Archive for May, 2010

Geraldine Finegan recounts Kamloops illness, drug positive

Over the past couple days, Geraldine Finegan of Ireland has responded to my queries on her drug positive in Kamloops. She gives a comprehensive account of her case. She bared her soul, including her personal life. But the excerpts below deal mainly with her drug positive at Kamloops worlds in March, where she won four [...]

May 26, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  10 Comments

Arizona sprinter Hockersmith is debut NSGA Athlete of the Month

The National Senior Games Association has rolled out an online newsletter, which is long overdue — and might even make some money. (See it here.) It also is sent as an email blast, which you can sign up for. “The NSGA is excited to announce their new email newsletter, The Game Plan,” says the first [...]

May 25, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Nick Newton honored by friends, family and Congressman Filner

The secret held. When Nick Newton and his wife, Sheila, neared the Eureka Room at Pomona Valley Mining Co. on Saturday night, he thought he was attending a party for a grandchild. Surprise! Pretty much all the grandkids were there. But so were great-grandchildren and dozens of great friends, athletes and coaches. But it wasn’t [...]

May 24, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Allen Johnson clocks 13.65 season best at 39 in Shanghai meet

Allen Johnson took fifth in a Diamond League 110 hurdles today in Shanghai — a season best 13.65. (See results here.) Masters hurdlers in his same age group run 39-inch hurdles. He did this over 42-inchers on a chilly night and into a slight wind! He’s bearing down on 40, remember. He now stands in [...]

May 23, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  6 Comments

Finegan blames nasal decongestant for Kamloops drug positive

Two days after being labeled a drug cheat, W40 world champion Geraldine Finnegan (or Finegan) issued a vigorous defense. According to Irish press reports, Finegan “insisted she has ‘never knowingly taken an illegal or legal substance to help (her) performance,’ after Athletics Ireland announced she had tested positive for the prohibited substance ephedrine (at Kamloops [...]

May 23, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  32 Comments

Canadian masters nationals are set for mid-July in Toronto

Masters everything Doug Smith has a new hat: meet director of the 2010 Canadian Masters National Outdoor T&F Championships. It will be July 17-18 in Toronto, Ontario — and may include a pentathlon. (Doug has posted a poll, seeking feedback on the pent.) Here is meet information. USA masters nationals are a week later in [...]

May 22, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Ireland’s Geraldine Finnegan loses Kamloops medals for doping

Geraldine Finnegan, a W40 star who won four medals at the World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships in Kamloops, British Columbia, tested positive for the banned drug ephedrine (a stimulant) and has been stripped of at least two medals, according to Irish news sites. Read the news here. If folks move up a spot, it would [...]

May 21, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  16 Comments

Year after WMA presidency, Monty Hacker returns to health, sport

A year ago this month, South Africa’s Monty Hacker resigned as president of World Masters Athletics. He was acting prez, taking care of business in the wake of Cesare Beccalli’s death in December 2007. Monty quit because of his own health concerns. His resignation letter said: “I was struck down with an unknown and unidentified [...]

May 21, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Allen Johnson, Danny McFarlane, nearing 40, still superhurdlers

Atlanta Olympic champ Allen Johnson and Athens Olympic silver medalist Danny McFarlane of Jamaica still got game. Allen turned 39 in March, and at Wednesday’s IAAF meet in Daegu, South Korea, he ran the 110 hurdles in 13.81. Took seventh, but what of it? Danny turned 38 in February, and he ran the 400 hurdles [...]

May 20, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  3 Comments

Coaches catering to masters fall through USATF Registry cracks

USATF has announced its version of the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval — a registry to “identify and acknowledge coaches who represent the profession’s highest standards.” What’s behind all this? Well, a spate of child-molestation cases involving track coaches might have something to do with it. (One in Oregon in 2009, another in South Florida [...]

May 19, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  11 Comments