Hartshorne Masters Mile honchos Charles Fay and Tom Hartshorne report: “The 2016 races are now a wrap! Videos of each of the eight races comprising the 2016 Hartshorne Masters Mile can be found online at the Finger Lakes Running Club’s web site. Race photographer Steve Gallow captured all of the action and much of the spirit of the event as well. You can view his work. Our thanks to Jorge Cuevas for his videographic talents, Steve Gallow for his fine photography, and Maria Costanzo for getting the results and videos online. Once again, thanks to all the runners and their friends, families, and supporters. We look forward to seeing all of you at the 50th running of the Hartshorne Memorial Masters Mile in January 2017.” Here’s the M40 elite race:
Greg Pizza hired Howard Jacobs, who helped Marion Jones beat an EPO rap in 2006.
Greg Pizza is serious, folks. He hopes to raise $15,000 to retain Howard Jacobs as his lawyer in the USADA testosterone case. Complete details are in my Times of San Diego story, posted Tuesday night. Greg PIE-zah tells me: “This is a fight for the community of masters athletes. I hope it clears up that HRT is not enhancing but that many, many maturing athletes need this to supplement their dwindling supply as they age.” Greg’s GoFundMe page has raised $600 in two days. My apologies to several high jumpers and a 400 lady who have set American records in recent days. I’ll tell your stories soon.
For the fourth year in a row, Erika Pierce has raised a W40 American record in a combined event. This time it was the indoor heptathlon — after she scored 4547 points over the weekend at Jeff Watry’s annual USATF championships at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Her listed record was 4286. No world records are kept in the indoor hep, since only the pent is contested at WMA worlds. Men’s results are posted here. On Saturday, Erika, 44, ran the 60 in 8.62, and did 4.87 meters (15-11.75) in long jump, 8.73 (28-07.75) in shot and 1.44 (4-08.75) in high jump. On Sunday, she ran the 60 hurdles in 9.72, vaulted 2.0 (6-06.75) and burned the 800 in 2:44.01. “Christel Donley just missed breaking her own W80 record, scoring 5139,” Jeff reported. She scored 5183 last year in Kenosha. More photos are posted on the Decamouse Facebook page. Congrats to all.
The few, the proud, the brave indoor USATF hepstars at Carthage College.
Nolan, shown at 2014 Winston-Salem nationals, hopes to make a splash in Portland as well.
With the Lyon gold and silver medalists and a 1500-meter indoor WR man joining Hall of Famer Nolan Shaheed, the men’s 800 masters exhibition at IAAF Portland worlds should be a doozy. At least three have set world records. Top seed in the March 19 race is Ireland’s Joe Gough, the M60 800 WR man, and No. 3 seed is Uruguay’s Omar Clok, who took second to Joe at Lyon. The No. 2 seed in Portland is Pierre Faucheur of France, whom I interviewed in 2010after setting an M55 indoor WR in the 15. Pierre turned 60 in December, just making the age cut. Rounding out the six-man field are Marcel Scholten of Holland, America’s Nolan (multiple records) and Marc Schmitt of France. Alternates are Ukraine’s Oleksandr Lysenko and Britain’s David Wilcock.
Here’s how the men were informed:
Dear Master Athlete,
Congratulations on being selected for the Masters 800 in the IAAF Championships in Portland, Oregon.
Attached is a letter from Stan Perkins, the President of WMA, with some details and the names of those selected.
You will be hearing shortly from Winston Thomas, who is the team manager for you in Portland.
I hope you all enjoy your stay in Portland, Oregon (my home state).
Regards,
Sandy Pashkin,
Chair of the Selection Committee
Here’s the note from the WMA prez:
Dear Selected Master Athlete,
Firstly, I must thank you and the other athletes that have applied to compete in this most prestigious event, and the opportunity to show a new audience the power of Master athletics. The applications have been overwhelming with over 20 men and women applying for selection. We are pleased that so many athletes were interested and took the time to submit their details.
There were 6 men and 6 women selected, with provision made for two athletes as reserves in case of any possible withdrawals. The selection was based on the information submitted in the applications that had been received. These indicated the best performances of both 2015 and 2016, and whilst we realise that some athletes are just starting their season and may improve their performances, we had to abide by a cut off date to meet the requirements of the championship organisers in Portland. The list of the selected athletes are shown below.
For those athletes selected, WMA is offering accommodation for 4 nights and a daily allowance US $40.00. (17-20 March). You should be prepared to meet your own travel and any other additional costs. All Master athletes will be accredited in the same manner as the IAAF athletes. This will entitle them to use the official training sites, admission to the championships competition including seating in the reserved athletes stands during the championships and attend all social functions the IAAF athletes are entitled to.
Accompanying persons will be provided team official accreditations and at this time we understand this includes admission to the championships competition.
It is very important that we know details of the athletes and any accompanying persons as soon as possible, so I would be grateful that you let the WMA Secretary (wmasec07@gmail.com) know of your acceptance of participation, the extent of your intended stay, accompanying person, with full details as on passports of all persons, as well as the passport number.
I look forward to seeing you in Portland and wish you a successful season.
Yours sincerely,
Stanley Perkins
WMA PRESIDENT
1 Joe Gough IRE 2:15.90
2 Pierre Faucheur FRA 2:16.45
3 Omar Clok URU 2:16.79
4 Marcel Scholten NED 2:16.93
5 Nolan Shaheed USA 2:17.5
6 Marc Schmitt FRA 2:18.11
R1 Oleksandr Lysenko UKR 2:18.44
R2 David Wilcock GBR 2:18.67
Here’s the M60 final in Lyon 800:
1 Gough, Joe M62 Ireland 2:15.90
2 Clok, Omar M60 Uruguay 2:16.79
3 Loaiza Londoño, Carlos H M64 Colombia 2:17.10
4 Rentsch, Walter M61 Germany 2:18.56
5 Levasseur, Yves M63 France 2:18.80
6 Kreemke, Wolfgang M60 Germany 2:19.00
7 Ortiz Rivera, Jorge Luis M61 Puerto Rico 2:19.22
8 Dunlop, Alastair M61 Great Britai 2:19.36
9 Lysenko, Oleksandr M60 Ukraine 2:19.58
10 Chantry, Stephen M60 United State 2:20.03
11 Riou, Jean M60 France 2:21.77
12 Sato, Ryuichi M61 Japan 2:24.42
Lesley of Georgia, winning at 2014 Winston-Salem nationals, holds American records in 1500, mile.
American Lesley Chaplin and Britain’s Karen Brooks, who took 2-3 at Lyon worlds in the W55 800, headline the masters invitational 800 at IAAF Portland worlds on March 19. Lesley is one of three Yanks in the elite-woman field, joined by Julie Hayden and Cheryl Bellaire. The Lyon champion, Karin Wåhlstedt of Sweden, apparently didn’t apply. I learned the entry list from one of the top six, which also includes Hélène Douay of France and Aurora Perez of Spain. The alternates are Aussies Marie Kay and Deborah Drennan. So far, I’m aware of only Nolan Shaheed in the men’s M60-plus field. And he may be the oldest, at 66. The women’s field was informed by Sandy Pashkin of WMA. Here’s theW55 women’s outdoor rankings of 2015, and here are the M60 men’s rankings.
USATF Masters T&F national Chairman Gary Snyder replied Friday to my query on the Greg Pizza HRT case. Gary wrote: “After reading NMN, Times and MTF, it once again becomes apparent there is a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding regarding banned ‘stuff.’ I would support a change, but any change must be across the board for all sports — not just T&F — and must be at the WADA level, not just USADA. Way past my grade level. If someone wants to champion the cause, which would take years, I’d support them as best I could.” Gary nails the problem. USADA takes its cues from WADA (the way USATF masters has to toe the WMA line). So making masters an exception to anti-doping protocols is a heavy lift. But Greg would like sanity in the TUE process. He likely wouldn’t have gotten a TUE for testosterone before or after the fact. But recreational TUEs need to be better defined. Meanwhile, take our poll:
Rachid says: “If you coach sprints and you’ve never been a sprinter, I don’t think you will be successful.”
M40 sprinter Rachid Chouhal of Malta had a busy year in 2015. He competed in the European Indoor Athletics Championships (the open meet) and also Lyon worlds. He didn’t do so hot against the pups in Prague, taking 35th of 37 in the 60-meter dash (7.06 seconds). But he managed fourth in the Lyon 100 and 200 finals despite cramps in his 100 warmup. (Times were 11.35 and 22.71.) But here’s the crazy part (as we learn from Times of Malta): “Chouhal has even found time to pick up a new event, the hammer throw. … ‘I started practising hammer the year I started coaching my wife. She is the national record holder in hammer, discus and shot put. My aim was to practise, understand and gain more experience in hammer throwing.’ It looks as if he has achieved that ambition. ‘I managed to break the hammer record four times.’ Wow! Whatta switch. Explosive events both, I guess.
My Striders teammate Greg Pizza, 62, reveals in National Masters News that he’s facing a four-year drug ban after testing positive for testosterone at Jacksonville nationals in July. (He was tapped after taking third in the 100.) In a Times of San Diego article posted Wednesday night, I added the NMN piece as well as his responses to other questions. I’m still awaiting a reply from USADA to Greg’s call for giving masters athletes a break. I also wrote USATF Masters Chairman Gary Snyder for comment. I salute NMN publisher Amanda Scotti for featuring this controversial topic. Greg is her boyfriend, but she exposes him to potentially harsh judgment. So sad that the year masters outdoor nationals is skedded for Michigan, a native of that state won’t compete in Grand Rapids.
Greg, in the shades, sprints with red-wearing Striders teammates.
Glyn Suttonran an amazing 200 to win one of his three M70 golds at Lyon. He clocked 26.47 (a time I haven’t seen since about age 44.) On Saturday, he notched another WR, this time at a meet in Cardiff. “Delighted to announce another world record,” Glyn posted on Facebook. “This time breaking the indoor M70 60m world record with a time of 8.18 secs. Many thanks to Welsh Athletics for accommodating us at theirGP Event and allowing us older athletes to show what can be achieved.”Results are here. Actually, he tied the 60 WR, also listed as 8.18 by American Kenton Brown last March at Winston-Salem nationals. Can’t wait to see these two gents go spike-to-spike.
Phototimer shot of Glyn’s 8.18 at a meet Jan. 23 in Cardiff, Wales.
Hooboy. On top of the National Senior Games, the World Masters Games and other regional meets like the Americas Masters Games 2016 in Vancouver, add another upstart: theUSA Masters Games. I wasn’t aware of this until Monday night. Saw it on the T&FN homepage. This 20-sport event (including track and field for age 21 and up) “is slated to be a biennial games with the inaugural edition July 21-31, 2016, in Greensboro, North Carolina,” the site says. “Our goal … is an enjoyable and rewarding Games experience that leaves everyone looking forward to the 2018 edition.” Here’s the track info. And here’s what’s really weird: “Participants must be active members of USA Track and Field or the comparable organization in their home country. Athletes who are not members of USA Track and Field should become a member before registering for the USA Masters Games.” Say what? It’s a USATF-sanctioned event competing with masters nationals a week earlier in Grand Rapids. (It’s on the USATF calendar.) The games were publicized last April, but I missed it. Anyone have an interest in this?
Ken has followed track as an athlete, writer and web-master since the late 1960s, and saw most sessions of track and field at the 1984 Los Angeles and 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He also attended the 1988, 1992, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Trials, the last three as a blogger and Patch correspondent. [More...]
