Frenchwoman sets hurdle record that won’t be ratified

Patricia Girard may be this season’s Usain Bolt in masters track. She ran the 100-meter hurdles yesterday in 13.22 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. “Unbelievably, the wind was -1.9. Reina-Flor Okori of France won the race in 12.95,” reports Ed Gordon, a world-class tracknut. Patricia is 40, so this should be an age-group record, right? Nope. World Masters Athletics doesn’t keep 100H records for the W40s. (That group runs the 80-meter hurdles.) Click here for Patricia’s old fan site. And this ain’t no fluke. The IAAF Top list for her event says she ran 13.23 earlier this season. Is this amazing or what?

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September 1, 2008

12 Responses

  1. Don Drummond - September 2, 2008

    This is ridiculous, but there is one way to get around all of this craziness. Come to the World Meet in Finland and shatter the 80 meter hurdle record. I figure if you cannot get a record recorded, do it on the Masters World or Region Stage and your goal is completed. That is if it is even a goal of hers????

  2. Emmanuel Tardi - September 2, 2008

    Patricia Girard results in 2008
    31/08/2008 100m haies (84) Série 1 13”33 -0.9 La chaux-de-fonds
    31/08/2008 100m haies (84) Final 2 13”22 -1.9 La chaux-de-fonds
    26/07/2008 100m haies (84) Final 2 13”23 +1.5 Albi
    25/07/2008 100m haies (84) Série 2 13”13 +2.3 Albi
    25/07/2008 100m haies (84) Semi 1 13”02 +2.2 Albi
    14/07/2008 100m Final 2 11”77 -0.5 Paris
    14/07/2008 100m haies (84) Final 1 13”20 +0.8 Paris
    02/07/2008 100m haies (84) fem lagardère athlé Final 6 13”49 +0.4 Strasbourg
    28/06/2008 100m haies (84) nationale Série 1 AB +1,5 Hérouville-st-clair
    28/06/2008 100m haies (84) nationale Final 1 13”42 -0,1 Hérouville-st-clair
    15/06/2008 100m haies (84) Série 3 13”26 +0.9 Sotteville-lès-rouen
    15/06/2008 100m haies (84) Final 7 13”35 +0.7 Sotteville-lès-rouen
    12/06/2008 100m/tcf Final 1 11”71 +2,0 Bondoufle
    06/06/2008 100m haies (84) Série 2 13”47 +1.1 Nantes
    06/06/2008 100m haies (84) Final 5 13”43 +1.1 Nantes
    31/05/2008 100m/tcf Semi 7 11”94 +0.3 Genève
    26/01/2008 50m – salle Final 1 6”74 Viry-chatillon

  3. Ken Stone - September 3, 2008

    Results of the Swiss meet are posted here:
    http://www.sep-olympic.ch/resisprint08/31.08.2008.pdf

  4. Weia Reinboud - September 4, 2008

    I think the 80m hurdles is ridiculous and Patricia proves that…

  5. Jeff Brower - September 5, 2008

    Amen to that, Weia. An arbitrary distance with arbitrary specs with no justification. A joke.
    And Don, she’d have no rhythm in the odd W40 80M race with it’s smaller spacing between the hurdles. She’d be chopping substantially. Patricia would have to slow down, or risk running up on a hurdle and hammering it badly. Major potential for injury. Patricia is not alone, as many others have been penalized by the current “custom” hurdle specs. With an axe to grind . . .

  6. Liz Palmer - September 5, 2008

    I don’t consider my favorite event, the event on which I have worked the hardest to be either ‘ridiculous’ or a ‘joke.’

  7. Jeff Brower - September 9, 2008

    Liz, your ability to be objective is of course suspect. Why aren’t you running the 70 meter hurdles? Or 30?
    Justify the current specs to us, Liz.
    Further, you can work extremely hard on the standing long jump, but that doesn’t mean it should be considered a championship event.
    Are you able to see how some women are penalized by the current masters specs, and do you care about that?
    If you’re able to be objective, let’s discuss this further.

  8. Liz Palmer - September 9, 2008

    Jeff, my justification of the hurdles specs is not the issue that I raised in my first post. I have no problem with people discussing event specifications and whether or not they should be changed, or whether an event should be included in a championship meet. That discussion is a vital and necessary part of our sport. I do have a problem when people call certain events a “joke.” All that does is demean the efforts of those who participate in those events and certainly doesn’t win you any converts to your point of view. That’s all I wish to say on this subject. Sincerely, Liz Palmer

  9. Jeff Brower - September 9, 2008

    Liz, What a predictable diversion. Well, you’ve missed the boat. And now you don’t wish to say anymore on the subject? You should have made that decision before posting anything.
    Calling an event a joke doesn’t demean anyone’s efforts. Period. I don’t think ANY hurdler is a joke, and that was QUITE a stretch for you to make that inference.
    If someone called one of the events I participated in a “joke”, I’d either agree, or tell them to try it. It’s your prerogative to take something personally, but it doesn’t mean you were right or wise to do so.
    Now, why did you choose to avoid the questions and focus on a different issue, and why do you want to quit discussing it? (I know the answer, btw.)
    Ever heard this one?
    “My mind’s made up, so don’t confuse me with the facts.”
    This is a broader discussion about why this unbelievable performance won’t be considered a record because it’s not considered a Masters Championship event because some rulemakers think a female hurdler falls over and practically dies after turning 39.
    You’re focused on the trees, not the forest (i.e., focused on yourself, not others). Until you can see the forest, you won’t win any converts into thinking the 80M HH event isn’t a joke in the Masters T&F world. (I wonder what Patricia would think of the Masters hurdle specs?)
    The events are what they are, but when a 40 year old woman runs a 13.22 100M HH race into a headwind over TEN 33″ hurdles, it exposes the absurdity of some of the masters specs.
    Comments like yours attempt to control what others say and how it’s presented, as opposed to listening and reading in an effort to understand the genuine content of the speaker/writer.
    Nevertheless, there’s no hard feelings here. When you (or anyone) is ready to discuss this issue, bring it. But be forewarned: diversions and avoidance won’t be ignored or tolerated.

  10. A. Rohme - September 9, 2008

    Lay off Brower. I think you’re just upset that she’s a better hurdler than you are.

  11. Jeff Brower - September 9, 2008

    Dang it, Rohme, I was trying to keep that little secret to myself!! (Cue the Wicked Witch of the West melting song 🙂

  12. Wikipedia - September 10, 2008

    The events are what they are, but when a 40 year old woman runs a 13.22 100M HH race into a headwind over TEN 33″ hurdles, it exposes the absurdity of some of the masters specs.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:French_sportspeople_in_doping_cases
    Patricia Girard is a 1996 Olympian with a doping suspension which exposes the possible source of her performances.

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