Archive for May, 2003

Ottey obliterates W40 record in 200

Science should study Merlene Ottey. On May 10, Merlene turned 43. On May 25, she celebrated with a masters W40 record at 200 meters, clocking an incredible 23.33 at a meet in Celje, Slovenia. News of Merlene’s latest masters record came from Marty Post of Runner’s World Online, who spotted Merlene’s name in the latest […]

May 29, 2003   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Hal Higdon challenges WMA dress code

Hal Higdon is a rarity — a masters athlete familiar to the running public. A veteran of many World Masters Outdoor Championships, Higdon is an author, artist and senior writer for Runner’s World — as well as a founder of the Road Runners Club of America. He’s a thoughtful M70 getting ready for his latest […]

May 24, 2003   Posted in: Uncategorized  6 Comments

Pan-Pac Masters Games dying on the vine?

Although I’m not competing at the Pan-Pacific Masters Games in Sacramento this summer, I subscribe to the group’s e-mail newsletters. The latest notice indicates that the Pan-Pac people may be worried about a lack of entries. It sayeth: “The Early Entry Deadline has been extended to June 15! Make sure you get your entry application […]

May 24, 2003   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Rebellion in the WMA ranks

Britain’s Bridget Cushen, a W60 distance runner who spent many years as the Women’s Representative in WAVA (now WMA), isn’t taking kindly to WMA president Torsten Carlius’ efforts to railroad the choice of venue for the inaugural World Masters Indoor Championships. In answer to a British journalist’s query on the topic, she came out with […]

May 23, 2003   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Revolution at hand in WMA

Thanks to a masters mole, I have secured a copy of the official agenda for the July 10, 2003, General Assembly of World Masters Athletics in Puerto Rico. It’s a stunner. Proposals for changes in the WMA Constitution would revolutionize how world masters track is run. One proposal would open up WMA’s finances to real […]

May 22, 2003   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Puerto Rico WMA meet suffers entry shortfall

The biennial world masters championships traditionally draws 5,000 to 6,000 athletes, making it one of the world’s biggest track meets. But this year’s event in Carolina, Puerto Rico, may see a dramatic falloff in those figures. According to local organizing committee spokesman Manuel de JesĂşs: “We are processing more and more entries as they come. […]

May 21, 2003   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Carlius confirms German city selection for WCs

WMA President Torsten Carlius, in his first public comments on the site selection for the first World Masters Indoor Championships, confirms that Sindelfingen, Germany, has been endorsed by the WMA Council. However, he uses the phrase “if approved” to suggest that it’s not yet set in stone — and that the WMA General Assembly will […]

May 20, 2003   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Swarts and Sampson among USA entrants at WMA

Oh well. Two days after posting a USA roster that included all entrants’ ages, USATF has uploaded a new roster of WMA world meet entrants that deletes the ages and adds M or F. Sigh. I’ve written to USATF.org webmaster Keith Lively, asking if the ages can be restored. They’re kind of essential, since this […]

May 15, 2003   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

USA sending 365 athletes to world WMA meet

USATF, bless its PR-savvy soul, has posted the names, ages, events and home states of 365 USA entrants in this summer’s World Masters Athletic Championships — from M65 racewalker Carlos Acosta of California to M50 sprinter Zbigy Zlobicki of Michigan. The oldest Americans in Puerto Rico will be racewalker Fan Benno-Caris of Texas (she’s 85), […]

May 14, 2003   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Masters to have access to great new L.A. track

The May-June issue of California Track & Running News contains a very intriguing article about the new track at the Home Depot Center in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson — intriguing because it mentions the M-word three times. M as in Masters. USATF’s Southern California Association has submitted a facilities use plan that includes […]

May 13, 2003   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed