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Absolutely Fascinating Throws Records
From Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, home of grad student Tony Dziepak, comes word of a unique set of age records for the throws. Tony is webmaster of a slew of sites and maintains what he calls Absolute Records. Such records means that no one older has thrown farther for ages above the world record, and no one younger has thrown farther for ages below the world record. This economics student surely knows how to budget his time.
Craig Masback Best for Masters, USATF
We don't know how his two rivals rank on the Masters-o-Meter, but lawyer and TV man Craig Masback is our pick to succeed Ollan Cassell as USATF executive director. Why? Ex-miler Masback says the magic words. Buried in a Feb. 21, 1997, article in The Washington Post, we learn:
Masback has other ideas. He knows there are millions of recreational
runners and walkers the sport has never really been able to attract. He knows
there is a huge base of high school track and field athletes, and another base
of senior athletes still competing in masters meets around the country.
"No one has really tried to get to these people," Masback said. "It seems
to me at every meet there ought to be races for kids and for seniors. . . . A
lot of this is just Marketing 101. But no one has ever really done it the way
it should be done. "
Bravo, Craigo! Finally, someone who understands and appreciates that masters are a serious element of track and field -- and critical to its future.
Andy Gives USATF Meet Directors Heck
M40 hurdler Andy Hecker of Ventura, Calif., is a thoughtful and savvy observer of T&F. He posts regularly to the T-and-F Mailing List, especially on marketing and TV matters. Now he adds his $.02 on a matter of moment to masters: the far-too-early deadline for entering the USATF Masters Nationals in San Jose. Check out his well-reasoned editorial and challenge on his calendar page. Masters T&F needs more of this kind of clearheaded thinking.
Phil Raschker Gets the Shaft from NAIA
National Masters News reports that Phil Raschker, the 50-year-old freshman at Life College in Georgia, can't compete in track for the school. The blame falls squarely on Neanderthal ninnies at the NAIA -- the National Association for Interfering with Athletes. This NCAA-wannabe group declared Phil (who just happens to be the greatest female masters athlete of our time with a dozen world records this year alone) ineligible this year because she notified officials that she'd accepted the princely sum of $200 in prize money for winning a few age-graded 100m races. However, the NAIA's Eligibility Committee ruled that Phil may compete when she's 51. Al Sheahen notes: "The strange decision to ban her for 1997 but okay her for 1998 may have been a compromise designed to ward off a possible lawsuit." At a time when track needs to showcase its stars and role models, this action is asinine. Phil should take her stiffest vaulting pole and jam it where the NAIA's sun don't shine.
Happy birthday, National Masters News
The current issue of National Masters News notes that the publication turns 20 years old this month. Al Sheahen, publisher and editor for 18 of those years, deserves much of the credit for its quality and influence. Now Al is running for president of the World Association of Veteran Athletes. He proposes that WAVA market itself (at last) and produce a manual for running the biennial world meets (and cease reinventing the wheel). He should be a shoo-in. The vote of WAVA delegates will take place this July in Durban, South Africa.
World's second cybermeet coming up
The Webmaster TC's first virtual track meet is history, with Western Australia's John Stone the age-graded champion off his 100m results. See results at Gerry Krainik's Web site.
Photo coverage of Mt. SAC masters
Libal Mows Down Mt. SAC Field
Paying her own way to the meet, Mary Libal of Oregon (left) defeated a weakened field to capture the handicap masters 100m on the final day of the Mt. SAC Relays. Libal (pronounced LEE-bul) started behind three other entrants and made up the deficits almost instantly. At daughter Sarah's suggestion, the 46-year-old world champion and world recordholder in the 400m wore springtime blue-and-yellow sprint togs instead of her usual all-black outfit. Missing from the field was Phil Raschker of Georgia. She became tangled in red tape and, lacking NAIA permission to travel with her teammates, was unable to join her Life College squad at the meet. She was going to vault as well. Back and hamstring injuries prevented, respectively, W55 Kathy Bergen and former hurdle champion and now W40 Deby LaPlante Sweezey from running as scheduled. Local USATF officials John Cosgrove and Christel Miller organized the event, with support from Mt. SAC meet director Scott Davis. The results (with handicaps added):1 11.52 LIBAL, MARY W45 (handicap: 10.3m, distance run: 89.7m) 2 11.88 DINKINS, GRACE W30 (0, 100) 3 11.89 FOREMAN, DENISE W40 (5.4, 94.6) 4 12.03 SOLWAZI, KEMISOLE W55 (17.0, 83) 5 12.32 UPSHAW-MARGERUM, JOY W35 (1.8, 98.2) 6 12.56 ONODERA-LEONARD, SUMI W65 (24.9, 75.1) 7 13.32 VALIEN, JOHNNYE W70 (27.3, 72.7) 8 13.50 IBA, ELAINE W35 (2.5, 97.5)
Hidden Treasure in British Record
After Matthew H. Fraser Moat reported two outstanding world records April 30 in Watford at the British Miler Club's Nike Relays, our attention was called to a stunning split: W50 Pat Gallagher's 4:48.3 as part of the record 4x1500. That's 6 seconds better than the listed W50 record for 1500 (Carolyn Oxton's 4:54.3 of 1993). That mark should fall this year. In addition, MFM writes: "We are trying the 4x1 mile relays on Wednesday, 11th June; hopefully we will get under 18:00!" Matthew has added more details to original relay report:
BMC National Veterans (women) 20:13.0 **** World Veterans Record **** Deborah Howard V35 4:52.3 / Pat Gallagher V50 4:48.3 Kim Davison V35 4:59.2 / Liz Craig V35 5:33.3 BMC National Veterans (men) 16:41.1 **** World Veterans Record **** P Molloy V45 4:11.0 / G Grant V40 4:06.6 D Bedwell V40 4:12.6 / D Wilcock V40 4:10.9 Peter Molloy 08/01/49 (Age 48) Glen Grant 16/07/53 (Age 43) Dave Bedwell 21/11/53 (Age 43) Dave Wilcock 14/10/53 (Age 43)
Webmaster TC Sets Roster Record
With the addition of four new profiles, the Webmaster Track Club now has more than 50 members. Welcome M40 miler David Jansen, M65 sprinter Don Kane, M60 sprinter Jim Schlewitz and M55 thrower John White. The WTC is an equal-opportunity embarrasser, so don't be shy. Join today for instant (well, eventual) fame and glory. (BTW: If you sent me a profile in last weeks of April, I've LOST it due to an AOL mail crash. Please resubmit. My apologies for losing a couple bios.)
Webmaster TC Sets World Record
Believe it. A foursome of M40 Ken Stone, M40 Neal Bojko, M50 Jorge Birnbaum and M40 Andrew Hecker carried the stick to a masters World Record of 1:18.39 (not .34 as previously reported, sorry) in the 4x150 relay. Why a 4x150 relay? Why not? (Hey, if DB and MJ can run it. . . .) Using staggers of the 200 and breaking after the first turn, the WTC made its relay debut in finishing 5 seconds behind a pickup team of teens and twenty-somethings May 10 at the Southern California Striders Meet of Champions at Long Beach State University. Credit goes to Andy for measuring the zones. In the interest of full disclosure, we confess we didn't get a drug test afterward. So it won't get official USATF or WAVA sanction. But it's now the record. Deal with it.
The Phil Raschker Watch Goes On
USATF's Hal Bateman (he's the administration services coordinator) reports: "When Samantha Shepard, a Massachusetts junior high school student, won last month's Penn Relays Olympic Development pole vault at 11-5 3/4, she entered track & field lore. Shepard is only 13 years old -- not even old enough to enter the USA championships! Where the lore part comes in is that the second-place finisher was 50-year-old Phil Raschker of Marietta, Ga., one of the top women's masters track athletes in the world. That means there was a 37-year difference between first and second place, a feat probably never before seen in an elite competition, at least in track and field and excluding road racing." More on Phil's recent exploits. Here were the results (which include another W50 world record for Phil). Ho hum.
Women's Olympic Development Results
1. Samantha Shepard, Air Time Ath 3.50 11-5 3/4
2. Phil Raschker, unat. 3.10 10-2
(WR for W50; old record: 2.90/9-6 1/4 by Pat McNab of Britain in 1993)
3. Pam Reynolds, Willamette Striders 2.80 9-2 1/4
4. Kristen Clymer, unat. 2.80 9-2 1/4
5. Molly Lederman, Air Time Ath 2.50 8-2 1/2
Barrineau Shines in MT&F Interview
Masters high jumper James Barrineau of Virginia is as articulate as he is athletic. The former Olympian who won the 1995 WAVA world championship at 6-11 is the thoughtful first subject of a new feature on this humble home page: The MT&F Interview. He recalls the Buffalo meet, picks the greatest masters performance of all time and views the future of veterans track. We welcome your suggestions for future interview subjects (as long as they have e-mail).
Sheahen Shares Goals for WAVA
Al Sheahen, editor and publisher of National Masters News and the current treasurer of the World Association of Veteran Athletes, is making a bid for the WAVA presidency. He would become the third president in the group's history and the first from America. Cesare Becalli of Italy, WAVA's leader since 1987, is being term-limited out. Sheahen, who lives in Southern California, ranked eighth nationally in the M60 long hurdles in 1996. In a letter to WAVA affiliates and voting delegates, Sheahen wrote: "We must be more professional in our dealings with prospective bidders and organizers. . . . We must develop promotional materials and a professional marketing plan. . . . My goal is to build a better, stronger, worldwide veterans athletics movement in cooperation with the IAAF." Sheahen is running against Sweden's Torsten Carlius, currently general secretary of WAVA. The election is in July at the WAVA meet in South Africa.
Carlius Shares Goals for WAVA
Now for equal time: In a letter to WAVA delegates dated April 14, 1997, WAVA's Torsten Carlius wrote (in part): "The president election in Durban is very important as it will decide the future of WAVA that can either be to continue along our successful way we have followed the last years with a close cooperation with IAAF or to choose another way. I stand for: Cooperation with IAAF which to me means cooperation between 2 independent world bodies based on mutual respect for each other. Strong venture to gain interest and affiliation from more countries all over the world for our program. Intentions to try to use the IAAF Development Centers for training and education purposes for veterans' activities."
Slaney Gets Mile Record, Revenge
Fighting a wind and athletes almost half her age, Mary Slaney won the Penn Relays mile April 26 in a world age-38 record time of 4:26.10. The previous record was 4:29.36 from 1990 by Yekaterina Podkopayeva of Russia, who beat Slaney in the 1500 at the recent IAAF World Indoor meet. Under age-grading, Slaney's time is worth an open mark of 4:14.1. By comparison, the open record is 4:12.56. Results of the aptly named Olympic Development Mile Run at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:1. Mary Slaney, Nike, 4:26.10 2. Juli Henner, Reebok Enclave, 4:31.38. 3. Amy Wickus, Flynn Sports, 4:35.96. 4. Elva Dryer, Nike, 4:36.40. 5. Andrea Grove, Mountain West TC, 4:36.59. 6. Charlotte Mayock, LSU, 4:39.96.
Plasencia Pulverizes 5000 Record
Steve Placencia, the new 40-year-old, continued his plunder of masters distance bests April 26 at Des Moines, Iowa, by taking second in the Drake Relays 5000 and smashing some venerable American records in the process. Steve's 14:02.86 crunched Hal Higdon's official M40 record of 14:59.6 from 1972 as well as Mike Manley's age-40 record of 14:27.0 from 1982 listed in Pete Mundle's record book. The world M40 record remains 13:45.6 by Lucien Rault of France in 1976. Under age-grading, Steve's mark is equivalent to an open time of 13:31.2. The Drake Invitational 5,000:1. Brian Kiem, Baylor, 14:00.27. 2. Steve Plasencia, Asics, 14:02.86. 3. Cleophas Boor, Nebraska, 14:08.72. 4. Ben Reese, Eastern Michigan, 14:17.66. 5. David Bazzi, Washington, 14:18.57. 6. Ian Forsyth, Ann Arbor, Mich., 14:19.78.
Whitley Wins 100 Over Slow Field
World 200 and 400 recordholder Stan Whitley defeated a small and slow field of local masters in a scratch (no-handicap) 100 a few minutes after the women's race at Mt. SAC on April 20, 1997. His time of 11.59 was less than two-tenths of a second off the listed WR for age 51 (11.40 by Thane Baker in 1983). Contrary to earlier posting, the race had a legal wind of 1.7 meters/second. The results:
1 11.59 WHITLEY, STAN (Alta Loma) M50 2 12.17 LITTLE, FRANK (Los Angeles) M50 3 12.28 BYAS, TOM (Los Angeles) M40 4 12.73 HOLLIER, FRANK (Pomona) M45 5 12.90 WILLIAMS, FOOTS (Showtime Int TC) M40
Wysocki Sets American 1500 Record
On the heels of her 16:23 victory in the Carlsbad 5000 masters race on April 13, Ruth Wysocki took third in the open 1500 at Mt. SAC on April 20. Her 4:15.94 almost duplicated the 4:15.92 she ran at Long Beach, California, on March 15 -- seven days after her 40th birthday. Those marks are 14 seconds off Yekaterina Podkopayeva's age-40 record of 4:02.03, but they crushed the listed American record of 4:41.3 by Laurie Binder in 1987. They also beat the over-40 U.S. women's record of 4:38.73 by Carol Urish-McLatchie in 1993. Sportswriters know Wysocki well as the conqueror of Mary Slaney in the 1984 Olympic Trials 1500 who later was suspended from competition for four years (with one year lifted) after she joined a tour of athletes to then-banned South Africa in the late 1980s. (She made the Olympic Trials finals in 1996 as well.) Less well-known is this: She's a second-generation masters athlete. Ruth's father, Willis Kleinsasser, competed in some of the early national masters championships in San Diego in the late 1960s. He was a half-miler who recorded a remarkable 2:01 at the age of 43. He also won a one-day six-event competition at the early nationals.
W50 Raschker Collects Record Ink
Masters legend Phil Raschker of Georgia, who has set more than 100 world age-group records while collecting dozens of world and national titles, is finally getting noticed in the mainstream press. On April 9, The New York Times covered Phil, a 50-year-old freshman at Life College in Atlanta, with a half-page spread including photos of her pole vaulting and taking sprint start guidance from her companion and coach
Reforms in National Masters Rankings
USATF Masters T&F Rankings Coordinator Jerry Wojcik is out with his (and National Masters News') annual list, 52 pages of most every masters performance made in the USA in 1996. See sample sprint rankings. One laudable change in the eighth annual edition: Hand-timed sprint marks are noted with an "h" to distinguish them from automatic-timing. Jerry's crew of volunteer compilers lists athletes by age group, from M30 to W90, as deep as 150 performers in some events. Write to NatMaNews@aol.com for how to order the $6 booklet (add $1.50 for shipping and handling).
No-False-Starts Rule Challenged
Two masters athletes in Florida -- Hank Nottingham and W55 sprinter Louise Mead Tricard -- have launched a petition drive to rescind the no-false-start rule. Their petition simply reads: "I, the undersigned masters athlete, request that the disqualification rule for false starting be changed back to the original rule allowing one false start . . . which conforms to all other national (USATF) and international competition rules." Hank and Louise -- who have sent petitions to masters meet directors -- invite comments as well as signatures. They list for snail mail: 290 Marco Way, Satellite Beach, FL 32937
WAVA Meet's New,
Improved Web Page
Even if you have no intention of taking out a second mortgage to finance a trip to South Africa in July, check out the WAVA World Masters Championships page. This is a peek at the future of masters track. Organized. Publicized. Well-funded. Well-backed. USATF should learn from this example. An athletes' database is being developed. Lots of neat stuff here. (And now a link to and blurb from the Masters T&F Home Page!)
Raschker Leads Record Spree at EuroVets
On Friday, she set a world indoor record for the 60m hurdles. On Saturday, she added WRs in the 60m, long jump and high jump. On Sunday, she demolished world undercover bests in the 200m, pole vault and triple jump. On Monday, she rested (presumably). Fifty-year-old Phil (short for Philippa) Raschker of Georgia, a masters god in the USA, was a guest at the first European Indoor Veterans Championships in Birmingham, England. And Phil took advantage of British hospitality by putting on a show of shows at the meet Feb. 28-March 2, 1997. Not counting possible WRs set in preliminary heats, she demolished at least seven indoor W50 age-group records, with these marks: 8.05 in the 60m, 9.60 in the 60 hurdles, 26.52 in the 200, 1.50 (4-11) in the high jump, 5.00 (16-4 3/4) in the long jump, 10.14 (33-3 1/4) in the triple jump and 3.05 (10-0) in the pole vault -- her specialty. The webmaster may have missed a record or two in the results. (Also, dates of records are based on an old advance schedule.) So now that Phil is warmed up, watch for a wholesale revision of the record books this summer at Durban.
Dutch master shatters sprint records
From Holland, a hotbed of veterans track, comes news of a terrific new sprint sensation. Veterans coach Paul van Gool reports that Tilly Verhoef (born June 19, 1956) set world indoor bests of 7.98 in the 60m and 25.92 in the 200m on Dec. 8, 1996, at The Hague. These broke venerable records by Georgia's Phil Raschker (8.10) and the Netherlands' Riny Hagenaars (26.91). On Jan 4, 1997, Tilly ran another 60m in 8.01. Van Gool writes that Tilly in 1996 ran 12.18 in 100m, 25.05 in 200m and 57.65 (after turning 40) in 400m. (The 100 and 200 were at age 39; they both are quicker than the listed world records for that age!) One hopes she'll find air fare to Durban.
Plasencia on a distance record spree
Another state, another record. Steve Plasencia, who set an M40 indoor record of 8:24.16 in the 3000m on Jan. 18 in Minnesota, traveled down to Iowa and stepped up to the 5000m for a record 14:08.1 on the 300m unbanked synthetic track at the Iowa State Classic, reports a member of the T-and-F Mailing List. Masters records aren't kept for the indoor 5K, but the outdoor masters WR is 13:45.6 by Lucien Rault of France in 1976. The American M40 record for 5000m is listed as 14:27 by Mike Manley of Oregon in 1982.
Slaney is stunning at Millrose Games
She's 38. She trains in Oregon, running repeat 400s in 62 to 65 seconds. She comes out to New York for her first indoor race in eight years. Pow! She run the mile in 4:26.67! The time betters the listed outdoor W38 world record (4:29.36 by Podkopayeva of Russia in 1993) and is worth 4:15 as an age-graded open time (a couple seconds better than the indoor WR.) So what else can you say about Mary Slaney? Well, for starters, she's showing the way for a new generation of masters athletes. No, few men can even run that fast. But yes, we can still continue to compete past our so-called prime years. "I just really like the sport," Slaney said at Millrose on Feb. 7, 1997. She hopes to compete in either the 1500 or 5000 at the outdoor world championships in Athens. Not because she expects to win. She just really likes the sport.
Racewalkers Steal Show at Silver State
Three world indoor records were reported in the 3000m racewalk at the Silver State Masters Classic in Nevada (also Feb. 16). W85 Dorothy Robarts clocked 27:41.76, W65 Charlotte Walker did 24:08.63 and M60 Jack Bray finished in 15:47.07. The meet also appeared to be the season debut of USATF Masters Chairman Ken Weinbel, who competed in the M65 weight throws.
Steve Scott Threatens US Indoor Record
Nearing age 41, Steve Scott of California enjoyed a good indoor mile outing Feb. 22, 1997, at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, winning a masters event there in 4:14.27. The Associated Press erroneously reported the mark as an American indoor masters record, but the actual 40-and-over record is 4:11.0 by Michigan's Bill Stewart in 1983. Of course, the indoor mile WR is Eamonn Coghlan's otherworldly 3:58.15 from 1994. Steve told sportswriter Ron Reid: "I think I should be breaking 4 minutes, but I've got to remind myself what I've been through and what I'm going to continue to go through. It's an ongoing battle, but I have more enthusiasm now than I did in my 20s." Other masters results from that meet and others will be posted soon.
Juggling Hurdler Did not Strike Out
Mike Hout did it. This masters hurdler with a Lutheran clerical collar from Kettering, Ohio, flew to Hollywood, warmed up and after one failed attempt ran 6 low hurdles while juggling three bowling balls! He did it on the ABC talk show "Caryl & Marilyn," which aired Feb. 24 across the country. Pastor Mike took seven steps between hurdles, hooked his lead leg up and over each 30-inch barrier and managed to keep the 6-pound balls going until the end. He hopes the Guinness Book of Records accepts his taped performance as proof for WR consideration.
Sprint Legend Jordan In Comeback at 80
Thanks to Peter G. Guerrini of Santa Rosa, Calif., we happily learn of the return to competition of many-times world age-group recordholder and Masters Hall-of-Famer Payton Jordan and former U.S. Senator Alan Cranston, who told the webmaster in Atlanta last July that he has conquered cancer. According to the T-and-F Mailing List, Jordan was a DNF in a masters 100m dash at the March 22-23 Stanford Invitational -- the school that helped Jordan make his reputation as a coach. We hope PJ's injury was not serious. Results were:Masters 100 Meter Dash 1 Frank Toner (age: 77) 15.74 2 Al Fairchild (78) 19.24 3 Alan Cranston (82) 22.47 4 Perc Gartly (75) 26.19 5 Unknown 26.61 Payton Jordan (80) DNF