Archive for April, 2012

Tom Bernhard takes over Masters Hall of Fame from Norm Green

Norm Green, a world-class distance runner, stepped down as USATF Masters Hall of Fame czar last year amid health problems. His successor is another top-flight runner: Tom Bernhard, an M60 gent. National chair Gary Snyder’s column in the April issue of National Masters News mentions Phil Byrne as a possible Hall of Fame chair, but […]

April 8, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Brian Pilcher pulverizes M55 American record for 5000 meters

Tom Bernhard graciously writes: “A little before Kevin Castille’s great AR 10000m performance in Palo Alto, a little north on Hwy 101 in San Francisco, Brian Pilcher, 55, was taking down Rick Becker’s M55-59 5000m AR of 16:14.55. Brian ran 16:05.12 in Section 1 of the Men’s 5000m at the SF State Distance Carnival. Last […]

April 7, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  9 Comments

Kevin Castille crushes M40 American record in 10K at Stanford

Only five days after winning the masters division at the Carlsbad 5000 in 14:57, new M40 Kevin Castille of Kentucky went after the kiddies at the Stanford Invitational on Friday night. He took 19th. But his real goal was a qualifying time for the Eugene Olympic Trials. Mission accomplished. He clocked 28:57.88 — only 36 […]

April 7, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  11 Comments

USATF issues misleading news releases on Jyväskylä worlds

USATF has been posting daily summaries from Finland. Nice. But Jared Slinde, USATF communications manager, is too trusting of the results site. Not so nice. For example, he wrote: “Robert Lida recorded his second world record in as many days to win one of two gold medals for Team USA … Thursday. Lida (M75) grabbed […]

April 6, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  6 Comments

Former West Virginia state senator swears oath to masters track

M45 thrower Steven Harrison hasn’t been in the West Virginia Legislature since 2006, but his story was news to me. Local paper reveals: “After Harrison opted not to run for reelection when his Senate term expired in 2006, he found he had a little extra time on his hands. While attending a conference in Huntington, […]

April 5, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

Puerto Rican payday masters Grand Prix meet website launched

With top prizes of $200 and entry fees of $25 per event, this looks like a winner — as telegraphed a month ago. Long hurdles champion Tony Echeandia has launched a website for the Puerto Rico Masters Grand Prix meet, which reveals: “The prize money is coming from private sponsors like Tony’s own company and […]

April 5, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  6 Comments

Bill Collins caps comeback on Day 2 full of world record dashes

Bill Collins just missed his own pending world record in the 60-meter dash on Day 2 of indoor worlds in Finland. Rob Jerome, who took the amazing shot below, writes of Bill’s 7.59-second mark (only his 7.58 from Bloomington is faster for M60): “Bill just keeps getting better and better despite his recent health problems,” […]

April 4, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

Tommie Smith gets treat — posing with sprint great Stan Whitley

M65 sprint star Stan Whitley of SoCal had a cool experience Sunday — meeting some legends of our sport at the California Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Besides Tommie Smith, his generation’s top long sprinter, he had photos taken with the likes of Wyomia Tyus, John Carlos and Ron Freeman. He also met NBA […]

April 3, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  7 Comments

Phil Raschker elevates her game (again): WR in W65 pentathlon

On Day 1 of worlds, Phil Raschker added to her legend by setting another world record in the pentathlon — her second of the season. At Bloomington nationals, she scored 4,670 points. Today in Jyväskylä, she raised the bar to 4,713. Her marks and points: 10.62 / 1123 (60 hurdles), 4.18 / 1007 (long jump), […]

April 3, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  8 Comments

WMA: World championships? What world championships?

Below is a screen shot of the WMA website on Day 1 of indoor worlds. It barely hints that the meet is under way in Finland. In what other sport would a world championship not be trumpeted by its governing body? No photos? No highlights of the day? Go figure. In any case, results are […]

April 3, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments