Archive for October, 2009

Olympic throwers did battle at the Nevada Senior Games

As hinted earlier, throwers went wild at the Nevada Senior Games on October 2. At least two Olympians were in the hammer mix — Ed Burke and Tom Gage. And that was just the M65 group!  (See results of the hammer and long jump.) Here are results for the rest of the meet, graciously provided […]

October 11, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Sydney Morning Herald among papers covering the WMG

Sydney had practice. Nine years ago, they had a little event called the Olympic Games. But the numbers at the World Masters Games dwarf those of the Summer Games — about 28,000 are showing up this month. The Sydney Morning Herald already has a bunch of stories posted and a video report. A French wire […]

October 10, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

Chris’ 3Day campaign completed! Fund thermometer bursts

Thanks to many of you, my wife’s Breast Cancer 3Day Walk thermometer today began showing 100 percent funding!  Chris has raised $2,300 from more than 50 friends, co-workers and family members. (See my original pitch.) Now she can focus exclusively on her training for the 60-mile walk around San Diego over three days starting Friday, […]

October 9, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Snafus beset Sydney World Masters Games out of the blocks

It’s still early, but first reports out of Sydney suggest organizers aren’t ready for the monster crowds at the World Masters Games. Endless lines for credential pickup. Lack of foreign speakers to help folks not using English. Bad directions to venues. At least the transportation system is getting high marks. One athlete (and not Bubba […]

October 9, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  6 Comments

Bubba Sparks (and his poles) arrive in Sydney safe & sound

The excitement is palpable in Bubba Spark’s blog from Sydney on the eve of the World Masters Games: “There are SO MANY uniforms from all over the world as the airport was a zoo. On our flight I quit counting T-shirts I saw for the different sports at 12. Everything from water polo, volleyball, weightlifting, […]

October 9, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

More awe in Utah: Obera, Neidig add names to record books

The legends came out to play yesterday at the Huntsman World Senior Games. Continuing her comeback, Hall of Famer Irene Obera of Fremont, California, won the 100 in 16.67 seconds to erase one of the oldest sprint records on the books — the W75 American record of 16.87 by Polly Clarke in 1985. (The world […]

October 8, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

O’Connor and LaBarge improve their own American records

It’s October. The NFL season has started. Baseball playoffs loom. Yet track season continues, thank God, and masters records just keep on coming! At least two to report: Nadine O’Connor ran the 300-meter hurdles for the second time in her life Saturday at the Club West meet in Santa Barbara. Same result as the first […]

October 7, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Don McGrath’s epiphany: Mystery of masters sports solved?

Don McGrath has achieved his goal of interviewing 50 athletes over 50, preparing a book on the project. I introduced him last May. Thanks in part to this blog, Don found plenty of masters trackfolk willing to spill the beans about their athletics lives. His list includes about 20 tracksters, fieldsters and runners, including world-classers […]

October 6, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  7 Comments

Turin lands 2013 World Masters Games; is Porto Alegre toast?

  In a 45-minute press conference last week, officials in Turin, Italy, bragged about bagging the 2013 World Masters Games — the next one after Sydney. Turin apparently beat out Berlin for the gig. I missed the Sept. 28 announcement, sorry. Napping, I guess. The Sydney site reports the basics.  Another good report is at Around […]

October 5, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  13 Comments

The other World Games starts tomorrow, in southern Utah

Although many eyes this month’s are on Sydney World Masters Games, the annual poor-man’s world games begin tomorrow in St. George, Utah: the Huntsman World Senior Games. The track meet runs through Wednesday. Results from this year and previous years are posted here. Some elite masters tracksters go there, and some may opt for this meet […]

October 4, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments