W60 newbie Carol Finsrud adds WRs in discus, throws pentathlon

Carol, at 2010 Sacto nationals, eyes more titles.

Carol Finsrud, who entered the USATF Masters Hall of Fame 10 years ago, turned 60 in February, and she’s taking full advantage of her new age group. Also home-field advantage. Last weekend, she set two world records at her donated Atlas Field venue near her home in Lockhart, Texas. According to results from a Texas Throwers meet, she tossed the 1-kilo discus 39.66 meters (130-1) and scored 4649 in the throws pentathlon. Her discus mark shatters the listed W60 world record of 39.24 (128-9) by Germany’s Karen Illgen in 2002. Her pent mark beats the listed WR of 4519 and a pending mark by Holland’s Tiny Hellendoorn of 4637 (which in turn bettered Tiny’s score I wrote about two weeks ago of 4597.) Carol is entered at the mid-July LSU masters nationals in all five throws, so look for more big marks.

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June 29, 2017

7 Responses

  1. Steve Wennerstrom - June 30, 2017

    Congrats Carol! Should I be surprised?! Haha….

  2. wayne Bennett - June 30, 2017

    Great marks by a great lady. Glad to call her a good friend.

  3. Rob Jerome - June 30, 2017

    Carol is one of the most consistently great Masters champs there is…and one of the nicest too. It’s been a pleasure to photograph her over the years.

  4. christel donley - June 30, 2017

    Congratulations, Carol!

    It could not happen to a more gifted athlete and even more – wonderful person.
    Welcome to the “adult world” of Masters T&F.

  5. John Stilbert - July 1, 2017

    Great throwing Carol. I’m sorry I was on vacation and wasn’t there to see it. How about I come to the next meet and watch you throw 40m!

  6. Ken Stone - July 1, 2017

    Turns out these marks won’t be submitted for validation.

    In response to a query, Carol wrote me:

    I have submitted three records for the discus so far this year, the best being 39.09 just shy of the world record.

    My 39.66 throw will not be submitted for a record because we did not weigh implements and have three certified officials to read the distance with a steel tape etcetera. It was however very great day to throw that far in front of my fellow throwers, friends and family.

    I had my husband, my stepdaughter from California, and a teammate from the University of Texas watching and giving me support. I did not realize that I had surpassed the world record in the throws pentathlon. That record will not be submitted for the same reasons. Obviously, I am very pleased with this season so far!

  7. Peter L. Taylor - July 1, 2017

    Congratulations, Carol. You have become one or the most popular and most admired competitors in the US throwing community, and why not? You certainly deserve all your accolades.

    I’m sorry about the records. I know that in May at the Sierra Gold meet in California you threw 36.08 for an American W60 record, and that mark went absolutely nowhere. Perhaps it was one of the ones you did not submit.

    Regardless, one of the lessons to be learned from this is that there are many record-exceeding marks by fine US athletes that never see the light of ratification and thus are lost to history.

    The current W60 American record in the discus was set by Carol Frost 11 years ago; anyone researching you in preparation for your appearance in Baton Rouge would think that that was the best ever made by an American W60 athlete, but that is not the case. Oh, the distance? Carol Frost threw 32.58 meters.

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