Who should IAAF honor as Best Masters Athletes of 2009?
Although the form specifies a deadline of September 13, the Eurovets site says August 25 is the final date for the various regions of World Masters Athletics to submit nominations for “IAAF Best Masters” of 2009 — a man and a woman. WMA Secretary Winston Thomas tells the Eurovets site that regions have to submit their nominees with this form. So who will the North American/Central/Caribbean picks be? That’s a toughie. WMA’s picks get free trips to the end-of-season IAAF bash in Monaco.
The top women are probably American Rita Hanscom, 55, and Canadian Olga Kotelko, 90, both record-setters and Lahti world champions. But how do you compare such different athletes — one who breaks a Phil Raschker record in the hep and the other who pioneers records in one of the oldest age groups?
18 Responses
I do think M75-79 USA race walker Jack Bray took a load of 5 gold medals home from the World Masters Champs in Finland. He would be my choice of them all. Jack has competed for many many years and he is a great athlete and a great representative for the masters track and field movement. Even at his age, he is one of the most competitive people you will ever meet. I would be very happy to see Jack win this award for 2009. He would be a deserving winner.
Nadine O’Connor should definitely, definitely be considered as the woman master. As you have stated in your blog, Ken, what she accomplished this year is historic.
Bill Murray or Rolf Geese would be a good choice for the man master. Their (wide range of) athletic accomplishments this past year speak for themselves.
That must be the toughest decision ever!
Nadine – Rita
Rita- Nadine.
Grant, you have a better view for the men!
I agree with Christel r.e. Nadine and Rita.
How about Rita and Nadine as co-Masters Athlete of the year?!
I second Nadine O’Connor & Bill Murray for the nomination of the North American/Central/Caribbean pick. Sports Illustrated for Women magazine voted Joyner-Kersee the Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th century. Nadine’s 2009 decathlon compares to Joyner-Kersee’s hepthathlon world record (for example: high jump: 1,86 m for both, J-K and O’C). All time world ranking 200: W 65 O’C = 29.37 equals 22.15. Joyner-Kersee in her world record heptathlon: 22.56. Nadine’s pole vault world record W 65 of 3.10 m equals to 5.01 m in Model 2010. Open world record Yelena Isinbayeva 5.05 m. I could go on for a while but it should not be necessary. Rita deserves the crown as well, her world championships are a wonderful achievement. I gave it to Nadine because her 8,950 points (Model 2010) in the decathlon beat the roughly 8,300 points for Rita. And the pole vault record leaves us and the rest of the world shaking our heads in disbelief. In the voting for “IAAF Best Masters” of 2009, either one of our entries could not be beaten.
Bill Murray won the decathlon at the 2009 world championships with world class results while competing injured. Moreover, he won the admiration of his fellow competitors from around the world. I received numerous comments from athletes from around the world. We could not select a better and more deserving ambassador for the United States. He might not win it all due to Rolf Giese’s heroics in the world championships decathlon but still, he deserves to go. Also, it’s about time we send a male combined event athlete but that’s just my personal opinion.
Bill Murray also broke the world record in the Indoor Pentathlon – need to mention that
Bill Murray gets my vote too.
Yeah tough call between Rita and Nadine. Both were extremely impressive this year! I couldn’t believe Rita came back out to Shoreline and did the decathlon after competing in so many events in Lahti! But Nadine breaking the PV record a bunch this year and scoring over 10,000 in the decathlon… wow… 🙂
bill murray gets my vote. he has bettered most of his marks from previous years,( quite substantially ) and has earned the respect of his peers,while continuing to remain the gentleman that he is…albert
If the criteria is sportsmanship, world titles, improvement as you get older and I’ll throw another test in….Being ranked in the top 10 on the all-time list in individual events, then in the same age group as Bill, I’ll throw Thad Wilson’s name into the hat.
I am flattered to be considered along with these amazing athletes and I appreciate all of the thoughtful comments. It appears that the rules for consideration require participation in a WMA meet. Since I did not compete in a WMA meet, I am not eligible for the IAAF 2009 Best Masters award.
Nadine, founding member and current president of the Rita fan club
Then Rita it is! Go Rita!
I’d give a pile of votes on the men’s side to Bill Murray. He is an amazing masters multi-talented athlete.
Nadine, how does one join the Rita fan club?
PS: Who is the president of the Nadine fan club please?
It is a joy knowing about you 2!
I think your missing one very extrordinary candidate in the Women’s 40-44 division. Lisa Valle was the first women in History for the US to Win both the 800m(2:18) and 1500 meter(4:34) races-then after 4 races she followed that up with a new World record in the 2k Steeple Chase (7:01) and it is a brand new event for her it was her third time ever to race the event she came from behind to beat a German girl by 4 one hundreths of a second on tired legs and get a new world record. Then if that was not enough 2 hours later she ran the anchor leg on the US 4 x 400 relay with 3 women who had come to Finland and competed in the 100, 200 & 400meters and guess what she pulled off the fastest split bringing the team from 5th place to a Bronze medal in that event. We tend to just go with the athletes we know for these awards– I’m sorry but I really think the 40-44 Division is the most competitive with competition and for this women to have done what she did is most deserving of this award.
It is awful to make a choice between such excellent athletes. I am an unofficial member of the fan clubs of both Rita and Nadine which makes it even harder. But as a W55 I more or less can judge Rita’s W55 records and as nearly 60 I can more or less judge Nadine’s W67 results. And then Nadine’s pole vault seems to be the most outstanding. I simply can’t believe it. And more important: she shows older women not to give up, learn new things, be acrobatic etcetera.
I would say Bill Murray, with Nadine and Rita tied for the women’s division. They rock!!
Hi Ken
All athletes Nominated for these awards deserve there recognition for awesome achievements throughout the year..
As usual it will be a hard task for the committee to choose.
Thankyou for thinking i would be a possible candidate.
Thankyou also for the kind words of my achievements in Lahti, yes i did win and up my own world record in the Heptethlon… i also won all 7 of the events. I won three other gold medal in the 400m hurdles, long jump and the 400m (injured )… i was clearly focussed on the job in hand.. even if you though being at the top of the age group was a barrier.
Thanks again for support
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