British results show another 59-year-old 400-meter hurdler (drat!)

Ian Broadhurst

The Brits held their masters nationals in mid-September in Birmingham, and I was briefly bummed while scanning the results. See them here. Listed in the M55 age group is an exceptional sprinter-hurdler named Ian Broadhurst. He took bronze in the 200 (26.09), bronze in the 400 (58.53) and gold in the 400 hurdles (67.98). I can’t even run the flat 400 in 68. But what dismayed me was his age: 59. Thus he had a chance of taking my possible title as world’s oldest quarter-mile hurdler for 2013. But according to his stat profile, Ian was born in August 1954. I popped out in June 1954. Whew! My title is safe for now. According to his club, Ian won M50 golds in the 4×1 and 4×4 at 2009 worlds in Lahti, Finland, after the DQ of the American teams thanks to the doping sanction against Val Barnwell.

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October 7, 2013

11 Responses

  1. Ken Stone - October 7, 2013

    In M60, legendary sprinter Steve Peters won golds in 100 and 200 in 12.02 and 24.97. He’s still got game.
    http://www.bvaf.org.uk/results/res2013/onatm60.htm

  2. Rick Easley - October 7, 2013

    Yeah Ken, due to health problems it looks like I will not run a 400H at all this year. I am 59 and was a Feb. 10 baby. So far this year I have had one back surgery, a heart stint, been diagnosed with a Hiatal Hernia then Helicobacter Pylorus, acid reflux has caused 2 bouts with pneumonia and now bilateral leg weakness is going to cause a possible second back surgery. Need your prayers. I would love to run another relay with you sometime.
    I am hoping to get healthy before I turn 60. Looking forward to that 300 hurdle event.

  3. Doug Spencer - October 7, 2013

    Rick, pray you heal completly and soon !

  4. Jeff Davison - October 7, 2013

    And Rick competed at Nationals !!

  5. Rick Easley - October 7, 2013

    I only attempted the javelin and not very well.

  6. Peter Taylor - October 8, 2013

    Rick, you have added a lot to our meets, and I hope to see you run the intermediate hurdles in Winston-Salem in July 2014 (our national outdoors). You have always been a hard hitter in this event; in some cases you have even had a bit of luck in the competition. I am thinking of Orono 2007, in particular, where you downed Rob Duncanson and Russell Jacquet-Acea.

    Didn’t something strange happen in the final 40 meters of that event? Regardless, hope to see you at Wake Forest/Winston-Salem and possibly even in Boston (March 2014, national indoors). Most American masters, including me, are not going to Brazil for worlds, and thus the thoughts of many of us have turned to 2014 nationals.

  7. Barry Warmerdam - October 8, 2013

    Rick, I have thrown the javelin against you a couple of times. I remember you in Orono, throwing the javelin shortly after running the hurdles…always a great competitor!
    You are in my prayers.

  8. Joseph Burleson - October 8, 2013

    Get well soon, Rick. For all of us who have ever seen Rick compete in the 400, 800m, & 400IH, it is “pain”-fully clear that the rest of us are not necessarily exploring fully just what it means to “hurt” at the end of a race. Rick knows.

  9. Lindy Raney - October 9, 2013

    Hope you are back on the track soon Rick. Those health hurdles you are facing don’t know what a fierce competitor they are up against.

  10. george haywood - October 10, 2013

    Rick, you have always been a fierce and steady competitor in so many events. I have run against you in the 400 and the hurdles, and many many other fellow masters athletes have had the same privilege in the many other events you do. We all have tremendous respect for what you have accomplished in our sport. I wish you the best in returning to 100% health, and hope to see you back out there in 2014!

  11. Rick Easley - October 13, 2013

    Looks like the indoor season has become problematic. My spinal surgeon has told me I need another fusion at the L-4 to L5 level. They will have to come in through both the front through my abdomen and the back to accomplish the surgery. The good news is that this type of surgery will preserve my normal spinal curvature and my surgeon seems to think that I may eventually return to running.. I am crossing my fingers. I really miss the competition and all of the good friends that I have made along the way.
    Good luck to you all and I hope to see you this next summer.

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