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   Posted in: Uncategorized  17 Comments

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   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

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   Posted in: Uncategorized  25 Comments

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   Posted in: Uncategorized  3 Comments

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   Posted in: Uncategorized  19 Comments

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   Posted in: Uncategorized  16 Comments

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   Posted in: Uncategorized  16 Comments

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   Posted in: Uncategorized  7 Comments

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   Posted in: Uncategorized  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   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments