Archive for January, 2018

ARs: M60 Rodney Atherton (hep), W35 Julie Williams-Tinkham (WT)

Besides the Sonja Friend-Uhl sub-5 mile AR, two other American records were set last weekend — in the M60 hep at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and W35 weight throw at Providence Career and Technical Academy in Rhode Island. At the master hep nationals, Rodney Atherton of Florida scored 5519 points to beat the listed […]

January 30, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  20 Comments

Sonja Friend-Uhl, at almost 47, cracks 5 in mile for American record

Nineteen months ago, W45 Sonja Friend-Uhl withdrew from a masters exhibition at the 2016 Olympic Trials. Now the middle-distance superstar is recovered from a strained hamstring and plantar fasciitis in her right foot. How recovered? How about becoming the oldest American woman to run a sub-5 mile indoors? On Facebook, Sonja posted news of her […]

January 29, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  6 Comments

USATF President Lananna mentions masters in his report to board

USATF President Vin Lananna made a report to the board at the Ohio annual meeting, and he even used the M-word six times! But don’t look for revelations or a vision. He’s basically checking boxes. Here’s what he said: “Masters Athletics continues to expand in both participation and in level of performance. As USA Track […]

January 25, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

Gary Snyder: How about holding an all-comers meet at worlds?

Gary Snyder has issued a “vision” statement in his race for WMA president at Malaga worlds. Creative stuff. He’s thinking beyond the current lets-put-on-a-track-meet-and-raise-money-for-travel-junkets mind-set of WMA leadership. One idea is holding a low-key meet concurrently with worlds. (Cheaper entry fees and less pressure for rookies, I imagine.) “Add a low key competition category for […]

January 23, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  10 Comments

Masters invited to sprint/hurdles camp at JDL Fast Track in N.C.

Our friend Steve McGill, a hurdles expert and author of a Rod Milburn biography, is offering another sprint/hurdles camp. He says: “I did one in November and one masters athlete came, and she really enjoyed it and really learned a lot.” So Steve is inviting masters to his next one at JDL Fast Track in […]

January 22, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  3 Comments

WR rampage by M65 Ritte, W75 Lafayette-Boyd, W55 Matheson

Germany’s Wolfgang Ritte, dubbed the Masters Bubka by Bubba Sparks, broke the M65 indoor world record in the vault twice on Jan. 19, ending at 3.95 meters (12-11 1/2). Wölfie turned 65 on Jan. 7. He bettered the listed WR of American John Altendorf — 3.86 (12-8) at the Reno Pole Vault Summit in 2013. […]

January 21, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

Shocker for track world: Track & Field News folds print edition

This really hurts: Track & Field News on Tuesday announced that it has mailed its last print edition. (Only online from now on.) I’m preparing a story for Times of San Diego. If you have a “Bible of the Sport” story to tell, please post a comment or shoot me a note. I’ve been a […]

January 16, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  16 Comments

Ontario Masters meets pioneering mixed-sex 4×400 relay records

Last April, the IAAF held a mixed-sex 4×400 relay, reporting thusly: “The beauty of the mixed relay is its anarchy, the absence of a set running order of sexes allowing for final legs like the one we witnessed here.” To Duncan Greenshields of Ontario Masters Athletics, the beauty is the record-setting opportunity. As OMA records […]

January 15, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

M75-plus, W70-plus sprinters sought for ABQ exhibitions Feb. 18

On Sunday, Feb. 18, masters exhibition 200-meter races are being held at USATF open indoor nationals in Albuquerque. Joy Upshaw is in charge of putting fields together in W70-plus and M75-plus. But the Status of Entries page shows nobody registered. Uh oh. The time standards are sub-30 for men and sub-34 for women. I suspect […]

January 10, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  22 Comments

Eurovets president, secretary accused of drug-positive cover-up

How could M50 Ukrainian high jumper Oleg Kramar compete at 2016 outdoor and 2017 indoor worlds despite having tested positive for banned stuff at the EMA indoor championships March 29-April 3, 2016? A European wondered the same. This person tapped contacts at IAAF and FIDAL (the Italian track federation) as well as EMA leakers to […]

January 9, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  3 Comments