Archive for March, 2018

Dick Held dies at 91; javelin guru was brother of WR man Bud

Last week, I had the sad job of reporting the death of Dick Held, the older brother of Bud Held, a USATF Hall of Famer who set world records in the javelin and threw in the 1952 Olympics. In my obituary for Times of San Diego, I wrote how amateur rules at the time barred […]

March 30, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

W45 star Erika Pierce is shining success at hurdling and life. Period.

Erika Pietrzak missed the 400 hurdle heats at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Trials (due to late notification) but was allowed to run in the semifinals on appeal. She was sixth in 59.56. Then she didn’t run again for 17 years. But now she’s back big time, and gets deserved attention in an ESPN profile written […]

March 29, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Lesley Hinz named USATF Athlete of the Week for Landover marks

USATF chose Lesley Hinz as its Athlete of the Week last week, but didn’t post the news until today (Wednesday) — 10 days after Landover nationals. Better late than never, Indy. We forgive you. (Here’s what site looked like Tuesday.) USATF wrote: “Lesley Hinz (Atlanta, Georgia) broke the women’s age 60-64 world indoor record in […]

March 28, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  3 Comments

M70 Charles Allie goes sub-60! Incredible indoor WR in the 400

Taking advantage of banked turns and pushed by a twentysomething, Charles Allie finally claimed his prize Friday at the Armory Track in New York: the M70 world indoor record at 400. He apparently became the second man to go sub-60 at 70-plus after Germany’s Guido MĂĽeller, who ran 59.48 in 2010. Charlie’s time of 59.43 […]

March 24, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  33 Comments

Wolfgang Ritte adds to pole vault legend with M65 WR in Madrid

Germany’s Wolfgang “Masters Bubka” Ritte set his latest pole vault record this week in Madrid at the Eurovets indoor championships (see results here), having no misses through an M65 WR 3.96 (12-11 3/4) before missing three tries at 4.00 (13-1 1/2). He beat the listed WR of 3.86 (12-8) by American John Altendorf at the […]

March 23, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

Lesley Hinz adds mile WR to Landover 800 WR with pacing help

In 1954, Chris Chataway and Chris Brasher helped pace Roger Bannister to the first sub-4 mile. On Tuesday night, M40 distance runner Craig Longhurst did his part for another mile record. Two days after setting a W60 world indoor record in the 800 at Landover nationals, Lesley Hinz clocked 5:43.75 at JDL Fast Track in […]

March 21, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Landover coverage one for the ages — and proof we’ve matured

My job is done. No, I’m not retiring my blog. I’m acknowledging it isn’t the paper-of-record anymore. While I reserve the right to muck-rake and rant, I’m no longer worried about the future of masters track being showcased and spotlighted by major and social media. This was driven home by the marvelous and all-pervasive coverage […]

March 19, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  13 Comments

Orville Rogers begins record rampage with M100 WR at 400

I’m not at Landover nationals, which began Friday, but I’m there vicariously via photos posted by Rob Jerome and Dave Albo on Facebook. The expected first M100 WR came when Texan Orville Rogers became the first centenarian to run a 400-meter dash indoors. His time of 4:16.90 is now something other super seniors can shoot […]

March 16, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

M50 British thrower gets 4-year ban for refusing drug test at home

David Burrell is no Roger Bannister. But in getting a four-year doping suspension from UK Athletics, he became a pioneer just the same. The 53-year-old thrower (specializing in javelin and discus) may be the first masters athlete sanctioned for refusing to take a surprise-visit urine test at his home. On Aug. 23, 2017, after getting […]

March 11, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  23 Comments

Kim Collins, in final elite race, beats listed WR for M40 60 meters

Kim Collins ran 60 meters in 6.77 in the IAAF world indoor meet heats, then was a DNS in a semifinal won by kiddie WR man Christian Coleman. Now it seems Kim, at 41, is a DNS for life. He told reporters in Birmingham that he’s hanging up his spikes. “This is it. My last […]

March 8, 2018   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments