Archive for September, 2010

Ex-USATF CEO Doug Logan says Willie Banks fired him at bedside

Many people are guessing about the firing of Doug Logan as CEO of USATF, with some (like Weldon Johnson of letsrun.com in this analysis) missing the point entirely. Logic does not apply. This was a clash between USATF President Stephanie Hightower and Doug Logan. In a revealing interview with Running Times senior editor Scott Douglas, […]

September 23, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  8 Comments

2010 world records by Americans listed; any legit marks missing?

To help the USATF Masters T&F Awards Committee decide who should get top honors, a list is prepared showing which Americans set world indoor and outdoor records in 2010. The list posted here is unofficial, of course. Records aren’t gold-plated until approval comes at the USATF annual meeting. But this list deserves close scrutiny. Does […]

September 22, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  18 Comments

USATF Masters T&F Awards Committee issues call for nominees

Mary Trotto took over from Dave Clingan as chairman of the USATF Masters T&F Awards Committee (of which I’m a member). Here’s part of what Mary sent her members: “Anyone can nominate any athlete including nominating themselves. Below are those on the committee who volunteered to specifically look at one age group to make sure […]

September 22, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

Italian masters marathoner slapped with 2-year ban for doping

WMA President Stan Perkins reports that “World Masters Athletics acknowledges the information recently received from the IAAF that Mr. Nour Eddine Chakour, (but maybe should be called Noureddine) a master athlete from Italy, was found guilty of a doping offence. He was sanctioned by FIDAL with a two (2) years period of ineligibility (from April […]

September 21, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

Weia Reinboud notches 10th world record as masters flopper

Weia Reinboud should clone herself. (Actually, she already has — as the photo below shows.) Yesterday she closed her season at a small town in her native Holland by clearing 1.47 meters (4-9 3/4) on her first try — bettering her own W60 world record of 1.45. That’s her 10th world age-group record in three […]

September 20, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  8 Comments

Best damn shot-put video ever! M50 contest at Sacramento

With AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” pounding in the background, this video captures the drama and intensity of the M50 shot at Sacramento nationals two months ago. Well worth the wait! I was privileged to witness this titanic battle of spinners vs. gliders at Sac State, won by former 70-foot thrower Rob Suelflohn. God they were […]

September 19, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  13 Comments

Multi-event age-graded calculator is online, updated for 2010

The Holy Grails keep on coming. Once upon a time, I wished aloud for an online Age-Graded Tables calculator. Those online lookup forms eventually popped up. But one of the harder online forms to find is one that calculates masters age-group points for the multi-events — decathlon, pentathlon, heptathlon and so on. Now we see […]

September 18, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  7 Comments

Fishy photo of world record hurdler — can she be drug-free?

According to 500 websites touting the same wacky records, this lady executed the “Fastest 100-meter hurdles wearing swim fins, individual, female.” A caption said: “The fastest 100-meter hurdles wearing swim fins by a female is 22.35 seconds. It was achieved by Maren Zönker of Germany in Cologne, Germany, on Sept. 13, 2008.” Other world records […]

September 17, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  13 Comments

Happy birthday to Alisa Harvey — now hot after W45 records

Alisa Harvey is 45 today. From her Virginia base, she’s planning an assault on age-group middle-distance records, especially this coming indoor season. She also reports that “Sacramento (2011 worlds) is in my plans, though I have become concerned with the incidents of heat illness amongst the masters runners at this past US Masters Championships.” She […]

September 16, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Cancer doesn’t deter Ray Propst from Rocky Mountain high jump

M80 jumper Ray Propst of Oregon is one tough hombre. Here’s the story of yet another masters trackster who overcame the Big C. And that doesn’t stand for cheesecake. We learn: “It’s been a rocky year for Propst, 81. It all started in May 2009. Two months after tying the American record in the high […]

September 15, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment