Archive for February, 2017

Kathy Martin’s W65 mile WR sets up incredible finish: 800 as well?

Kathy Martin is in real estate, with the slogan “miles ahead of the competition.” That was never so true as on Day 2 of ABQ nationals, where she set a W65 world record of 6:01.46 for the mile. On the Age-Graded Tables, her mark Saturday is worth 4:06 for 20-30 age group. Talk about insane. […]

February 18, 2017   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Kathy Martin’s W65 American record 3K is INSANE best ABQ mark

USATF has a nifty summary of Day 1 of ABQ indoor nationals, with newbie press staffer Ashley Mitchell giving proper attention to Larry Hart beating follow hammer Olympian Ed Burke’s M70 record in the weight throw. WRs always demand attention. (See results here.) But in my mind the best mark of the meet — which […]

February 17, 2017   Posted in: Uncategorized  3 Comments

W80 superstar Irene Obera tells athletic life story on radio interview

In a terrific hour-long interview, WMA Athlete of the Year and Hall of Famer Irene Obera (“83 years young,” she says) tells how she evolved from her beloved game of softball to track, where she became a legend with no ending. The chat, graciously flagged by Rob Jerome, starts about 8 minutes in. She begins […]

February 16, 2017   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Go, Orville, Go! At 99, runner Rogers plots assault on field WRs, too

At 99, Orville Rogers is just getting started. Famed for his middle-distance exploits and records, Orville says he looks forward to turning 100 so he can enter about five running events and five field events at both indoor and outdoor championships “so I can have 10, 15, 20 world records,” he told his Dallas paper. […]

February 15, 2017   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Russian masters can’t use loophole to compete at Daegu worlds

Last week, the IAAF doubled down on its ban on Russian athletes from international meets (including WMA). But several news outlets noted a loophole being carved out for masters. “Athletes between the ages of 15 and 18 and Masters-level athletes who want to compete ‘neutrally’ [are] allowed to apply to the IAAF’s doping review board […]

February 14, 2017   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

My book for kidlets is out: ‘Make Me the Best at Track and Field’

Last summer, after writing stories for the USOC website, I was contacted by a Minnesota publisher, asking if I would write a children’s how-to book on track and field. Sure, I said. I finished the manuscript in July — before the Rio Games — and it’s now published. Called “Make Me the Best at Track […]

February 13, 2017   Posted in: Uncategorized  11 Comments

Myrle Mensey tacks foot onto W65 indoor super weight USA record

Myrle Mensey of St. Louis added a foot to her listed W65 American indoor record in the super weight throw last weekend, heaving the 20-pound implement 11.36 meters ((37-3 1/4) at a meet in Champaign, Illinois. A year ago, she set the record of 11.06 (36-3) at Albuquerque nationals. (No world records are kept because […]

February 12, 2017   Posted in: Uncategorized  3 Comments

M45 Anthony Whiteman shatters 2 more barriers with WR 1:52.96!

At 45, he seemed out of place. His 800-meter heat at British indoor nationals included a pair of 18-year-olds and two 21-year-olds. (The second-oldest in the field was a 33-year-old who ran 1:54.84.) But Anthony Whiteman’s time fit with the meet’s elite status — 1:52.96. By crashing the 1:54 and 1:53 barriers, Anthony also lowered […]

February 11, 2017   Posted in: Uncategorized  10 Comments

Olympic decathlon champ Dan O’Brien signals masters comeback

In 2005 and 2008, Dan O’Brien hinted a masters comeback. Now he’s giving full-throated notice. Bob Weiner reports in his press release for ABQ indoor nationals that the 1996 Olympic decathlon champ (and three-time world champ) had planned to compete in Albuquerque but is injured. “I’m 50 years old now,” Dan said, “but when I […]

February 10, 2017   Posted in: Uncategorized  11 Comments

Straddler David Montieth corrects the record: No new M70 record

Update. Results site flubbed, and Perth world champion David Montieth didn’t set an American record as first reported. See his comment below. Here’s original post FYI: A season after setting M70 American record indoors and out, David cleared 1.55 (5-1) Sunday to boost the indoor best of 1.53 (5-0¼). He made that mark at the […]

February 9, 2017   Posted in: Uncategorized  23 Comments