Running far ahead, W40 Sonja Friend-Uhl and M40 Antwon Dussett swept the masters exhibition events Saturday at USA indoor nationals in Portland — a week before IAAF worlds. First Sonja won the mile in 4:56.89 — about 13 seconds ahead of runner-up Jennifer St. Jean. (W45 record-holder Kris Paaso was entered but didn’t run.) Then Antwon turned on the speed at 50 and clocked 22.66 to win his 200 by 1.73 seconds. See the 200 video here, and see the mile video here. Lots of other masters-age athletes did well at USA nationals, and W30 high jumper Chaunte Lowe took third (on misses) a week after ABQ masters nationals (where she went higher, in fact — 1.94 to 1.93.). M40 Bernard Lagat was fourth in the 3000 at 7:41.25. At 37, A.G. Kruger was second in the weight throw with 23.24 (76-3). Reese Hoffa, at 38, was runner-up in the shot at 20.07 (65-10.25), and fellow Olympian John Nunn, also 38, won the 3K racewalk (in 11:37.09) several weeks after taking the 50K Olympic Trials. That’s some range!
Antwon won easily, but the race caller (a Brit) briefly mistook him for another.
Oldie but goodie shows Bill’s form matching Tyson Gay’s.
For at least the third time in his storied career, Masters Hall of Famer Bill Collins late Friday was named USATF Athlete of the Week. (Normally, AoWs are announced Wednesday, but we’ll forgive Indy.) His earlier nods were also for indoor star turns — in 2006 and again in 2011 after setting sprint records at nationals. Indy’s latest award story began: “The legendary Bill Collins earns USATF Athlete of the Week honors after breaking two World and two American sprint records at USATF Masters Indoor Championships. Collins, a mainstay in the Masters track & field record books, broke the M65 age-group world mark in the 60 meters and 200m, clocking 7.69 and 24.94 respectively. His 200m time also made him the first man over 65 years old to break the 25-second barrier.”
Willie Banks turned 60 on Friday, apparently somewhere in Japan, his second home. He hasn’t talked much about his track goals for M60, but I suspect he’ll show up out of nowhere someday and shock us all, hopefully in the 三段跳び (triple jump in Japanese). I had some wonderful interactions with Willie this year, including an article about how the TJ WR should be 62 feet (if elites paid attention to his technique critique). I also helped him shape a book he’s preparing on triple jump drills. But the best thing about Willie is how down-to-earth he is. An Olympian and world-record setter, he treats me like just another old track dude. He’s given me great copy, of course, but I treasure his friendship the most. Gold in every way. Happy birthday, superstar!
Here’s a good retelling of the origins of Willie Banks’ rhythmic clapping.
Irish media Thursday reported the death of Jim McNamara, a 1976 Olympian for Ireland (39th in the marathon) who in the 1980s and 1990s became a masters record-holder and world champion. “He went on to win world and European titles at masters level, including setting a 10,000 world record in the M50 class in 1989,” said one tribute. “He was involved with Donore Harriers Athletics club for over 50 years and was rewarded with an IAAF gold medal for services to Athletics in 2013. His clubmate Eamonn Coghlan, 5,000 world champion in 1983, tweeted that McNamara had been ‘a huge inspiration.’ The Olympic Council of Ireland said in a statement: ‘It is with great sadness that we have learnt of the passing of Jim McNamara. Jim is remembered as a true gentleman, a giant of Irish athletics. He will be sadly missed.'”
So WMA President Stan Perkins and Secretary Winston Thomas were in India over the weekend for masters nationals. They’ll both likely attend IAAF Portland worlds as well, I imagine. Nice gig. So what did they do in India? Tell them to clean up their warring affiliates act? Unsure. Our only clue comes from this report in The Hindu: “Indian masters lack coaches,” Perkins is quoted as saying. “There is a need to promote the culture of sports among masters in India.” There’s also a need to post recent results. None here that I can find. (The meet ended March 6.)
Stan (left) and Winston at India’s National Masters Athletics Championships.
Jessica puts on a weight throw clinic at ABQ. Rob Jerome photo
W30 Jessica Becker, who coaches prolific record-setter Myrle Mensey, also threw in ABQ, winning the shot (13.60 / 44-7 1/2), weight throw (13.46 / 44-2) and super weight (7.59
/ 24-11) in her first submasters outing at a masters meet. “She’s definitely a star to watch,” writes photographer Rob Jerome. “Myrle couldn’t say enough great things about her. She sends Jessica’s videos of her competitions, which Jessica analyzes. They met at a coaching convention and Jessica has helped with Myrle’s foundation for young women throwers.” Jessica is profiled as a coach in Hobbs, New Mexico. Very impressive background, including having won two NAIA national titles.
Myrle Mensey set an AR in the W65 shot at nationals. Rob Jerome photo
Ty Brown’s M70 AR at 200 beat world champions Steve Robbins and Roger Pierce. Rob Jerome photo
Parts of Albuquerque are exactly a mile high (5,280 feet). And like the famed 1968 Mexico City Games, the thinner air had a dramatic impact on the record books, especially in the sprints and jumps. Maybe the throws, too. Organizers of ABQ nationals also did the right thing Sunday by redoing 4×2 relays from Saturday that produced apparent world and American records but weren’t contested with proper staggers. Especially notable was Southwest Sprinters TC lowering their own pending 4×4 WR for M50 but with two different legs. The only nonsprint track event that saw a WR was M95 Orville Rogers’ 16:32.19 for 1500 meters — the first time anyone in his age group did that event indoors. So he’d probably be a lot faster at sea level. USATF’s Athlete of the Week will likely go to Kathy Bergen or Bill Collins — both setting a pair of WRs. And Joy Upshaw set a WR and two American records. They all deserve it.
New M50 world record holders in the 4×4, who broke own team’s WR. Rob Jerome photo
Our W60 multi-eventer friend Rita Hanscom wasn’t in ABQ this weekend, and for sad reasons. She’s mourning the Feb. 24 death of her husband of 33 years, Richard “Dick” Hanscom, a retired San Diego judge. Dick was 84, but was a serious distance runner when he met Rita during lunchtime runs from the downtown San Diego YMCA. In an obituary I wrote for Times of San Diego, other judges noted his athletic prowess, and Rita told me: “Many times we found ourselves just running together, and I think we figured we probably ran a thousand miles together before we ever went out on a date. So we really got to know each other pretty well.” Sunday, I learned of memorial services for Dick. They are 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, in the chapel at The Bishop’s School, 7606 La Jolla Blvd., San Diego. Dick didn’t compete in masters track but supported Rita’s track and field dreams. Rita will be back, I’m sure. For now, let’s support her healing process.
Liz Palmer (left) and Joy Upshaw both broke the W50 world record in the 60 hurdles (Phil Raschker’s 9.84 from 2003). Joy won in 9.71. Rob Jerome photo
Day 2 at ABQ nationals should be remembered as one of the greatest record days in masters history, but a snafu involving 4-lap relays left some great athletes angry and mystified — their record moments stolen. Christa Mann of USATF noted in her Saturday report: “In men’s 4x200m relays, two teams ran faster than their listed age-group American records when the M55 team of Don McGee, James Chinn, Ben James and William Yelverton ran 1:37.88 and the M65 team of Roger Pierce, Grady Cash, Bruce Mintz and Ivan Black ran 2:03.61. *Note: The 4x200m relay performances will not be considered for records due to the marking of exchange zones.” In fact, the M55s beat the listed WR of 1:40.58 by a British team at 2014 worlds. (The M65 WR is a German team’s 1:49.78 anchored by Guido Müller.) One observer wrote me: “Everyone is major pissed. Most likely from what the social media world tells me is that we will have an opportunity to re-run it tomorrow. Hopefully everyone is healthy for an extra race. Apparently the zone issue was pointed out to the officials by athletes several times and they were ignored. It sucks.”
M95 Orville Rogers became the oldest metric miler indoors in history. Rob Jerome photo.
Ed Burke sets M75 WR in weight at ABQ nationals. Rob Jerome photo
M75 Olympian Ed Burke set a world record on his 76th birthday and three others claimed American records on Day 1 (Friday) at Albuquerque (henceforth ABQ) indoor nationals. (Results are here.) My sources also share sad news: Christel Donley scratched before the competition with a leg injury, and Marie Kay, who had come all the way from Australia to try to set a WR in the pentathlon, pulled her hamstring on the HJ and is out. “Meet seems well-run,” a source says. “Events in the afternoon a little delayed.” W30 Chaunte Lowe used this meet to help her get an Olympic qualifying mark for her fourth Games. “All the HJers I know said she did herself proud.” (Chaunte is 32, but the best 32-year-old jumper, according to Weia Reinboud’s absolute records, is Bulgaria’s Venelina Veneva, who cleared 2.04 (6-8 1/4) in 2006. Christa Mann did Indy proud with her report from New Mexico.
Ken has followed track as an athlete, writer and web-master since the late 1960s, and saw most sessions of track and field at the 1984 Los Angeles and 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He also attended the 1988, 1992, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Trials, the last three as a blogger and Patch correspondent. [More...]
