Willie Banks claims M60 American record in high jump at SCA

Willie Banks takes like three or four steps in his HJ approach.

Willie Banks takes three steps in HJ approach.

Two months after turning 60, National T&F Hall of Famer Willie Banks straddled 1.73 meters (5-8) for his first American M60 record. He topped the listed AR of 1.72 (5-7¾) by fellow San Diego County jumper Phil Fehlen in 1998. I’ve heard that his was one of two ARs set at Saturday’s USATF Southern California Association Masters Championships at Cerritos College in Norwalk. (Look for results here.) But I wrote Willie, and he said his progression was 1.45, 1.50, 1.55, 1.60, 1.73 and three misses at a world record 1.82 (5-11 1/2). The listed WR is 1.81 by Russia’s Vladimir Kuntsevich in 2012. He didn’t triple jump at Norwalk on Saturday but says: “will go for the TJ WR next weekend at CalTech Senior Games!” That’s the Pasadena Senior Games. (The listed WR is 12.68, or 41-7.) You’ll remember that Willie in June 1985 set the TJ WR of 17.97 (58-11 1/2 inches) at Indy nationals. I’ll be at Pasadena to witness that piece of history — and perhaps the first 90-year-old female pole vaulter — Johnnye Valien.

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May 28, 2016

7 Responses

  1. Weia Reinboud - May 29, 2016

    Meanwhile Kim Collins ran 9.93 in Bottrop, Germany…

  2. David E. Ortman (M63), Seattle, WA - May 29, 2016

    Congrats to Willie Banks on his pending M60 HJ AR. It is very inspiring to see some of the Olympic and World greats competing. I may have to revise my 2000 NMN False Start column. See:
    http://ortmanmarchand.com/fs7.html

    Also, someday, when the results are posted, we can find out what happened with the Willie Gault/Phil McConkey/James Chinn matchup in the M55 100m/200m.

  3. Ken Stone - May 29, 2016

    Andy Hecker reports that John Dobroth set an M75 American record of 1.42 in high jump, beating listed AR of 1.41 (4’7½”) by Tom Langenfeld in 2010. (WR is 1.49.)

    Willie Gault at 55 ran wind-legal 100 in 11.37 and 200 in 23.33. At Oxy, he ran 11.30 and 23.24 WRs, but Andy will submit record paperwork just in case.

  4. Willie Banks - May 29, 2016

    It was a good day. I wasn’t really up for the AR but when I saw that John got one, I said to myself, “Why not!” Thanks John for the inspiration and thank you Ken for following the Master’s meets! Willie

  5. Matt McCubbins - May 29, 2016

    Congratulations to you, Willie!

    Ken – do you know if any video footage was captured of Willie’s progression to the record? I never get tired of watching that 3-step straddle.

  6. Ken Stone - May 30, 2016

    Results are here:
    http://www.scausatf.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/2016-USATF-So-Cal-Masters-Results.pdf

  7. Bert Bergen - May 30, 2016

    I jumped against the great Phil Fehlen when I started
    years ago . If his record had to go, I know he would want it topped by a straddler .

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