Archive for September, 2015

Leland McPhie dies at 101; M95 record-holder in jumps and throws

In the run-up to Don Pellmann’s date with destiny, I had a secret hope that we might see another kind of history made at the San Diego Senior Olympics — the first-ever competition between two M100s. San Diego’s Leland McPhie hadn’t competed since March 2014, when he won three M100 throws at Boston indoor nationals, […]

September 21, 2015   Posted in: Uncategorized  8 Comments

Don Pellmann picks off M100 world records, becomes oldest jumper

Amazing all witnesses, Don Pellmann set five world age-group records Sunday — and became the oldest man to high jump and long jump in competition. At 100, he also smashed the 100-meter-dash world record by nearly 3 seconds and crushed listed records in the shot and discus as well. His only flaw at the San […]

September 20, 2015   Posted in: Uncategorized  8 Comments

WMA seeking bids for 2020 worlds — with deadline of Jan. 31

World Masters Athletics will pick the site of 2020 outdoor worlds at the 2016 Perth meet General Assembly, so that means bids have to be in soonish. WMA Secretary Winston Thomas writes on the WMA site: “The bid applications for this WMA Outdoor championship must be with the secretary by the 31st JANUARY 2016. The […]

September 19, 2015   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

Trautmann takes stock of life, decides coaching has bigger returns

M45 recordman John Trautmann is brave in the mile, we know. Now he’s making another courageous move. He posted Friday on Facebook: “As some of you know, after 18 years working on Wall Street, I have decided that it is time to make a change. As exciting as the credit markets have been the last […]

September 18, 2015   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

Dave Hunter tells whole story behind the first sub-4 masters mile

Dave Hunter joins my pantheon of great track writers. He basically did the interview with Eamonn Coghlan that NOBODY has done until now. Dave asked Eamonn about the run-up to his legendary sub-4 mile of 1994, which stood as the M40 indoor record until Bernard Lagat ran 3:54.91 this year at Millrose. Dave writes: “Had […]

September 17, 2015   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

M65 great guy Rex Harvey gives cancer update: Hope for next step

On Facebook late Wednesday, all-around champion Rex Harvey, 69, posted an update on his cancer fight: “Just finished a CAT scan and got good news and bad. The good news was that there has been no change in the spot of cancer in my abdomen lining (in the area of my heart and a smaller […]

September 16, 2015   Posted in: Uncategorized  14 Comments

How Tony Echeandia of NYC overcame injury to win at worlds

Two months ago, M50 Tony Echeandia of Queens, New York, thought his chance at worlds was toast. Not long after running the 36-inch 400 hurdles in 56.93, he reported on Facebook that he’d pulled his left hamstring in training “and must withdraw from Lyon meet.” My take was: “Such a shame! A lock for gold […]

September 15, 2015   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

Adam Nelson at 40 thinks he’ll knock off Brian Oldfield’s M40 WR

Adam Nelson, the veteran world-champion thrower, told Track & Field News recently that he’s shooting for the M40 world record in the shot put: “I checked and saw the masters world record is only 21.41 (70-3),” he said of the 30-year-old mark by Brian Oldfield. “That’s not too far off what I think I’m capable […]

September 14, 2015   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Clerical error blamed for results showing Kathy Martin defeat

Several sources are reporting here (in the comments) and on letsrun.com that Kathy Martin’s reported loss to a Jean Vernon was a clerical error. My original report mistakenly referred to an impostor. My deepest apologies for jumping the gun. But had the race been on the track, Kathy Martin would have smashed her own W60 […]

September 13, 2015   Posted in: Uncategorized  15 Comments

Hardest-won silvers at Lyon: Story of Ray Knerr’s courage amid grief

In any other year, Ray Knerr would be the toast of the M55 middle distances. He barely lost to a 45-year-old at Mt. SAC in April (800 in 2:04.75). He ran a 2:03.79 at Occidental in May. Going into this season, the M55 world record was 2:03.7 by South Africa’s Stan Immelman in 2001. But […]

September 12, 2015   Posted in: Uncategorized  9 Comments