Wanda Johnson of Tampa won the W35 shot and discus at Orono. But what’s really remarkable about this single mother of four is her ambition: competing in the 2008 Olympic Trials. The key paragraph of a great Tampa Tribune story on Wanda’s quest: “She is 43 feet away from qualifying for the trials in the discus, and 10 feet away from the shot put. If she makes one of the top-25 spots in either event, all of her expenses for the trials will be paid for by USA Track and Field.” Wanda’s marks at Orono were 12.32 (40-5) in the shot and 35.90 (117-9) in the discus. The Trials “A” qualifiers (meaning automatic entry) are 18.35 (60-2 1/2) and 61.00 (200-5). The “B” qualifiers (what Wanda is shooting for) are 17.20 (56-5 1/4) and 59.00 (193-7).

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Olympic historian Bill Mallon of North Carolina has unveiled a fantastic new reference — an Olympic database he calls OlyMAD. He detailed its genesis with this posting on the Track & Field News message board. More than 110,000 known Olympians are in the database, the site says. The only downside: You have to register to gain access. Bill writes: “Because we are still trying to limit access, you’ll have to contact me (bmallon@nc.rr.com) and request access via the URL, and a username and password which I’ll set up for you.” Of course, you can get U.S. Olympians’ info for free via the USOC’s search page. But I imagine that dozens of Riccione entrants from other countries will be in Bill’s database.

Wilbur Ross showed me the promised land. His late 1960s text, “The Hurdler’s Bible,” used the greats of his day to show me how to hurdle. Last Friday, he died at age 80, and a little darkness fell over his generation of timber toppers. Coach Ross didn’t do masters (that I know of), but if you came of age four decades ago, he was your saint. You M50s and M60s know what I mean. I posted a reminiscence on the Track & Field News message board. Keep your lean in Heaven, Coach.

Jeff Davison had a dream, and with the faith and creativity of a Bible teacher, it came true. As I first described in February, this Southern California M45 hurdler wanted the Orono nationals to offer an exhibition relay event for hurdlers. I cheered his efforts (though I privately doubted it would come off as envisioned). Boy, was I wrong. Jeff has posted results and details of the Orono shuttle hurdle relays on his woodenhurdles Web site. Here’s a group shot of the historic crew who gave Orono a cool barrier-banging finale. Jeff writes: “Why was the event run? Hurdlers rarely have an opportunity to run a four person relay with hurdles. Most hurdlers shared stories of running them in high school or college but not since.” Jeff’s next mission? Shuttles at indoor nationals. Godspeed, Jeff Davison.

Results are now posted for the USATF National Masters Weight Pentathlon Championships, which attracted 52 athletes ages 35 to 92 last weekend to Spokane, Washington. W50 Carol Finsrud of Lockhart, Texas, erased one of the oldest WP records on the books, scoring 4,763 points to demolish the listed American age-group record of 4,132 by Vanessa Hilliard at the Buffalo world WAVA meet in 1995. Carol’s marks were 44.85 (147-1) in the hammer, 12.15 (39-10 1/2) shot, 42.14 (138-3) discus, 30.25 (99-3) javelin and 15.48 (50-9 1/2) weight throw. Carol’s 16-pound weight throw also beat the listed AR of 12.50 (41-0) by Joan Stratton in 2002.

M70 sprint champ Wayne Bennett of Texas, an overseer of the July meet where Ken Jansson thought he set a weight pentathlon record, has suggested that Hy-Tek meet software was at fault for the wrong age-grading of WP scores that resulted in an American record wrongly assigned. Rex Harvey of World Masters Athletics, also has weighed in on the case. But Charlie Hodgson of Hy-Tek defends his company’s software. Here is an exchange of email I was copied.

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M45 runner Steve Nearman is a fine writer. But his main gig is financial planning. And what he really wants to see is meet announcer Peter Taylor financially assured for the 40th anniversary of the U.S. masters nationals a year from now in Spokane, Wash. Steve writes: “While it is too early to know what Spokane meet organizers will do — re: announcer extraordinaire Peter Taylor — there is no doubt that he is a tremendous asset to our sport and our meet. I am hoping that Spokane will invite Peter and offer him expenses and some compensation for his time.”

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Jerry Bookin-Weiner, USATF Masters throwing events coordinator, writes: “Further checking on the scoring of the American WP record that Ken Jansson set in Texas towards the end of July shows that it was not, in fact, a record. The meet management must have been using an old scoring table or an older version of Hy-Tek that gave incorrect scoring. The correct scoring for his performances should have been 3923, not the reported 4283 that you carried on your blog.” I haven’t checked with the principals, but this appears to be a collapse of quality control on the part of meet management. Sorry to see this, especially on the day of the USATF Masters WP Championships in Spokane, Wash.

Masters meet announcer Peter Taylor reports: “As of 7 p.m. on Thursday evening (August 9) I am feeling reasonably healthy, but I am still having strange feelings on my left side. Should know a lot more in 24 hours.” And in part 2 of his Orono nationals narrative, he writes: “My grade: In my first message I mentioned my desire to do well at Orono. How did I do? I was spectacular at times and not so good at others; I would say my grade was 82. I am planning on announcing at Boston in 2008.”

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If Peter Taylor announced your event Sunday at Orono, you have even more to appreciate. He almost didn’t make it to the track. Peter spent Saturday night at the Eastern Maine Medical Center, and was released at 6:50 a.m. in time to call the first race at 7:40 a.m. — the first of the 1500s. Peter writes: “I had stroke-like symptoms but did not have stroke.” Earlier, an athlete wrote me: “He had awoken in the night with a ‘dead’ and useless arm and had called the emergency services who took him to the hospital and tested him.” Now back home in Virginia, Peter is sharing a series of reports on the meet, beginning with “How I Spent My Summer Vacation (Part I)”

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