USA athletes met at a lakefront boat/bar for a beer mixer, and some went on to the 35 Euro athletes banquet at nearby Sebelius Hall.
Jaroslav Lorenc won the M55 high jump with style reminiscent of Valeri Brumel.
Day 6: Sprinters at worlds run wet and dry, modest and . . .
Dr. Stephen Peters of Britain won the M55 200 this afternoon at Lahti in 23.50 — into the slightest of headwinds. It was just off Bill Collins’ world record of 23.36. Steve quietly shook some hands, posed for a group shot, and left. Minutes later, Val Barnwell of the USA won the M50 200 in a slower 23.61. Val jogged back down the track, emoted before the American section of the stadium and soaked up the attention. Then after he sat down, a drug-testing official brought a clipboard and forms. Off to doping control for Val, who muttered something about Americans being targeted. So it went on another great day of sprint action, which included a brief rainshower during M70 Guido Mueller’s 200 victory.
M35 Mario Bonello of Malta tastes victory in 21.91 — in the final event of the day.
Day 6: Rita Hanscom wins third gold, in W55 pole vault
Rita Hanscom’s W55 superstar tour continued in Lahti today when she won the pole vault at 2.70 meters. It was her third gold at worlds, after winning the hep and the 300 hurdles. In the vault, she beat Ute Ritte, the wife of German masters vault legend Wolfgang Ritte, and Britain’s Sue Yeomans. She tied for her final height but had virtually no misses until her last three jumps. She won on fewer misses. Rita used a house pole, since she didn’t bring her own 12-120 Spirit pole from home in San Diego. She jumped with a Pacer Mystic, also 12 feet long and rated for 120 pounds. But the pole provided by WMA had a different feel and bend, and Rita said she lacked confidence going in. Starting low, she gained it. And despite not having her standards set at the best place, she beat five other women, including a German named Grania Leaping Rabbit.
Rita Hanscom, with fewer misses, won her third event at Lahti worlds.
USATF hasn’t reported squat about Team USA at Lahti worlds
This is outrageous. Americans are winning dozens of medals in Lahti, some setting world or American records, and usatf.org has yet to report ANYTHING about Team USA at the WMA World Masters Athletics Championships. And the meet is about half over! I wrote to folks in the press office at Indy, pleading with them to simply check out the Lahti results site. and list our medalists. We are not chopped liver, dammit! Rita Hanscom breaks a Phil Raschker record (in the W55 hep), and that’s not news! C’mon! This blog can’t do justice to all the American stars, since I’m busy having fun and taking photos. So If you want decent coverage of the Yanks, please write to CEO Doug Logan, COO Mike McNees and USATF press honcho Ivan Cropper. We need to flood their inbox, folks!
Day 5: Big highs and lows for Americans at Lahti worlds
Rita Hanscom, running the event for only the second time, won the W55 300 hurdles today at Lahti worlds, going out easy and finishing hard to pass two other ladies in the last 50 meters. Darnell Gatling took the M45 400 hurdles easily. Linda Cohn won the W55 javelin. Disappointments came in the M50 800, where Anselm LeBourne stumbled in the last 10 meters and was beaten for gold, and in the M45 400 hurdles, where race co-favorite Don Drummond pulled his right hamstring before the first barrier. (He’d injured it a month earlier.) Chris Grant of Jamaica won, and graciously visited Don as he sat against a wall for 20 minutes while recovering.
Rita Hanscom, third over the last hurdle, outsprinted all her W55 rivals.
WMA slates candidates forum for Monday night in Lahti
World Masters Athletics will elect several officers Wednesday at its biennial General Assembly, including president and vice president for stadia meets. Although prez rivals Stan Perkins and Rex Harvey have addressed questions, others have not. Few know where VP-stadia candidates Serge Beckers and Sandy Pashkin stand on key issues. That could change Monday night (August 3), when they’ll face delegates in an informal session at 7:20 p.m. at the ski museum adjacent to the main stadium. The museum can seat 150, I’m told. I also hear that acting (appointed) president Tom Jordan wanted to give folks a chance to hear from the candidates before the General Assembly, which won’t have much time for Q&A. Post your ideas for questions, and I might pose them to the candidates. Specify which office the query is for. BTW, the stadium PA announcer didn’t mention the candidates forum at all. So who knows who has heard about it?
Day 4: Americans among the walking wounded at Lahti
Steve Robbins pulled a groin muscle in the M65 100. Dick Richards dropped out of the M75 race with his own leg injury. Ben James finished his M50 sprint with a strain but should be back. Joy Upshaw-Margerum scratched from the W45 sprints after hurting her foot. And Jeff Brower, given lane 1, stopped at about the seventh barrier of the M45 400 hurdles semis with a lower leg injury. So it went for some American stars (and dozens of others) at Lahti worlds today. However, previously injured Guido Mueller of Germany won the M70 100. And Val Barnwell, beaten at Oshkosh, won another M50 sprint title.
Steve Robbins, a former world champ, gets help after groin pull in 100 semi.
