Roald Bradstock nearing own M45 American record in javelin
Roald Bradstock, still dreaming about being a British Olympian again, has been accepted as an entrant at the May 14 Georgia Tech Invitational. Not sure what he’ll wear. (That’s always a treat!) But I’m certain he’ll throw his pointy stick farther than most of the kiddies. His best this season is 71.22 (233-8), which he did a couple weeks ago. He currently sits 11th on the USATF open list. Not bad for a guy who just turned 48. He holds the listed M45 American record of 71.75 (235-4) — set back in May 2007. So it’s amazing he could challenge that three years later. The listed M45 WR is 77.15 (253-1) by Germany’s Peter Blank. Roald’s recent 71.22 is shown here:
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4 Responses
i love when stuff like this happens. some years ago at the holmdel international nj meet i entered a masters 100 ( i had always competed in the long jump since the meets inception in 1987 , and figured i was there, so what the heck ) the heats were mixed, and there were a group of post collegiate young men waiting along with us “older ” guys for lane assignments. the heats were announced and the “kids” were complaining that ” c’mon..don’t put us with these old guys…we
‘re here to race…” and continued to shake their heads in disgust. the starter held his ground, the gun went off, and the look on those kids faces walking with their tail between their legs on the return walk after getting their (blank ) kicked by old guys …was priceless
Way to go Roald! Reminds me of the run that then M45 Jim Lothrup, the great Arizona javelin thrower, made in winter and spring of 2000 when he was over 70 meters and was close to qualifying for the Olympic Trials in Sacramento. A severe hamstring tear derailed his effort just before the season began, but I will forever remember the bombs he unleashed repeatedly in practice at Scottsdale Community College training with SCC Coach Mike Chapman–an 80 meter guy himself in college with Arizona State–as I toiled away in the shot circle on those many Sunday afternoons. Train hard and throw far, Roald.
Actually, RB threw 72.49 last year (237-10) at this meet:
http://www.georgiadogs.com/pdf5/404658.pdf?ATCLID=3736088&SPSID=40753&SPID=3596&DB_OEM_ID=8800
USATF’s 2009 season list shows it, too:
http://www.usatf.org/statistics/topMarks/2009/outdoorTF/men.asp
So why isn’t this the M45 American record?
Not to detract from his form, but the arm speed is amazing. I am quite envious. And not to detract from T&F, but I wonder how Roald would have done as a closer in MLB or a QB in the NFL!
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