Archive for October, 2016

Fast 800 highlights Club West Masters Meet in Santa Barbara

Meet director Andy Hecker says the resurrected Club West Masters Meet on Sunday fell short (by maybe half) of the usual 150 entrants. He said the Westmont College event — conflicting with some meet in Western Australia — had rainy conditions off and on and a sizable number of no shows in Santa Barbara. “We […]

October 31, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  3 Comments

Sabra Harvey beats Kathy Martin as both break W65 WR for 800

Kathy Martin took a half-second off the listed W65 world record for 800 meters Monday in Perth. But nearly two seconds ahead of Kathy was fellow American Sabra Harvey, whose 2:39.61 crushed the listed WR of 2:41.81 by Canada’s Diane Palmason at Eugene nationals in 2003. Kathy clocked 2:41.34, six seconds ahead of bronze medalist […]

October 30, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

8-hour videos of Perth action show track AND field, rain or shine

If you can’t watch the Perth livestream, 8-hour videos showing nonstop action are being archived here. Good announcing and lots of graphics showing lane assignments. The 12-lane main track is shown at the main stadium. On Day 4, loved seeing Irene Obera finish her hep 800 WR by holding off a challenger — and the […]

October 30, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

Toronto to host WMA world championships in 2020, edging Sweden

By force of will, superb preparation and a touch of nostalgia, Doug “Shaggy” Smith of Ontario and his team pulled off an upset win Sunday in Perth. The WMA General Assembly voted 68-57 to award the 2020 WMA Stadia Championships to Toronto, which hosted the first (WAVA) world outdoor meet in 1975. Facebook [the source […]

October 30, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Team USA medalists reported by Masters Media Chair Bob Weiner

A day after my rant on USATF’s lack of Perth reporting, this came from Bob Weiner, USATF Masters Media chair from West Australia: “The USA team is 2nd in Golds and overall medals at the Sunday mid-point break day at the Perth, Australia two-week World Masters Athletics Championships. The Americans have 22 Golds, 12 Silvers, […]

October 30, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

USATF media AWOL on world meet: Not a single peep on masters

I get it. USATF’s media operation in Indy had a busy year. Something called Rio. But I’m astounded by the total radio silence on Perth worlds. Kathy Martin’s W65 world record in the 5000 (beating Briton Angela Copson’s listed WR of 20:10.09 by 2 seconds) doesn’t rate a congratulatory tweet? Irene Obera lowers her own […]

October 29, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  17 Comments

Americans claim Perth title as Speed Nation with 7 world 100 golds

The past two days, finals were contested in the women’s and men’s 100s at Perth worlds, with 25 races. All but six were wind-aided (topped by 4.8 mps — 10.7 mph — in the M50 race). How did Team USA fare? Best by the No. 1 measure: We had seven golds, followed by the Aussies […]

October 28, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

San Diego lands 2017 USA Masters Games, with meet at OTC

Finally, a major meet in my back yard! On Thursday I posted details of the USA Masters Games on Times of San Diego. The overall festival of two dozen sports will be held in mid-July, but soccer and track will be held in late June — at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista — […]

October 27, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  9 Comments

Dave Cannon dies at 60; ran middle distances at masters nationals

Middle-distance and other track friends of M60 Dave Cannon are mourning his death Oct. 24, apparently from cancer. It was reported by Cassi Erickson on his Caring Bridge page. Cassi wrote: “David has passed. I was next to him, I put his Seahawk hat on him, his Club Northwest running Jersey, medals, gave him a […]

October 26, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  9 Comments

While Perth is under way, the Stones will play — at press awards

The 30-ring circus known as Perth worlds is going full blast (see results here) — and my Facebook feed is flooded with photos and videos. But I’ve been playing hooky from my hobby. Tuesday night, wife Chris and I got dressed up and collected a total of 19 awards at the San Diego Press Club’s […]

October 25, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  8 Comments