Archive for January, 2008

Open lanes at open nationals? Masters events in jeopardy

Will the men’s masters exhibition 60 and women’s 400 at USATF open indoor nationals have empty lanes? That seems to be the worry of Mark Cleary, organizing these races at the AT&T indoor championships Feb. 23-24 in Boston. On Friday, he sent this note to Mary Rosado, who is organizing the masters relays events at […]

January 27, 2008   Posted in: Uncategorized  19 Comments

Lemme wins Reebok masters mile big in Boston

Kent Lemme, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts cross country coach, won the masters mile at the Reebok indoor games this afternoon in Boston, taking the exhibition event in 4:25.04 — with a nonconservative margin of 6 seconds over the runner-up. A year ago, he took second to Mark Coogan at this meet, clocking 4:28.76.

January 26, 2008   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

Report: People can sprint after age 40 — and live!

A little paper in Medford, Massachusetts, has discovered masters track. And it’s amazed that folks as old as 47 (!!!) run sprints. The headline on the story reads: “Kicking it old school: Kountze proves hitting 40 isn’t fatal” Subject of the story is M45 sprinter Michael Kountze, who grew up in Medford but now lives […]

January 26, 2008   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Jeff Hartwig improves M40 vault record to 18-4 1/2

Becca Gillespy of PoleVaultPower.com shares this news: “DORMAGEN (GER, Jan 25): Former World Indoor Champion Tim Lobinger who is known for high number of competitions started his another year in great style. At the begin of his jubilee 15th year on world level he won the Pole Vault meet in Dormagen with clearing respectable 5.76 […]

January 25, 2008   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Reebok masters mile returns this weekend in Boston

Hartshorne deserves its reputation as a masters mile mecca. But every year since 2000, Boston also has hosted some great masters miles at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games. Organized by New England USATF honcho Steve Vaitones, the Reebok masters mile is the first event (at 5:30 p.m.) Saturday at the site of the late-March masters […]

January 25, 2008   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Coach Jesse Cummings dies at 90; Corsicana icon

Jesse Cummings of Texas, who competed in masters track from 1987 to about 2000, died Wednesday at 90, his local paper reports. He had an M80 time of 2:05.16 for 400 meters in 2000, which was good enough for world ranking that year. The article also says: “In 1987, he began competing in the Senior […]

January 24, 2008   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Targeting the Trials at age 46: Bradstock the javelinist

Roald Bradstock took note of Peter Blank’s retirement from the M45 spear wars. It was the latest favorable news for Roald, whose 71.75 (235-4) throw last May is now listed as the official M45 world age-group record (even though Peter threw 77.15/253-1 nine days later). In any case, Roald is gearing up for 2008. His […]

January 24, 2008   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

James Lofton loses job with the San Diego Chargers

Norv Turner, coach of the San Diego Chargers, didn’t kick his dog when he returned home from Foxboro after losing to the 18-0 New England Patriots on Sunday. He kicked his receivers coach, James Lofton, off the club. Fired him. A stunner, to say the least. NFL Hall of Famer James, who we see running […]

January 23, 2008   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

Spearchucker Peter Blank calls it a career in Germany

Peter Blank has hung up his spears. Peter, the M45 world record holder in the javelin, was interviewed recently in Germany about his retirement from the sport after four decades. We also learn that Peter sued German authorities to be included on the 1992 Olympic team in Barcelona. Not sure of the details. He also […]

January 23, 2008   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Wolfgang Ritte becomes oldest man to clear 14 feet

Remember Seagren vs. Nordwig? Kingstad vs. Ritte is the latest U.S-German vault rivalry. After opening at 4.10 (13-5 1/4), Germany’s Wolfgang Ritte went straight to an M55 world indoor vault record of 4.30 (14-1 1/4) Saturday and made it on the first try, according to the Koops’ Web site. A video shows the clearance. The […]

January 23, 2008   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments