M65 Steve Robbins on record sprints: ‘I was in the zone’
Steve Robbins of Washingon state thrives on cold weather, it appears. While some athletes fretted over temps in the 50s or 60s at the Striders Meet of Champions last Saturday, Steve rode legal winds to an AR-equalling 100 and WR 200 in the M65 age group. I sent Steve a quickie questionnaire, and he speedily replied. Naturally. Hundreds of photos of the meet are also online, thanks to prolific shooter Dave Peeters. Complete results wil be posted shortly.
M55 Wolfgang Ritte ups own vault world record to 14-6
Germany’s Wolfgang Ritte raised his own M55 world age-group record in the vault Saturday from 4.27 (14-0) to 4.42 meters (14-6), and his jump was posted on YouTube. At the start of the year, the world age-group record was 4.26 by Sweden’s Hans Lagerqvist in 1996. The Koops report that Wolfie went 4.32 first and “this new world record would last only 10 minutes. Supported by the rhythmic clapping of the many viewers, Wolfgang Ritte (raised the bar) by 10 cm (and cleared).” He’ll take more shots this weekend in the western German Championships.
Geb sets M35 world record in 10,000 at Hengelo meet
Don’t look now, but Haile Gebrselassie is a masters runner! He turned 35 in mid-April. Yesterday at an IAAF meet in Hengelo, Holland, the greatest distance runner in history — seeking a spot on Ethiopia’s Olympic team — took second to countryman Sileshi Sihine. Geb’s 26:51.20 bettered the listed M35 world-age group record by 26 seconds. World Masters Athletics says the record is 27:17.48 by Carlos Lopes of Portugal, who was 37 when he ran it in 1984. On the WMA Age-Graded Tables, Geb’s time at Hengelo corresponds to an Open (ages 20-30) equivalent of 26:17.04. Welcome to masters, Geb!
Charlie Booth dies at 104; invented blocks, sprinted till 99
Charlie Booth, sprinter
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Charlie Booth, who sprinted for nine decades and helped invent the modern starting blocks, has died in his native Australia, according to press reports. He was 104. Aussie Athletics reported: “He instinctively put his hand up to run in the special Old Man’s race at the 125th Anniversary Carnival in 2006, until he decided that the spring in his step had deserted him and he was better served simply watching from the sidelines. He said at the time that the sound of winning the pig on offer as first prize was worth running for.”
Robbins takes care of business: M65 records in 100, 200
World masters champion Steve Robbins, a famed author of management textbooks, added to his sprints legend yesterday at Cerritos College in Norwalk, California. Competing at the Southern California Striders Meet of Champions, Steve tied the listed M65 American record for 100 meters and came back to obliterate the listed M65 world record for 200. His 100, with legal wind, was 12.53, equaling Paul Edens’ USATF mark from 2006. With an aiding wind of 1.2 meters per second (under the allowable 2.0 mps), Steve clocked 25.20 in the 2, beating the listed WR of 25.46 by Germany’s Guido Mueller in 2004. (The listed AR is 25.76 by Paul Johnson in 2001.)
USATF Colorado Assn. dives back into dysfunctionality
If your USATF association operates smoothly, with folks who work together well and share money and power between Youth, Masters and LDR — be grateful. In the Colorado USATF Association, things have gone from bad to worse. Two months after being handed a severe reprimand for abuse of authority and revenues, leaders of that association have been returned to power through a poorly advertised election. The process was so boogered that USATF President Bill Roe made a special trip out from Seattle to witness the proceedings. Much good that did.
Leonard Hill adds M55 American record in steeplechase
Alyssa Tower wasn’t the only record-setter May 10 at Western Oregon University. At the same meet where Alyssa cracked 38 minutes in the 10K for a W45 American record, veteran runner Leonard Hill broke the listed M55 American record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. His 10:42.88 took a chunk off the 10:59.2 by Ken Carman set in July 1984. Results are here. The listed M55 world record is 9:55.05 by New Zealand’s Ron Robertson in 1997. You might recall the mess made of the M50 steeple record after Leonard went 10:10.41 in 2003.
M65 shot put WR claimed by German Kurt Goldschmidt
Kurt Goldschmidt of Germany last Sunday bettered the listed M65 world record in the kugelstoss (shot put) during a multi-event competition in Hamburg, reports the Koops’ site. Kurt’s throw of 15.66 meters (51-4 1/2) with the 5-kilogram implement was about 4 inches past the 15.55 by German compatriot Klaus Liedtke set last year. Kurt is a world masters champion from 2006 Linz. Results of the meet where Kurt threw 15.66 are right here. Klaus’ record came in his comeback from a two-year drug suspension, as I reported on this blog last year.
National Masters News fires editor, to become magazine
Carmel Papworth-Barnum, an accomplished W40 runner, was making strides as editor of National Masters News this spring. She was climbing a steep learning curve but making monthly improvements in the paper. No more. This month, she was fired as editor. Publisher Randy Sturgeon, for reasons still a little vague, decided to take over “editorial control,” Carmel wrote me earlier this week. I wrote to Randy, asking why this step was taken, and he responded with a note reprinted below.
‘T.R.A.C.K. Live!’ chief: ‘Have faith in what we are doing’
After radio silence of several days, Julia Dudley Najieb of “T.R.A.C.K. Live!” has reported in, sharing meet results from Las Vegas as well as the roster of masters athletes the reality game show will have in the first of what she hopes is several seasons. Cool! Julia sent a note early today (Thursday): “I have not had a laptop since I got back in town late Monday night, (we drove; it’s 6 hours to get home.) My computer was returned today — what a relief! We were also still filming in Las Vegas when your blog was going out, so I had no time to respond until now.”
