Tony Young goes sub-4, blitzes M45 indoor WR for 1500
Tony at the 2008 Trials. He’s smiling today, too.
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This time it counts. Tony Young leveraged his fitness and access to a legal (200-meter) indoor track today at the USA indoor open nationals in Boston, running 1500 meters in 3:57.91 and taking down the listed WMA world indoor M45 record of 4:02.24 set less than a year ago by Spain’s Jesus Borrego at Clermont-Ferrand worlds. (Also obliterated: the American age-group record of 4:04.80 by Ken Sparks in 1990.) Tony did this in the absence of Birger Olhsson, an M40 speedster who recently ran 1:55 for 800. (Birger was a late scratch.) But M40s Kevin Forde and Chris Simpson provided plenty of incentive in the masters exhibition by running around 4:08. (Kevin even beat his outdoor PR of 4:10!) Tony’s recent efforts, including a 4:13 mile, were run on a 307-meter track in Seattle, considered “oversized” and illegal for record consideration. Now he’s put all doubts to rest. He can run indoors! His 3:57.91 at age 46 corresponds on the Age-Graded Tables to an Open (ages 20-30) equivalent of 3:30.95! Historic run, Tony! Next up: the M45 outdoor WR (also by Jesus) of 3:52.43. Terry Ballou, 41, won today’s masters women’s 400 in 1:02.04. Congrats to masters invitational czar Mark Cleary for organizing these races.
Results from Boston:
Men 1500 Meter Run Masters
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Name Year Team Finals
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Finals
1 Tony Young Club Northwest 3:57.91
2 Kevin Forde Greater Phila TC 4:07.49
3 Christopher Simpson Black and Tan TC 4:08.54
4 Jason Cakouros HFC Striders 4:14.51
5 Francis Burdett Grtr Springfield 4:17.65
6 Paul Kelly HFC Striders 4:20.40
-- Birger Ohlsson Nike Cnt Park TC DNS
Women 400 Meter Run Masters
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Name Year Team Finals
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Finals
1 Terry Ballou Millrose AA 1:02.04
2 Lisa Valle So Cal Track Club 1:03.67
3 Rebecca Connolly Millrose AA 1:05.15
4 Mary Thane Mountain West TC 1:05.56
5 Terri Rath Athena 1:07.90
6 Jennifer Draughon Mountain West TC 1:14.31
7 Responses
Congrats to TY and everybody back in Philly is proud of Kevin Forde. And guess what, Ken…
Kevin is now M45.
Congratulations to Tony (forever) Young in Boston. I was hoping that ESPN might squeeze in a shot of the masters 1500, but no luck.
I have suffered through years of NBC’s pathetic T&F coverage where over half the time is devoted to talking heads, flashbacks and commercials. I was able to see ESPN’s coverage and was astounded that TV can actually cover a track and field meet. I did think it was cheap of VISA to only offer $25,000 for the M/F Visa Championship Series winners. At 29% credit card interest, that figure should be more like $250,000.
Tony Young- WOW!
Congratulations to Tony Young on his record breaking performance, and to my friend Kevin Forde on a new PR. I know he’ll be “over the moon”. Also, to the other guys in the race.
If you looked carefully, you could catch the start of the Masters Women’s 400M immediately after the Open Men’s 800M. I was able to pick out my Athena teammate, Terri Rath and Millrose’s Rebecca Connolly and Terry Ballou quite clearly, running the first turn and half the back straight before filming was cut. Congratulations to Terry Ballou on a fine win and to all the ladies on their races.
I heard yesterday from Bob Weiner that we are only a few people short of record numbers for indoor nationals. The committee is working really hard to make it a great event for everyone, so if you are still on the fence there are four days remaining to register on-line, or by mail before Thursday, March 5. Spectators are free and welcome.To register, or for full information, including lists of registered athletes, see http://www.pvtc.org/09_nationals.html
Call Jay Wind with questions at 703-927-4833 or, Hotline 703-481-3530.
Congratulations to Terry Ballou on a fine win in the exhibition 400. I believe that Terry is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross (Worcester, Massachusetts), and I will include that in my intro of her at Landover.
Also special congrats to the silver medalist, Lisa Valle (pronounced VY-yeh, or at least that’s what I think she said at Spokane, where she won two golds), who came all the way from New Mexico. Looking forward to announcing her in Landover.
Yes, it’s hard to keep all the facts and pronunciations straight when you’re an announcer, and Landover will be a special challenge for me: (1) I’ve never been so old as I am now, and thus remembering everything will be a special challenge. (2) This will definitely be our largest indoor masters ever.
Peter Taylor
Announcer for Landover (March 20-22)
Another way of appreciating the masters men:
The top four would have beaten the open women’s winner:
Women 1500 Meter Run
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World: W 3:58.28 2/18/2006 Yelena Soboleva, RUS
American: A 3:59.98 2/1/2003 Regina Jacobs, Nike
Meet: M 4:03.08 3/4/1997 Mary Slaney, Nike
Name Year Team Finals
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Finals
1 Anna Willard Nike 4:17.37
2 Shayne Culpepper Nike 4:18.82
3 Sara Hall Asics 4:19.30
4 Jennifer Rhines adidas 4:22.16
5 Sara Vaughn Boulder Running 4:22.29
6 Amanda LoPiccolo Syr. Chargers TC 4:24.86
7 Susan Hendrick New York AC 4:25.29
8 Angelina Blackmon N C State 4:26.29
9 Lauren Hagans Unattached 4:27.41
10 Clerc Koenck Unattached 4:28.21
11 Natalie Gingerich Nike Cnt Park TC 4:28.80
12 Kaitlin O’Sullivan Syr. Chargers TC 4:30.21
— Lindsey Gallo Reebok DNS
Yea!!! For that triumphant orange jersey!!! See ya back in the Emerald City! We’re proud of you here.
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