Gail Devers a mom at 39! Fourth in Millrose Games
And that’s the order of importance. Gail Devers’ absence for the entire 2005 season after her Athens disappointment made a lot of people wonder if she were hanging up her spikes. Actually, she had plenty good reason to sit out the year. She gave birth in the summer! Was news to me (and everyone else in the track community.) At tonight’s Millrose Games, she was fourth in the 60-meter hurdles, an event where she holds the American record (but not the W35 American record).
The Associated Press quoted Gail:
“I’m 39 but I’m not over the hill yet,” Devers said. “The one title I didn’t have was motherhood. Everything I’ve ever wanted, I have.”
Me again: At the very least, Gail gets a world record for keeping her motherhood a secret!
Gail wasn’t the only masters-age athlete competing, of course.
The first events were men’s and women’s masters 4×4 relays.
Event 1 Women 4×400 Meter Relay Masters
Finals
1 Atoms Track Club 4:38.59
2 Genesee Valley Harriers 4:41.08
3 Bohemia Track Club 4:50.75
4 Shore Athletic Club 4:56.91
5 Central Park Track Club 5:06.23
6 Northport Running Club 5:17.18
The men’s results:
Event 2 Men 4×400 Meter Relay Masters
Finals
1 Synergy Track Club 3:40.68
2 Central Park Track Club 3:42.23
3 Southwest Sprinters 3:44.08
4 2nd Wind Track Club 3:47.26
5 Shore Athletic Club 3:51.30
6 The Running Company 3:57.66
So it looks as if we’ve accomplished two main goals — filling the fields and have competitive races.
The men’s winners averaged a little over 55 seconds per leg. The women’s winners averaged under 70 seconds. Not bad.
I look forward to hearing some first-person accounts.
And happy mommahood, Gail!
