Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Unvarnished history emerging in news clips of old WAVA meets

In September 1983, Puerto Rico hosted the fifth WAVA world meet. Official WMA histories mention the brutal heat, and how some athletes were hospitalized. But it wasn’t until I read news accounts of PR worlds in the San Juan Star that I learned of more chilling dangers — a rape attempt and several muggings. This […]

December 28, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

How many masters clubs train with their namesake mascots?

W75 superstar Christa Bortignon (lady on the right) belongs to the 90-member Greyhounds Masters Track Club in Vancouver, British Columbia, coached by masters legend Harold Morioka (petting dog) On Saturday, she reports, two real greyhounds joined them for practice at Simon Fraser University. She sent a group picture including the canines, Happy and Huggy. “In […]

December 27, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Foreigners banned from German nationals — including masters

USATF has rules and policies called “masters exceptions.” The Germans should learn from us. Alfred Hermes notes a recent decision by the German Athletics Federation (DLV is their acronym) to limit German national championships to German citizens. The policy (detailed here) has the unintended effect of squeezing German masters nationals. The DLV says the policy […]

December 26, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

Secret Santa of the shuttle hurdles: tape-maker George Leaf

If you’re not in the Kentucky USATF association, you probably don’t know George Leaf. But if you run shuttle hurdles at nationals, you need to thank him. George is the Stradivarius of the measuring tape used for marking the crazy back-and-forth hurdles event. Jeff Davison told me about his work some months back, and Games […]

December 25, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Al Sheahen’s proto-NMN posted: San Fernando Valley TC news

Al Sheahen left an incredible legacy in masters track. But he was more than the fire-breathing editor and publisher of National Masters News and longtime WAVA officer. He once held the M40 American record in the 400 hurdles at 61.9 in 1973, and he produced an amazing newsletter chock-full of age-group resources for his hometown […]

December 23, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Aussie world champ Peter Hawes hints retirement from 2-lap game

Elite tracksters retire all the time. Masters trackos never say never. But in a rare report, Dr. Peter Hawes of Australia, an M60 middle-distancer, told his local paper: “It’s hard because you want to keep running, but as a doctor, I can feel when my body has had enough and I think that time is […]

December 22, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

India’s ‘119-year-old sprinter’ has youthful mission: coaching kids

Two weeks after a crackerjack New York Times investigation found Dharampal Singh Gujjar to be “78 or so,” the Indian sprinter was still insisting he was 119 years old. But at least a news account acknowledges “a dispute over his age.” Whatever. In the era of fake news and liars, he’s a piker. I think […]

December 21, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Masters walker takes a stand for respect — even from Malaysia

Thomas Kok is a world-class M70 racewalker who was a top 10 finisher at Perth (but was fourth at 2011 Sacramento worlds in M65.) A week ago, he shot a letter to his local paper. He said in part: “Often, at Masters Championships, a considerable number of my fellow masters athletes would pour out their […]

December 20, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Rex Harvey hints shake-up of masters committees, regional chiefs

Our new national masters chairman won’t be a mere caretaker. Rex Harvey is moving to shake things up, bring in new blood. That’s what I glean from his recent “get involved” posting on usatfmasters.org. Rex also responded to my queries. In his note, Rex wrote: “As the newly elected Masters Track and Field (MTF) Committee […]

December 19, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Charlie Boyle dies at 92; witty racewalker was historic relayist

At 2014 Winston-Salem nationals, Charlie Boyle was considered the “baby” of the world’s first M90 relays — helping set debut WRs at 4Ă—400 and 4Ă—800. According to a great Annapolis Capital Gazette profile, he later said: “Our only requirement was to cross the finish line alive.” Last week, fellow members of the Potomac Valley Track […]

December 18, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments