Always one clueless idiot in the crowd: ‘Ottey, quit!’
Under the headline “Hang it up Merlene, please!” Paul Reid of the Jamaican Observer newspaper writes: “Merlene Ottey, the former Jamaican track and field star, had her dreams of competing in an individual event at eight straight Olympics shattered on Tuesday after failing in her attempt to make the ‘B’ standard while competing at a low-key meet in Slovenia. News reports are that one of the most recognisable names in track and field competed in the meet in pouring rain and could only run 11.60 seconds, falling .28 seconds from the standard that would allow her to compete.”
Masters Athlete magazine posts free weight-training issue
Masters Athlete magazine (formerly GeezerJock) is expanding into weight training with a separate title called Masters Strength & Fitness. The first issue is free and downloadable here. Even though it has a weight-lifter on the cover, it’s not just for big husky guys who do Olympic or power lifts in dark, stinky gyms. The first issue even mentions the special needs of women. The magazine cites track and field among sports that can benefit from weight training.
Nadine O’Connor raises own WR in W65 pole vault
Nadine O’Connor of Del Mar, California, improved her own W65 age-group world record in the vault last weekend at a single-event meet at San Diego State University that drew 18 entrants. Called the Friday Night Summer Vault (with complete results here), the meet saw Nadine, 66, clear three heights on her first try, ending with a jump of 3.06 meters (10-0 1/2) to better her own listed WR of 3.05 (10-0) set in March 2007. Nadine was grateful that head official Richard Fox made sure all the conditions were right for record consideration.
Merlene Ottey’s quest for eighth Olympics falls short
Merlene Ottey, still a sprint queen at 48
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This would make a HELLUVA movie — how Merlene Ottey at 48 jetted from city to city in the final week before today’s qualifying deadline, racing to run 100 meters a few tenths faster than her season best, which already was the fastest any woman had ever run in her late 40s. But nope. Forget any film. Forget her chances at competing in an incredible eighth Olympic Games. This dream was just too impossible. But give her credit for trying and Slovenia for supporting her. And the world press for taking heed. She got barrels of ink yesterday.
Seattle Masters Classic: small meet with some big marks
Becca Gillespy and George Mathews share this results link for the Seattle Masters Classic held this past weekend in West Seattle. It wasn’t a humongous turnout, but many fine marks were recorded, including a nice 12.67 for 100 by M65 champion Steve Robbins, rounding into great shape for Spokane. (He ran 12.53 in May, though.)
Sims, Leek run wild at Western States in Sacramento
M70 sprinter Gary Sims and and W75 multi-eventer Edythe Leek were among the stars of the Western States Masters International Invitational over the weekend in Sacramento. Gary ran the 100 in 13.98, the deuce in 29.22 and the 4 in 64.99. Co-meet director Mary Woo also reports: “Liz Palmer (had) huge PRs in the 80 hurdles (ran solo) and the shot. Amanda Scotti (is) a “newbie” to keep on your radar for sure, along with Kathleen Poe. Jeff Mann returning to the 800 after a few years absent from that event, and throwers galore! Had an amazing bunch of PAUSATF officials and volunteers. . . . Randy Sturgeon (was a) superb announcer! Plan to make this event a mainstay on the schedule in years to come.”
Age-Graded Tables getting an expedited redo, WMA says
Just when we’re getting used to the 2006 Age-Graded Tables, work is under way on the 2010 tables, says World Masters Athletics. WMA Prez Monty Hacker reports: “WMA has decided to accelerate its periodic modification process of the Age Grading Tables to remove various deficiencies that have developed over several years as a result of new statistical information. Vice President Stadia, Rex Harvey, after extensive research with experts on the subject and review during the recent Stadia Committee meeting, has announced to solicit assistance to assure timely completion of the modification for final review and approval by Council during its next regular council meeting at the Lahti championships in July 2009, and implementation as of the next possible date, May 1, 2010.” This apparently reflects problems reported in the WMA tables last year. The tables have been available on the Web for a few years, but haven’t been published in booklet form yet. Oh well. Wait till 2010.
Masters hurdler McCloud had bit part in Trials fiasco
As fate would have it, my roommate at the dorms in Eugene was a track coach from Colorado named Mark Misch. During the Trials, I learned the sordid details of Mark’s attempt to get Blake Boldon into the 5,000-meter heats. Blake’s case echoed that of Roald Bradstock, the 46-year-old thrower who was prepared to go to war (diplomatically speaking) if he weren’t allowed in the javelin field. Roald prevailed but Blake didn’t. Coach Misch neglected to share one detail of his failed appeal — it went through masters hurdler Dexter McCloud (who has been the subject of other appeals). Here’s an eye-opening story about how Dexter failed to adequately represent a fellow elite athlete.
A first: European masters championships will test for EPO
Starting this Thursday, a town in Slovenia will host 3,700 masters athletes. They’ll compete in the 16th European Masters Athletics Championships. As usual, Germany dominates the field — with 655 men and women entered. Britain is second with 333. But the elephant on the track in Ljubljana will be an expanded drug-testing regimen. Besides the usual suspects (steroids and steroid-maskers), the Eurovets will test for EPO, aka Erythropoietin.
New CEO promises to ‘be a huge sponge’ in early miles
Doug Logan is a shiny new car, and the powers that be at USATF have fallen in love with him. That’s understandable. New owners want to feel good about their wheels. Despite a few scratches and dents in his career, CEO Doug, 65, appears to be firing on all cylinders in his media rollout. Check out his teleconference. He also gave off that intoxicating new-car smell in Phil Hersh’s recent profile. Doug told Phil: “In the 1940s and 1950s, track and field was a nice-looking, polished Chevy driving down the highway at 50 miles per hour. It is still a pretty good Chevy driving at 50 mph. The problem is other sports have become Ferraris. By the end of the next two (Olympic) quadrenniums, track and field should at least be a 5 Series BMW.”
