Ottey becomes oldest to break 8 for 60 meters
Merlene Ottey had a bad race at the Moscow Winter Meeting over the weekend. Her blocks slipped in a qualifying heat, and she ran “only” 7.54 seconds at age 46. (According to the Associated Press, Ottey blamed the starter, saying: “Unfortunately for me, it was a disaster today. It was the second heat and I didn’t have time to set my blocks and for me the race was over even before the starting.”) Ottey says her main goal this season will be the European Championships in Birmingham, England. Guess she’ll just have to be satisfied with being the first woman over 45 to duck under 8 seconds.
She beat a listed world indoor age-group record of 8.02 by Georgia’s Phil Raschker, who was 48 when she ran that in 1995. How do the Age-Graded Tables rate Ottey’s 7.54? Well, the tables say the mark is equivalent to an open performance of 6.803 seconds. The women’s world record is 6.92.
(Ottey’s 7.54 also would have made the men’s 60-meter M45 final at Linz a year ago.)
What would Ottey do with blocks that don’t slip?
Here’s the report from her fan page:
Latest News on Merlene Ottey
28 January 2007: Ottey last in season opener, but new world masters record
Merlene Ottey did not have the best season opener when she ran in the 60 metre heats at the IAAF Permit Meeting, Russian Winter, in Moscow this afternoon. She was drawn in the middle lanes next to world leader Yevgeniya Polyakova, but in the end Ottey was well beaten by the young Russian, who also went on to win the final in a new world leading time of 7.18 sec. Though Merlene Ottey may not be satisfied with her time of 7.54 sec. this was still a new World Masters Record (45+) – beating the old record of 8.02 sec. (Phil Raschker) by almost 1⁄2 a second.
60 metre final
1. Yevgeniya Polyakova (RUS): 7.18 PB/WL
2. Marina Kislova (RUS): 7.20
3. Virgen Benavides (CUB): 7.35
4. Yuliya Guschina (RUS): 7.36
5. Larisa Kruglova (RUS): 7.42
6. Kseniya Vdovina (RUS): 7.43
60 metre heats
1. Larisa Kruglova (RUS): 7.19
2. Yuliya Guschina (RUS): 7.31
3. Virgen Benavides (CUB): 7.36
4. Irina Khabarova (RUS): 7.48
5. Lyudmyla Shcherbyna (UKR): 7.48
6. Fana Ashby (T&T): 7.73
1. Yevgeniya Polyakova (RUS): 7.21
2. Marina Kislova (RUS): 7.26
3. Kseniya Vdovina (RUS): 7.41
4. Marina Bolikova (RUS): 7.43
5. Yuliya Chermoshanskaya (RUS): 7.47
6. Merlene Ottey (SLO): PB = 7.54 WR(45+)
3 Responses
The slip was worth about 1/10 of a second.
Add .24 about .08 per year since she ran a 7.21 in 2004 and she is capable of 7.45
but who knows with Ottey
Jus’ go thru Ottey…yuh ah di BEST!!!
A so mi sey to. All when she is a hundred dem still kaan ketch ar.
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