McBarnette raises M50 American indoor record again
Masters mole Keith Mathis reports another M50 indoor high jump record by Bruce McBarnette. “At the Mid-Atlantic USATF 2008 Open and Masters Indoor Championship meet (Saturday) at Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pa., Bruce . . . jumped 1.93 (6-4) to break his own American Record of 1.92. Attached is a picture at the end of the meet with several of the HJ participants, officials and Bruce with the bar at 1.93.” Keith won the M55 high jump with a subpar 4-10, but was thrilled with the meet because he could watch his son Josh (handsome blonde in photo below), who won the under-18 event with a PR leap of 5-4. Josh also won the triple jump at a PR 37-2, “a very excitnig track and field day. We all celebrated with a nice meal in Collegeville and toasted Bruce’s fantastic accomplishment.”
Here’s Bruce and friends:
2 Responses
Amazing. In 1963, at the largest track meet in the United States (the Penn Relays), Al Ammerman took the high jump gold with a leap of 6 feet, 6 inches. Al competed for the University of Michigan and no doubt was thrilled to win in front of the huge crowd.
Forty-five years later, on March 8, 2008, a 50-year-old man, Bruce McBarnette, jumps 6 feet, 4 inches (just 2 inches below Ammerman) in front of perhaps 20 people at Ursinus College. Why so few? I was the announcer, and for some reason the high jump was at the tail end of the meet. The spectators had gone home, the running races and other field events were history, but there was Bruce McBarnette showing off his “pure diamond” high jumping form.
In my humble opinion, by jumping 6 feet, 4 inches at age 50 Bruce McBarnette has now moved into the very highest echelon of masters superstars. It’s one thing to do it at age 20 or 21, or even 19 (at the Penn Relays), but to do it at 50. Wow!
I wonder where Al Ammerman is now? I doubt he is an M65 high jumper.
Congratulations Bruce and I just have to say “NICE ABS!”
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