World records leaped at National Senior Olympics
Helen Beauchamp of Memphis, Tennessee, the W85 USATF Female Field Athlete of the Year in 2005, still has game. At the National Senior Olympics yesterday in Louisville, Kentucky, she set a W85 age-group world record in the long jump, going 2.31 meters (7-7) with no wind. It was one of at least four WRs set on Day 2 of the meet. Helen is 87, and her mark would have won the W80 age group as well! (Helen also won the shot with a throw of 5.67/18-07.25. What a stud!)
In the W90 age group, solo jumper Lillian Webb of Sebring, Florida, apparently claimed a world record as well. At 92, she jumped 1.52 (5-0) with no wind in an event that lists no W90 record-holder.
Same applies to Robert Stewart, 95, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, whose 2.07/6-9 1/2 (into a 0.5 mps wind) represents an age-group record since none is listed for M95 on the WMA records page. Poor Fred Dickerson. He took second with a 1.83/ 6-0 jump (also into a wind). But his consolation is the fact that, at age 96, he’s the oldest long jumper in history!
For an encore, Bob Stewart claimed the M95 world record in the shot as well, throwing the 3-kilogram (6.6-pound) ball 6.78/22-3. He beat the listed WR of 6.61/21-8 1/4 by Trent Lane last year at Charlotte.
In the M80 shot, Ohio’s George Riser crushed the listed American record in the shot of with a toss of 11.60/38-00.75.
5 Responses
It’s remarkable how many more competitors there are in the older age brackets at the Senior Olympics than at the USATF championships. As Nadine, one of the all-time greats, pointed out, the presence of peers to compete against is causing even the most accomplished to rethink their competitive priorities. Each year there’s a poll done at the nationals to determine some of the demographics of who’s showing up. Has there been thought on USATF’s part of polling at BOTH the Senior Olympics and USATF nationals to understand why so many more are in Louisville–at least in some age groups–than will be in Orono? If the USATF wants masters around, they ought to be paying attention.
I have never competed in the National Senior Games, but have competed at the local level in the State Senior Games. The difference at the local level is obvious, the Senior Games are marketed towards the novice athlete. The theme is more about health and fun, rather than with winning. Even the officiating, which is amateurish at best reflects that attitude. At a meet I attended last year, there were about a dozen women in the 60+ javelin. Most had never thrown a javelin before. The serious competitors in the field were aghast at the officiating: javelins landing tail first being measured, officials subtracting the amount of the foot foul from the total distance, because the thrower didn’t really mean to foul. The meet, while being well intentioned, was far from a meaningful competition.
At the same time the USATF meets, both at a national and association level are so rigid, that only serious competitors need apply. The novice athlete that the Senior Games attracts is put off by the serious nature of the USATF meets, and also by the level of competition.
I know it has been discussed in this forum before, but a melding of the best aspects of both organizations could provide a better avenue for all competitors, both beginners and serious. The USATF national body does not care about Masters track, and wouldn’t lose any sleep if it went away. On the other hand the NSG could use the expertise of the masters administrators and officials from the USATF to enable their games to be first rate, while still attracting the novice athlete.
I gotta let my Dad know about this so I can show him someone is so fit and able. There is only upside to having such an accomplished athelete like this here in our time.
Awesome ! Great to know Helen is having fun setting world records!
Wow ! you are great, and old friend from L. I.
Love,Chris
WOW! YOU ARE GREAT OLD FRIEND FROM LONG ISLAND CHRIS
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