Jared Slinde reports for USATF from Lise masters nationals: “Robert Lida became the first man over the age of 75 to ever run under 13.50 seconds in the 100-meters in winning the event in 13.49 as fans on the campus of Benedictine University witnessed another world record on day three of the USA Masters Outdoor Championships in Lisle, Ill. [The listed WR is 13.54 by Germany’s Bruno Kimmel.] A second world record Saturday came from Canada’s Christa Bortignon (W75) in the women’s triple jump at 7.58m/24-10.5. Bortignon won the competition with a mark of 7.60m/24-11.25, but the mark was ruled wind-aided. Additionally, four American records were set Saturday, which included Joan Berman (W75) in the discus (20.80m/68-3), Karlis Ezerins (M85) in the weight throw (12.21m/40-0), Lois Gilmore (W81) in the 800m (4:28.25) and Carol Finsrud (W55) in the discus (38.46m/126-2).”

Jared’s report continues:

The world record for Lida came as a bit of a surprise in an event he doesn’t typically focus on. Lida said his recent focus has been on chasing the world mark in the 400m and everything came together Saturday in the short sprint

“I feel very good about it,” Lida said afterward. “I had been training hard for the 400m. I ran a bad 400m (Friday) and this one just felt good. I coach high school sprinters and all summer I have been working on these things. When you teach it then it seems to come easier.”

Lida returned to sprinting at the age of 60 and is in the midst of one of the better seasons of his masters career. Lida set age group world records during the indoor season in the 60m, 200m and 400m. His focus now turns to chasing the world mark in the finals of the 200m, which will be run Sunday.

“I have been blessed with good health,” Lida said. “These records are neat milestones, but I look at guys that are coming up behind me like Bill Collins and some others and I don’t have allusions that they will stand for long.”

See below for a list of world and American records set at the Masters Outdoor Championships along with winners from Saturday.

World and American records set at Masters Outdoor Championships
WR – Sherwood Sagedahl (M73) – pentathlon – 3,806 points
WR – Marie-Louise Michelsohn (W70) – 2,000m steeplechase – 10:20.43
WR – Jeanne Daprano (W75) – 400m – 1:22.39
WR – Robert Lida (M75) – 100m – 13.49
WR – Christa Bortignon (W75) – triple jump – 7.58m/24-10.5
AR – Chris Schmid (M65) – 5,000m race walk – 25:31.23
AR – Chris Schmid (M65) – 3,000m race walk – 15:08.66
AR – David Swarts (47) – 3,000m race walk – 13:53.92
AR – Robert Lida (M75) – 400m – 1:05.08
AR – James Barrineau Jr. (M57) – high jump – 1.80m/5-10.75
AR – Linda Arnold, Karen Maxwell, Liz Palmer, Kathleen Shook, (W50-59) – 59.20
AR – Reggie Garner, Chris McConnell, Keith McQuitter, Lloyd Jeremiah, (M50-59), 1:04.29
AR – Ozzie Binion, Sergio Angulo, James Broun, Jim Dolezal, (M60-69), 1:11.48
AR – Joan Berman (W75) – discus – 20.80m/68-3
AR – Karlis Ezerins (M85) – weight throw – 12.21m/40-0
AR – Lois Gilmore (W81) – 800m – 4:28.25
AR – Carol Finsrud (W55) – discus – 38.46m/126-2

Maxwell among inspirations at Masters Outdoor Championships

The race didn’t set a world record although Ralph Maxwell (M92) hopes there are many yet to come.

His advice to anyone that wishes to compete until the age of 92 just as he has is simple: “Exercise more, eat less.”

Maxwell led a group of three inspirational men across the finish line in the 100m dash in the most senior group of the Masters Outdoor Championships Saturday. Maxwell ran a time of 19.86 to finish ahead of Orville Rogers (M94) and Daniel Bulkley (M95).

With over 1,100 athletes competing In Lisle, this particular heat of the men’s 100m is arguably the epitome of what the Masters Outdoor Championships represent. At the age of 74, Maxwell took a long look at himself in the mirror and made an immediate decision to change the remaining years of his life.

“I was disgusted,” Maxwell said of the appearance that showed in the mirror. “I had become a complete couch potato. At that point I went through an overall life transformation. I feel like a kid now most of the time. I feel so good.”

The 100m was one event in a busy Outdoor Championships for Maxwell. On Saturday he picked up wins in both the 100m and high jump to go along with his national titles in the shot put, discus and long jump from earlier in the meet. He is also entered in the 200m, triple jump and javelin Sunday.

And he has no intentions of slowly down.

“I am going to race until I am 101 years old,” he said. “I hope to establish some world records when I turn 95.”

Bell’s priorities shift for masters competition

By the time Ricardo Bell (M31) gets to sleep on a typical day it is the early hours of the morning. If he can get four hours of sleep between 2:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. he considers it a success.

Between juggling a full-time job, being a full-time student and training as a masters track and field athlete, there is little time for anything else. If nothing else the Masters Outdoor Championships serve as a rewarding break for Bell.

Bell’s priorities have shifted from the days when he was a 400m-800m specialist for East Carolina University, where his last few months for the Pirates were spent training with 2008 Olympic gold medalist LaShawn Merritt. Now running with the Indiana Invaders, his life is about preparing for his future, but still finding enjoyment in the sport.

“It’s no longer about the time or saying you have to hit 1:48 (in the 800m) for it to be a good year,” Bell said following winning the men’s 800m in a time of 1:56.89 Saturday. “There are no expectations for me. There is no pressure.”

By the time Bell finally gets around to his training on a weekday it is typically around 10:30 p.m. Between his job working with Indiana University Health, homework and taking classes from Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis working towards a degree in respiratory therapy, the time most others would head for bed is all that is left for Bell to train.

“I have discovered a new love for the sport,” Bell said, whose career has included a sixth place finish at the 2006 USA Indoor Championships in the 800m.

After also winning the 400m earlier in the week, Bell will look for a third national title Sunday in an event he hasn’t competed in since 2004 – the 1,500m.

SATURDAY’S WINNERS

Women’s track events

10,000m – Jan Lockett (W42), 45:32.74; Wanda Toro (W49), 45:52.84; Elena Shemyakina (W53), 40:50.00; Terry Ozell (W59), 51:40.30; Nancy Rollins (W65), 45:54.02; Lois Gilmore (W81), 1:05:32.75

100m – Brandi Bernert (W33), 12.35; Kristy Harris (W37), 12.92; Dena Birade (W40), 12.29; Renee Henderson (W48), 12.49; Liz Palmer (W50), 13.61; Loretta Woodward (W58), 14.30; Jane Barnes (W60), 14.31; Patti Renfro (W65), 16.12; Kathy Bergen (W72), 15.06; Christa Bortignon (W75), 16.65; Sumi Onodera-Leonard (W84), 27.36; Olga Kotelko (W93), 27.41

800m – Maurelhena Walles (W38), 2:25.33; Lisa Ryan (W42), 2:25.94; Kris Kazebee (W46); Lorraine Jasper (W50), 2:26.48; Debbie Lee (W55), 2:46.74; Coreen Steinbach (W61), 2:48.40; Nancy Rollins (W65), 3:05.70; Kemisole Solwazi (W72), 3:56.41; Mary Harada (W77), 4:13.62; Lois Gilmore (W81), 4:28.25

Men’s track events

10,000m –Napolean Griffin II (M32), 48:31.95; Chris Setzler (M39), 35:02.86; David Williams (M40), 33:56.02; Graig Goodwin (M45), 34:43.20; Albert Williams (M72), 13.51; Daniel Verrington (M50), 36:25.14; Kevin Setnes (M58), 40:31.23; Peter Mullin (M61), 39:50.74; Ronald Pate (M65), 44:06.70; John Becker (M72), 48:13.46; Bob Pates (M76), 58:07.10

100m – Desmond Bynum (M31), 10.46; Rawle Delisle (M37), 10.71; Christopher Williams (M40), 10.48; Clinton Aurelien (M46), 11.70; Allan Tisenbaum (M52), 11.42; Oscar Peyton (M59), 11.76; Bill Collins (M61), 11.83; Stan Whitley Sr. (M66), 12.74; Robert Lida (M75), 13.49 (WR); Harry Brown (M82), 15.23; William Melville (M85), 16.72; Ralph Maxwell (M92), 19.86; Daniel Bulkley (M95), 27.59

800m – Ricardo Bell (M31), 1:56.89; Randy Wassinger (M37), 1:57.06; Scott Weeks (M40), 1:58.24; Landen Summay (M46), 2:01.20; Ray Knerr (M52), 2:05.13; Robert Scott (M57), 2:15.15; Turan Harper (M61), 2:24.11; Paul Murphy (M65), 2:46.74; Sid Howard (M73), 2:40.48; Charles Wimberley (M78), 3:19.87; Donald Kane (M80), 3:47.11; Charles Ross (M89), 6:24.20

Women’s field events

Discus – Isabelle Dierauer (W39), 24.06m/78-11; Rose Fritzinger (W45), 28.76m/94-4; Kimberly Virden (W50), 26.83m/88-0; Carol Finsrud (W55), 38.46m/126-2 (AR); Mary Hartzler (W63), 27.76m/91-1; Cindy Wyatt (W68), 24.32m/79-9; Kathy Bergen (W72), 20.43m/67-0; Joan Berman (W75), 20.80m/68-3 (AR); Barbara Brandt (W82),15.54m/51-0; Johnnye Valien (W87), 11.08m/36-4; Olga Kotelko (W90), 11.97m/39-3

Triple jump – Sanja Dina (W32), 11.03m/36-2.25; Kimberly Touya (W36), 10.45m/34-3.5; Jill Cypress (W40), 11.21m/36-9.5; Tracey Battle (W45), 9.97m/32-8.5; Veronica Amarasekara (W51), 9.61m/31-6.5; Linda Sohn (W59), 8.69m/28-6.25; Linda Lowery (W60), 8.33m/27-4; Sharada Sarnaik (W66), 6.85m/22-5.75; Ann Carter (W70), 5.92m/19-5.25; Christa Bortignon (W75), 7.60m/24-11.25w, 7.58m/24-10.5 (WR); Olga Kotelko (W93), 3.49m/11-5.5

Men’s field events

Long jump – Kenneth Thomas (M55), 5.49m/18-0.25; Thaddeus Wilson Sr. (M61), 4.98m/16-4.25; Bruce Covey (M65), 5.08m/16-8

Javelin – Rawle Delisle (M37), 46.04m/151-0; Matt Stack (M41), 47.11m/154-6; Thomas Dalke (M45), 56.03m/183-10; Troy Dietz (M50), 53.80m/176-6; Michael Brown (M58), 57.04m/187-01

Weight throw – Hilary George (M64), 17.66m/57-11; George Mathews (M69), 16.29m/53-5; Edward Burke (M72), 19.49m/63-11; William Gramley (M76), 13.77m/45-2; Pay Carstensen (M80), 13.24m/43-5; Karlis Ezerins (M85), 12.21m/40-0 (AR)

High jump – Bryan Smith (M30), 1.70m/5-7; Andrew Hogue (M39), 1.35m/4-5; Kevin Gross (M42), 1.80m/5-10.75; Andrew Boyce (M47), 1.75m/5-8.75; Barry Kline (M72), 1.34m/4-4.75; Tom Langenfeld (M77), 1.38m/4-6.25; Donald Leis (M80), 1.04m/3-5; George Roudebush (M87), 1.02m/3-4; Ralph Maxwell (M92), 1.02m/3-4

Hammer throw – Nicholas Welihozkiy (M31), 65.96m/216-5; Kevin Harrison (M38), 53.28m/174-9; Eric Cole (M42), 51.61m/169-4; David Bickel (M46), 48.64m/159-7; Robert Arello Jr. (M53), 49.96m/163-11; Bob Cedrone (M57), 45.44m/149-1

Pole vault – Paul Babits (M51), 4.36m/14-3.5; Gary Hunter (M56), 4.00m/13-1.5

Triple Jump – Bart Peters (M39), 12.60m/41-4.25; Joe Blackman (M41), 10.93m/35-10.5; Antonio Palacios (M46), 13.47m/44-2.5