Last August, Aussie Keith Bateman called his shot. He came to the plate and pointed toward five world records in the M55 distances—1500, mile, 3000, 5000 and 10K. Nonsense, huh? Look again, sports fans. He made it 4-for-5 Saturday by lowering the outdoor record for 10,000 to an incredible 31:51.86— better than a half-minute faster than the previous listed record of 32:27.7 by Britain’s Michael Hager. He did it at the New South Wales Open Track and Field Championships at Sydney Olympic Park. Here’s Keith in his 3K record:

His friend Simon Butler-White writes: “Keith broke the 3000m WR in November, the mile WR in December and the 5000m WR in January. We were all rather worried when he didn’t break any world records in February, but he’s come good in March. Keith is easily the most outstanding candidate for the Australian Masters Athletics Athlete of the Year award for 2011. The winners of the annual awards will be named at the conclusion of this year’s Nationals in Brisbane from April 21-24.”

And here’s the crazy context: 31:51 corresponds to an open (age 20-30) time of 26:45. The real-life WR for 10K is 26:17.53.
 
Now comes the logical question: Who will be IAAF Masters Athlete of the Year at the end of 2011? Bill Collins, coach Bateman or some still-to-be-discovered star at Sacramento worlds?

But don’t bet your house on Keith. If he doesn’t enter Sacto, he won’t be considered. That’s the way of WMA.

He’s merely the Henry Rono of masters track.

Simon also says:

Other noteworthy masters performances were posted by Stuart Gyngell, the world’s No 1 M45 shotputter, who finished second with a best throw of 17.27; and Lahti 2009 1500m gold medalist Don Mathewson (M65), whose 38:22.60 in the 10,000m is one of the fastest times in the world in 2010/11.

Stuart Gyngell at April 2010 AMA Nationals in Perth. Photo by Phil Frkovic.

Results from Keith’s 10K race:

NSW Championships – 25/03/2011 to 27/03/2011
Athletics NSW
Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre

Event 50 Men 10000 Metre Open
=============================================
Name Age Team Finals Points
=============================================
Finals
1 Russell Dessaix-Chin 33 Sydney Unive 29:35.80
2 David Criniti 33 Sydney Strid 30:48.06
3 Vlad Shatrov 33 Sydney Strid 30:54.74
4 Cale Bowd 22 Blue Mountai 31:10.47
5 Brad Milosevic 22 Girraween At 31:25.43
6 Liam Ridings 22 Rbh(Randwick 31:44.21
7 Nicholas Cope 42 Randwick Bot 31:46.47
8 Caleb Wegener 30 U.T.S. North 31:48.79
9 Keith Bateman 56 Sydney Strid 31:51.86
10 Kevin Robertson 36 Sutherland D 31:53.07
11 Chris Truscott 37 Sydney Strid 32:15.93
12 Earl O’Brien 26 Asics Wests 32:26.42
13 James Perrett 23 Asics Wests 33:01.51
14 Douglas Kelley 27 Epping Distr 33:55.47
15 Wayne Bulloch 44 Sydney Strid 34:48.50
16 Charles Brooks 19 Mingara Athl 35:50.97
17 Jason McIntosh 41 Sydney Strid 36:26.22
18 Dennis Wylie 59 Hills Distri 36:45.00
19 David McEwan 56 Hills Distri 37:53.63
20 Peter Byrne 52 Hills Distri 37:57.75
21 Jeff Aldenhoven 37 Sydney Strid 38:10.11
22 Ian David Rose 53 Hills Distri 38:17.44
23 Donald Mathewson 67 Hills Distri 38:22.60
24 Stephen Ball 58 U.T.S. North 39:17.11
25 James Barnes 59 Blue Mountai 39:44.07
26 EJ Davie 40 Sydney Strid 44:05.96
27 Robert Mason 46 Asics Wests 47:32.44