Archive for November, 2010

Belarus discus great eyes 2012 London Olympic Games at age 51

Sydney Olympic discus champ Elina Zvereva turned 50 last Tuesday. But she’s still got game. Or at least she’s game for the Games. An IAAF article quotes her as saying: ā€œI want to finish my career on the high level. I am more than ever determined to do it. I will try to get to […]

November 22, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  3 Comments

UCLA coaching legend Jim Bush regales Striders with stories of yore

Hall of Fame track coach Jim Bush, who tutored dozens of Olympians at UCLA and ended his career at rival USC, riveted attentions Saturday night at an Orange County Persian restaurant — scene of the latest Southern California Striders awards dinner. The masters track club gave its top honor, the Robert Watanabe Award, to Kathy […]

November 21, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  9 Comments

Photographer behind series in Newsweek: Help find, ID athletes

Angela Jimenez, a W35 photojournalist, has a wonderful series of masters track shots on Newsweek’s online site. (See them here.) When she told me of the series, she asked how she might contact the athletes: ā€œI do not know how to get in touch with some of the folks, and maybe they or their families […]

November 20, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  6 Comments

Empire State Games a goner — again; another nail in coffin?

A masters mole alerts us to the latest victim of the economy: the Empire State Games, which includes a masters track component. It was at this meet in 1997 where Glen Conley became the first M40 jumper to go 7 feet (vertically!) We learn from one of many stories: ā€œThis time around, the small Albany […]

November 19, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  15 Comments

Santee truly would have been first sub-4 miler if AAU had let him

Wes Santee’s death Sunday, at age 78, is a reminder of one of the most outrageous crimes in American track and field—the actions that kept my former Kansas track alumnus from becoming the first miler to break 4 minutes. Trust me, he would have been the one—beating Roger Bannister to the punch—if U.S. track authorities […]

November 18, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  6 Comments

Kamloops hosting Canadian indoor nationals in wake of worlds

Kamloops had an up-and-down experience as host of the 2010 World Masters Indoor Championships. Now they’re planning a smaller shindig: Canadian masters indoor nationals. Just a two-day affair—March 19-20, 2011. This meet takes place a couple weeks after USATF masters indoor nationals. The U.S. meet will be March 4-6 in the Albuquerque Convention Center—at close […]

November 17, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  3 Comments

Bateman smashes M55 world record in 3K at Sydney stadium

Simon Butler-White writes from Down Under: ā€œI’m pleased to report that Keith Bateman broke the WR at the New South Wales 3000m championships at Sydney Olympic Park on November 13. Competing in the ā€˜C’ race (athletes were seeded based on best times), he clocked 8:56.80. The race was filmed and can be viewed on YouTube. […]

November 16, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Throwers go far in Florida: Jansson, Brown and M80s impress

Track meets end in October, but throwers never quit. That’s evident from results at the National Training Center, where a bunch of masters studs including record-holders Mike Brown and Ken Jansson went crazy at a meet co-sponsored by Throws Coach Florida. Mike has the M55 world record in the javelin at 66.11 (216-10) and Saturday […]

November 15, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Africa needs to get its act together if serious about masters track

We recently noted the cancellation of the WMA Africa region masters championships. Now we know why. Almost nobody entered. Here’s what we learn from Smain Boucetta, African masters head honcho, on the WMA website: ā€œTo all participants to the 8th African Athletics championships Masters. I am awfully sorry to inform you that the Local Organizing […]

November 14, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Jearl Miles Clark suffers MES (masters embarrassment syndrome)

USATF is well-trained now. In its interview with Track & Field Hall of Fame inductee Jearl Miles Clark, the M-word arises: ā€œIn recent years you’ve dabbled some in masters track and field. Will that continue?ā€ Jearl replied: ā€œI may just to see what my body can do. I just might, I don’t know. The ladies […]

November 13, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  32 Comments