Archive for February, 2009

WMA prez expects 2009 World Masters Games to be kosher

Monty Hacker of South Africa, the acting president of World Masters Athletics, walked a fine line when he finally responded to my questions about the 2009 World Masters Games. I wrote about this issue a few weeks back. Would the track meet at the Sydney WMG observe all official track rules?  Some folks worry they […]

February 28, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

Rita Hanscom reprises 1973 ‘Battle of the Sexes’ on track

In 1973, 55-year-old Bobby Riggs challenged 29-year-old Billie Jean King to a tennis match in Houston. BJK spanked old Bobby good. Yesterday at San Diego’s old Balboa Stadium, 54-year-old Rita Hanscom had a sprint rematch with a 38-year-old male co-worker who used to play wide receiver in his prep football days. Guess who won?  Yeah, the […]

February 27, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  8 Comments

Family opts against funeral for masters icon Payton Jordan

Payton Jordan’s friends and admirers would fill L.A. Memorial Coliseum. But his family has opted against a funeral for Payton, who died three weeks ago. According to this newspaper account, “The family of the late Payton Jordan has decided to not hold any funeral services — honoring Jordan’s wishes, said his daughter Cheryl Melville. . […]

February 26, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Can Birger Ohlsson push Tony Young to 1500 indoor WR?

Tony Young is flying cross country this weekend to compete in the masters exhibition 1500 at the USATF indoor championships in Boston. He’s in shape, we know from his recent 4:13 mile and 1:55 half-mile clockings on the oversized track at the University of Washington. Can he replicate those efforts Sunday afternoon on the 200-meter […]

February 25, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

Would you like Joe@usatf-masters.org as an e-mail address?

Alan Roth was edged by our Willie Banks for a seat on the USATF Board of Directors, but Alan is still in the game — at least in the chatfest known as the USATF Associations listserve on Yahoo Groups. Yesterday, Alan was adding his $.02 to a debate over CEO Doug Logan’s goal of growing […]

February 25, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

Karla Del Grande, Canadian half-milers go crazy — again

Doug Smith reports from Ontario: “Three Canadian (age-group) records were broken at Sunday’s Athletics Ontario Senior Championships at the Toronto Track & Field Centre. W55 Karla Del Grande continued her assault on the record book with a 28.34 in the 200m. She broke Diane Palmason’s 14-year-old record of 30.33 and Karla was running in the […]

February 24, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Oshkosh event schedule now locked in; book your flights

Almost making good on a promise made at the Reno convention, masters Chairman Gary Snyder has announced that the day-by-day event schedule at the USATF National Masters Outdoor Championships in Oshkosh is now posted here. In other words, you can find out which day of the four-day meet you’ll need to be there for your events.  […]

February 23, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Alistair Dunlop falls short of M55 indoor world record in 800

The second-oldest WMA world indoor record for 800 meters is 2:08.15 by M55 Reginald Phipps of Great Britain in January 1999. (The oldest is an M65 mark by Canadian Earl Fee in 1994.) But Alistair Dunlop had a great try at the M55 record Saturday at the Scottish Masters Indoor National Championships at Glasgow’s Kelvin […]

February 23, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

Videos flash back to deuces at 2008 masters indoor nationals

Derek Lau writes of the upcoming Landover indoor nationals: “I hope everyone is pumped up for this year’s meet.” No question he was impressed with last year’s in Boston. Derek, of aideM Media Solutions Inc. in Pennsylvania, has posted 20 videos showing the  200-meter finals in all men’s and women’s age groups at the 2008 […]

February 22, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Pete Magill launches a runnerpalooza-great masters blog!

Who needs National Masters News? Masters distance runners now have a rock ’em, sock ’em online home that puts NMN to shame. M45 fluffystud Pete Magill of South Pasadena, a many-times national cross country champ and distance ace on the track, has crafted a Web site with great and magical content. I’m awestruck. Featuring W35 […]

February 21, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments