Italian stallion gallops to M40 indoor record in 400
Pete Mulholland messaged at 4 a.m. Pacific time: “Enrico Saraceni has just left the track after winning the M40 400m in a WR of 48.99! He is of course now the owner of both in (and ) out WRs.” The official Web site put his winning time at 48.96 — 1 1/2 seconds ahead of second-placer Erwin Thibau of Belgium (50.57). Enrico holds the outdoor WR of 47.82, set in 2004. Pete, reporting from Linz worlds on the final day of the WMA meet, also gained some fame himself. The German-language “Breaking News” told of his blogging efforts here, and included a picture of him with his laptop.
Meanwhile, America’s Dan Holton won the M35 pole vault a day or two after sending out a distress call that he needed poles. He won with a jump of 4.40 meters (14-5 1/4) — the only non-European in the field. The same height won the M50 vault as Germany’s Wolfgang Ritte showed how high you can go as an older gent.
In the W40 high jump, American Pat Porter won on fewer misses as she and Britain’s Wendy Laing went 1.66 (5-5 1/4). That easily tops the listed Americvan indoor W40 record of 1.55 (5-1) by Kimberly Harrell.
M55 Bill Collins completed the 60-200-400 sweep by winning the longest race today in 54.22, ahead of Italy’s Vincenzo Felicetti (55.79). But a 400 showdown between German legend Wolfgang Reuter and WMA Athlete of the Year (2005) Earl Fee of Canada didn’t come off as Fee was DQ’d (don’t know whether he beat Wolfgang, whose winning time in the M75 race was 70.61).
In the M65 1500, American Sid Howard won in 5:09.42 to edge out Germany’s Werner Mey (5:10.02) Sid won the 800 earlier in the meet. But M50 Steve Gallegos of the USA was unable to pull off the 800-1500 double, as he took second in the 1500 to France’s Pierre Faucheur, 4:17.40 to 4:21.96. And M45 800 champ Kevin Paulk also took silver in the 1500, trailing Britain’s Steve Smith, who won 4:10.97 to 4:14.03.
In the W70 1500, American Mary Harada took silver in 6:58.09 behind Germany’s Elfriede Hodapp (6:26.65). And in W45, American 800-meter record-holder Lesley Chaplin-Swann was fourth in 4:50.03. In the same race, Germany’s Annette Koop of Web site fame was sixth in 4:58.16.
Only results left to be posted are the 4Ă—200 relays in all age groups.
