Archive for October, 2013
A giant has died: Al Sheahen was our chronicler and conscience
Al Sheahen died Tuesday morning, and I can’t begin to express my shock and sadness. He was my role model in masters journalism, but meant far more to the movement. He was a national-class long hurdler, founding publisher of National Masters News, sparkplug behind the Age-Graded Tables and a longtime treasurer of WAVA (now WMA) […]
October 31, 2013
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Al Erickson dies at 84; won decathlon gold at Sacramento worlds
Albert “Al” Erickson had the eye of the tiger. He trained ferociously and competed often, the oldest member of Seattle-based Club Northwest. His moment came in 2011, when he won M80 gold in the decathlon at Sacramento worlds, scoring 5579 points — 1100 ahead of second place. But about three weeks ago, he was diagnosed […]
October 30, 2013
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Allie and Bortignon named WMA Best Masters Athletes of Year
World Masters Athletics yesterday announced its annual IAAF/WMA Best Masters Athletes of the Year. It was easy as ABC. A is for Allie, B is for Bortignon and C is for Charles and Christa — whose slew of world records and world titles made them slam dunks in 2013. At Porto Alegre, M65 Charles Allie […]
October 30, 2013
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San Diego boasts series of cheap winter, summer all-comers meets
Former sub-4 miler Paul Greer has been the force behind a series of USATF-sanctioned, auto-timed all-comers meets in San Diego. Last week, I attended a meeting where the dates were finalized. Monday, he circulated information on the series. New this year is the use of DirectAtlhletics.com for preregistration. But entrants can still show up the […]
October 29, 2013
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Nadine O’Connor claims 80-meter hurdles world record on 2nd try
The Club West Masters Meet, one of the best club-run events in the nation, gives folks a last chance for a good mark at the end of a long season. On Sunday, it gave a second chance as well. Nadine O’Connor used this low-key meet at Moorpark College northwest of Los Angeles to run her […]
October 28, 2013
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USA teams dominate relays on final day; another Oliveira WR
Francisco Oliveira of Brazil added a second world record Sunday at Porto Alegre, the final day of worlds where Team USA dominated the relays as usual. Francisco clocked an amazing 6:37.75 for 1500 meters, beating the listed M85 WR of 6:51.32 by Japan’s Yoshimitsu Miyauchi in 2009. (Earlier he notched an 800 WR.) On the […]
October 27, 2013
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Greatest day in masters history for quarter-miling? 4 WRs set!
Porto Alegre’s main track is at CETE — Centro Estadual de Treinamento Esportivo (or State Center for Sports Training). It may go down in masters history for hosting the greatest quarter-mile races of all time. But mainly for winning marks, not depth. At least four world age-group 400-meter records were set today (Saturday) at worlds: […]
October 26, 2013
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Who to believe? Results at odds with blog over high jump WR
This drives me nuts, or louco in Portuguese. The delightful blog covering the Porto Alegre meet says: “Washington Flores, 88, broke today (24/10) the world record in the High Jump at the 20th edition of the WMA. Competing in 85-89 years old, Flores jumped 1.26m (4-1 1/2) and stole the record from Finland. Since Flores […]
October 25, 2013
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Wind-whipped worlds can’t stop 10K WR by W80 Frenchwoman
Assuming the wind readings are accurate, Porto Alegre entrants have dealt with some crazy conditions the past couple days. Multi-gold medalist Joy Upshaw won the W50 80-meter hurdles with a 0.3 mps aiding wind. W70 Marianne Maier of Austria won her hurdle race in 15.74, which would have been a WR but for a 3.0 […]
October 25, 2013
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5 Comments
Melanie Reske dies at 92; Oregon star set weight-throw records
Suzy Hess Wojcik, former publisher of National Masters News, shares the sad news: “Melanie Reske, 92, of Springfield, Oregon, died Oct. 21, 2013. A celebration of life will be at 2:30 PM [Sunday] at Grace Community Fellowship in Eugene, Oregon. Melanie competed at the Hayward Classic in Eugene last June, and was a thrower for […]
October 24, 2013
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