World records in pentathlon reported at Landover nationals

USATF’s Vicki Oddy reports from Landover nationals: “William Murray (Birmingham, Ala.) led the M55 pentathlon from start to finish, with individual wins in the first four events, to win with a world record 4,384 points. Murray began with a 9.41 in the 60m, leapt 5.28m/17-4 in the long jump, then tossed the shot put 12.21m/40-0.75 and cleared 1.68m/5-6 in the high jump. Heading into the final event with a 321 point lead, Murray finished third in the 1,000m in 3:24.98 to clinch the title and the world record. Runner-up David Ortman’s (Seattle, Wash.) 4,126 points also bettered the previous record of 4,103 set by the Netherland’s Glenn Gentle in 2007.” Other penta WRs were set by M70 Emil Pawlik (4,316 points) and M75 Robert Hewitt (4,437). An M35 American record was attributed to Charlie Kern, who won the 3,000 in 8:37.90. But I’m pretty sure others in his age group have gone faster in open meets. (In fact, M40 Tony Young ran a 8:22.99 on an oversized track in 2003.)

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March 20, 2009

3 Responses

  1. Emmanuel Tardi - March 20, 2009

    I am pretty sure too . For example
    Wes Ashford ( born 18 aug 1961 ) has run 3000m in time of 8.14.48 in San Diego on 24 January 1999

  2. David E. Ortman (M55) Seattle, WA - March 23, 2009

    Congratulations to the Potomac/Maryland Track Club folks for keeping nearly 1,000 athletes going for three days and to William (Bill) Murray for an outstanding M55 Pentathlon. As Bill Roe noted, “Just like the Women’s Heptathlon in Moscow 1980 — winner of the last event held the world record for some matter of seconds, second place finisher took the record and held it for a matter of seconds, and third place — the eventual winner — held the record until JJK got ahold of the event!”

  3. Anonymous - April 4, 2009

    Actually, in Moscow in 1980 it was a Pentathalon they did, not the heptathalon. Official international competition did not start in the heptathalon until 1981.

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