Prep legend Balkin among leapers at West Regionals
Complete results of the USATF Western Regional Masters Championships of late July have been posted — belatedly. But now I can confirm that M45 Lee Balkin jumped 1.65 (5-5) to win his age group. A month earlier, he cleared 1.64 at Moorpark. Lee is famous in Southern California as the teen who broke the school record at Glendale High School in 1979. The record holder before Lee? Kid named Dwight Stones. Lee’s HS record was 7-3 1/4. Lee competed in the 1987 IAAF World Championships in Rome (going 2.21, about the same height.) His all-time best is 2.33 — 7-7 3/4 in 1987.