David Heath, Silke Schmidt named World Best Masters of 2015

David and Silke, pride of the Eurovets.

David and Silke, pride of Lyon and the Eurovets.

W55 distancer Silke Schmidt of Germany and M50 middle-distance great David Heath of Great Britain have been named World Best Masters Athletes of 2015 by World Masters Athletics, according to a posting Monday on the Eurovets website. Kurt Kaschke, EMA president, wrote: “The decision of WMA for the Best Masters 2015 was sent out to the regions this weekend. Europe Masters will be represented in Monaco during the IAAF Gala. Together with the world best athletes and IAAF new President Lord Sebastian Coe, our masters will give an impression to all the people of the athletic world that the passion of athletics doesn’t stop!” As usual, the final vote of the WMA Council is cloaked in secrecy. (Update: A WMA source writes: “There is no Secret in the Council voting, we have 13 members that give a vote and the person with the most votes wins, what is secret about that?”) As of Monday night, WMA still hasn’t made the announcement. David is a plausible pick since he won Lyon gold in the 800 and 1500 by 3 seconds and 14 seconds, respectively. He also set world records in several events and won the Beijing IAAF 800 exhibition. His near-WR of 1:58.72 and WR 3:58.26 were among many great marks. Silke lowered her own listed WR for 5000 from 17:42.56 to 17:29.28. But I still think NCCWMA nominee Irene Obera had a better year.

Here’s what the Eurovets said about Silke:

When Silke Schmidt had her 56th birthday, she was honoured with the first of the four in total gold medals she won in Lyon.

She is holding some world records. Here the list of the “Weltrekorde September 2014 – September 2015” as she summarized the records for us:

09.09.2014 Flying Kiwi BNO-instuifcircuit 5000m 17:42.56
19.09.2014 Wageningen Trackmeeting 1500m 4:54.81
27.09.2014 Woerden Open Masters Meerkamp 1500m 4:54.56
28.09.2014 Utrechtse Singelloop 10km 36.21
26.10.2014 Halve Marathon Drechtstadloop Halbmarathon 1:19:48
08.03.2015 City Pier City, Den Haag Halbmarathon 1:19:39
02.05.2015 Deutsche Meisterschaften, Ohrdruf 10.000m 36:53.81
12.06.2015 Tartlétos Loopgala Wageningen 5000m 17:32.54
27.06.2015 Eef Kamerbeek Games, Eindhoven 5000m 17:29.28
11.07.2015 U-Trackmeeting, Utrecht 3000m 10:03.91
16.07.2015 Rotterdam Trackmeeting 1500m 4:51.26
02.09.2015 ZSM Zevenbergen 1 Meile 5:17.37
27.09.2015 Utrechtse Singelloop 10km 36:18

Silke is a person with many skills and ambitions. She loves athletics with all her heart and supports athletes whenever she can.

We will see her in the next European Indoor Championship in Ancona where she will receive the trophy during the opening ceremony.

But she will also be ready to run again.

Good luck for your future Silke, stay healthy and fit and thank you for being our ambassador of Masters Athletics.

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October 12, 2015

7 Responses

  1. Hans-Peter Skala - October 13, 2015

    The die is cast.

    Silke Schmidt GER) and David Heath (GBR) are World Best Masters of 2015. Congratulation!
    See:
    http://www.evaa.ch/news-overview/1307-world-masters-of-2015.html

  2. Mike Walker - October 13, 2015

    David and Silke both had a great year and certainly deserve their awards. Irene Obera was deserving as well but Silke’s season was pretty impressive with fast times from 1500 to half marathon.

  3. Matt B. - October 13, 2015

    1:58.72 isn’t the WR. Close.
    WR 1:58.65

  4. Ken Stone - October 14, 2015

    Good catch, Matt! I’ve made the fix. Sorry, Nolan!

  5. Keith McQuitter - October 14, 2015

    Hey ken I am two weeks after surgery on my back but i will be back in a few months better then ever But I will still Be setting up masters Shuttle Hurdles at pennrelays any 50 plus Hurdles get at me miss you all indoor season

  6. Ken Stone - October 24, 2015

    Here is official WMA announcement:
    http://www.world-masters-athletics.org/news/580-world-best-masters-2015-who-they-are

  7. Ken Stone - November 6, 2015

    No Gala for our kids:

    World Athletics Gala

    In coordination with the International Athletics Foundation (IAF), the IAAF has today cancelled this year’s IAF World Athletics Gala which was due to take place in Monaco on Saturday 28 November.

    “Given the cloud that hangs over our association this is clearly not the time for the global athletics family to be gathering in celebration of our sport,” confirmed Sebastian Coe. “However we will rightly still honour the outstanding achievements of the sport’s athletes. Therefore the Athlete of the Year and other annual honours will still be awarded and will be promoted and announced on the internet and social media. The IAAF will seek a suitable occasion in the future for the presentation of these awards to be made to the winners.”

    IAAF

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