USA Masters Track Championships Return To Albuquerque Feb 17-19 At Convention Center After Last Year's Unprecedented 44 World And American Records, Competitors 30-99 Years Old

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Feb. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The USA Track & Field Masters Championship return to Albuquerque Friday through Sunday February 17-19 after last year's unprecedented forty-four world and American records set at the Albuquerque championship, with competitors 30-99 years old. Over 600 of the country's best older athletes include Olympians, world champions, NFL players, and entertainers including a jazz great (Nolan Shaheed, M65, Pasadena, CA, who has been the lead for Stevie Wonder and Count Basie and played in the Emmys and The Voice). 

LINK to DETAILED SCHEDULE: http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2017/USATF-Masters-Indoors-Track---Field-Championships/Schedule.aspx

PHOTOS of potential stars (photos by Rob Jerome): Selected photos of athletes coming to Albuquerque USA Masters Championships -- Photo Credit: Rob Jerome URL: http://www.weinerpublic.com/2016abq.html

In addition, some stars are back setting world records after coming back from life threatening illnesses (example 66 year-old Bill Collins of Houston inspires after Guillain-Barre syndrome). In addition, the 87 and 82 year-old Donleys, Jerry and Christel of Colorado, both competing, are a unique world champion and Masters Hall of Fame couple. 

Stars, many entering a new age group, with excellent chances of setting records include Doug Torbert, 65, Redlands CA in the shot put, who won gold at Perth Worlds last year at 64 and broke the listed M65 world record in the shot put at a meet in Colorado on February 5; Bob Lida, 80, Wichita Kansas, World Masters Athlete of the Year in 2012, who already this year set a world mark and is a threat for world marks in the 60, 200, and 400;  Rachel Guest, Surprise, Arizona, 41, who set an American record in Perth last year; Joy Upshaw, 55, three world Golds in Perth, entered in the 60, 200, 60 hurdles, long jump, and triple jump; Kathy Martin, who has been overall Masters Athlete of the Year, 4 Golds in Perth, now in her new 65 age group,.entered in the 800, mile, and 3000 (was the first 60+ woman under 6 minutes indoors);  Kathy Bergen, 77, LaCanada, CA, three Perth Golds, entered in Albuquerque in the 60, 200, and high jump; and Nolan Shaheed, M65, from Pasadena, CA, jazz great and a masters world record holder as mentioned above, in the 800, mile, and 3000.

In addition, always fun to watch, the two oldest competitors entered, both world and Americn age record holders, are Orville Rogers, 99, from Dallas, and Dixon Hemphill, 92, Fairfax Station, VA, both in the 60, 200, 400, 800, and mile.

Below are summaries and charts by David Lopez, New Mexico Masters Chair; Peter Taylor, Meet Announcer; and Mary Trotto, 2016 USATF Masters Awards Chair. Twenty-eight entrants are from the city of Albuquerque, according to Taylor.

Drug Testing:  All competitors are subject to drug testing, conducted by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

MEDIA NOTES:
CREDENTIALS: All media welcome.  For best access to track, bring and wear your organization's media credential if have one, and (or if freelance) please get one onsite from us to wear or hang from neck.  Strings will be provided.

ONSITE MEDIA INTERVIEWS:  For assistance, contact: Bob Weiner, USATF Masters Media Chair, 202-306-1200 and 202-329-1700, [email protected]

ATHLETE LIST WITH HOMETOWNS/AGE/EVENTS:
February 6, 2017 -- 624 athletes and 1,560 planned events at Albuquerque USA Masters Championships, including city and age -- compiled by USA Track & Field

You can select any subset using the little triangles on the right corner of the top row to select single states, cities, events, ages, age groups, etc. Thanks to Matt Weingardt, Karl Eagleman, and Jay Wind)

Dan O'Brien, who won the Olympic decathlon  in 1996, three consecutive world championships (1991, 1993, 1995), and set the open world record in 1992, had planned to compete in Albuquerque at the meet but is injured.  He said: 

"I'm 50 years old now, but when I won the Olympic and World Decathlon titles I felt like I would never get older.  But time catches up to all of us.  I have a number of physical problems from all those years of training and I'm sad I am not competing this year.  But I look forward to taking part when I get through these injuries.

I watch in amazement as masters athletes train, compete and push themselves to great limits.  So regardless of what level you are, masters track and field encourages a life style of fitness through training and competition. You never lose that thrill of competition and I would love to take part again.

My best to Rex Harvey and all the masters athletes and organizers."

Dan O'Brien

USATF Selected New Mexico Profiles
By David Lopez, New Mexico Masters Chair

Roger Assink – Age 71 – from Albuquerque, NM – entered in 60M and 200M Dashes in 2017 National Indoor meet – never ran track in high school or college – started running in local Corporate Cup events in his mid 30's – underwent open heart surgery in 2009 – placed 4th in 60M Dash and 3rd in 200M Dash in last year's Indoor Championships – placed 2^nd in both the 100M and 200M Dashes in the 2016 Outdoor Nationals.

Paul Economides – Age 71 – from Albuquerque, NM – entered in Shot Put, Weight Throw and Super Weight Throw in 2017 National Indoor meet – holds the World Record in Throws Pentathlon and American Record in Discus Throw (M65) – has participated & medaled in numerous national meets over the years – has been throwing since the seventh grade – placed 2^nd in the Shot Put in last year's Indoor Championships.

David Salazar – Age 66 – lives in Cedar Crest, NM – entered in 400M Dash, 800M and 1 Mile Runs in 2017 National Indoor meet – unable to run in last year's Indoor meet due to injuries, but bounced back to place 2^nd in the 800M Run in the 2016 Outdoor Nationals - has participated in many USATF Masters Indoor & Outdoor Championships, starting in 1990 – winner of nine National titles, in 800M Run, 1500M Run and Pentathlon in various age groups – member of SoCal Track Club 4x800M Relay that set a 50-59 world record.

Lisa Valle – Age 50 – from Albuquerque, NM – entered in 800M, 1 Mile and 3000M Runs in 2017 National Indoor meet – finished 2^nd in the 1500 Meter Run in last year's Indoor Championships - triple gold medalist (800M, 1500M & 2000M Steeplechase) in 2009 WMA World Championships in Lahti, Finland – double gold medalist (800M, 2000M Steeplechase) and silver medalist (1500M) in 2011 WMA World Championships in Sacramento, setting a W45 World Record in the 2000M Steeplechase (6:58.98) – four time gold medalist indoors and seven time gold medalist in outdoor USATF Masters National Championships since 2008.

Paul Fragua – Age 60 – lives in Jemez Pueblo and Albuquerque, NM – entered in 400M Dash and 800M Run in 2017 National Indoor meet – won the 800M Run and placed 3^rd in the 400M Dash in last year's Indoor Championships - has competed in many Masters National Championships, both indoor and outdoor, dating back to 1992 – winner of multiple national titles over this span, including golds in M55 800M & 1500M Runs in 2014 Masters Outdoor Championships – a tribal member of the Pueblo of Jemez New Mexico, a tribe known for its honored running tradition.

Dennis Diaz – Age 59 – from Las Cruces, NM – entered in the shot put and weight throw – though has not thrown in a meet in several years, was one of the very best (frequent medalist and ranked in the top three) for several years before that in the shot – pastor of the Mesilla Park Community Church in Las Cruces.

The Stars Will Shine in Albuquerque 2017—by Peter Taylor

With an elevation of 5312 feet and an arena that features a nicely banked, fast track, the USA Track & Field Masters Indoor Championships has drawn many world-class sprinters, hurdlers, distance runners, jumpers, throwers, and racewalkers. The summary below includes some of these great athletes while also covering some leading performers in other events.  Unfortunately, so many outstanding men and women have entered that it is impossible to review even half of them.

MEN

40-44

Antwon Dussett: Peoria, Illinois, age 41. Antwon has great "speed endurance," and his courageous, assertive style makes wonderful  viewing for the spectators.

In the 2011 indoor masters in Albuquerque, Antwon set the current M35 American indoor record for the 200 dash: 21.67 seconds, a good college time for the distance. Later that year, at the world outdoor masters in Sacramento, Antwon ran a blazing 47.34 seconds in the 400 and 21.57 in the 200 to win the M35 golds. Two years later, at age 38, he won the 400 in the worlds with a wickedly fast 47.37. 

In March 2016, competing in the US indoor masters in Albuquerque, Antwon nailed down an M40 American mark, as he roared through the 400 in just 49.32 seconds. In 2017, Antwon will compete in the 200 and 400 dashes, as is his custom.

45-49

Derek Pye: Long Beach, California, age 49. Like Ty Brown in the M70-74 group (see below), Derek Pye provides one answer to a track fan's dream, as he shows what a great hurdler can do in the sprints and, conversely, what a first-class sprinter can do in the hurdles.

Currently, Derek is the world indoor record holder in the 60 hurdles for the M45 category at a sparkling 8.16 seconds.  In M40, he has the American indoor mark at 8.09 seconds, while outdoors he has the M45 mark for the 110 hurdles at 14.46, set in 2015.  Earlier that year he won the 60 at indoor nationals in 7.26 seconds, attesting to his great speed.

In Albuquerque, Derek will compete in the 60 hurdles and 60 dash and will also do both the high jump and long jump.

Eric Cole: Flower Mound, Texas, age 46.  Eric is one of the top throwers in the world in his age group and was a USATF Masters Age Group Athlete of the Year in 2016 when he won multiple event championships at the outdoor nationals in Grand Rapids, Michigan and at the Masters Throws Championships in Lisle, Illinois.  Eric's best marks in the last two years in the weight and superweight have ranked him first in those events.  This will be his first indoor competition.  In Albuquerque Eric will compete in the shot put, weight throw, and superweight throw.

50-54

Antonio Palacios: Bloomington, Indiana, age 50. Antonio, a marvelous triple and long jumper, owns the world indoor mark in the long jump for M45 at a huge 6.98 meters (22 feet, 10 ¾ inches). Last summer at nationals he set the American M50 outdoor record in the long jump, sailing 6.48 meters (21 feet, 3 ¼ inches).

Look for Antonio in his signature events, the long and triple jumps, in Albuquerque.

55-59

Don McGee: Clinton, Maryland, age 56. Don McGee has been a terrific performer in masters track for several years, overlooked by outside observers. That all changed this past fall in Perth, Australia, where, at the WMA championships, Don won both the 100 (11.82, wind of + 2.3 meters per second [mps] and 200 (24.44, +1.4). Earlier in the year he had run second at indoor nationals in both the 60 (7.56) and the 200 (24.64), but at the 2016 outdoor championships he was one place better. There he won the 100 against a stiff breeze (11.87, -2.5), and he came back to win the 200 with a following wind (23.90, + 3.5).

Look for Don in the 60 and 200 in Albuquerque.

Karl Smith: Alexandria, Virginia. Age 57. In January, Karl broke the M55 world indoor mark in the 60 hurdles by blazing to a time of 8.60 seconds in a regional meet in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The listed  mark of 8.63, established by Masters Hall of Famer Courtland Gray, had held up since 1999. Albuquerque, where times in the sprints and hurdles should generally be faster than those obtained at the Winston-Salem venue, provides Karl, a 1984 Olympian, with a chance to lower this mark. Smith will be competing in the 200 dash and 60 hurdles at nationals (see his summary below under "Three Olympians").

Paul Babits: Fort Wayne, Indiana, age 56. A two-time qualifier for the US Olympic Trials, Paul has the world indoor record in the pole vault for three consecutive age groups: M45 at 5.14 meters (16-10 1/4), M50 at 4.75 (15-7), and M55 at 4.52 (14-10).  Paul will be just one of several outstanding men in the pole vault.

Other outstanding vaulters: Among other vaulters to watch are Gary Hunter, 60, also of Fort Wayne, a member of the USATF Masters Hall of Fame; John Altendorf, of Corvallis, Oregon, 70; and Don Isett, 77, of Anna, Texas. Outdoors, Hunter has the American and world mark for M50 at 4.75 meters (15-7) and the American marks for M55 (4.36, 14- 3 ½) and M60 (4.11, 13-5¾). Indoors, he has the M60 American record at 4.06 meters (13-3^3/4).

Altendorf has the world and American outdoor marks for M65 (3.89, 12-9) and the American outdoor mark for M70 at 3.49 (11-5¼), a mark that is superior to the world record but has not been accepted. Indoors for M65, John has the world mark at 3.86 meters (12-8).  Don Isett's M75 outdoor mark of 3.20 (10-6) is the world and American standard, and Don has the American indoor mark for M75 at 2.91 (9-6 ½).

Even more great vaulters will be in Albuquerque, as the meet will offer M70 world indoor record holder Arthur Parry (3.35, 10-11¾), Masters Hall of Famer Jerry Donley (M85), and M65 standout Steve Hardison, not to mention numerous other luminaries.

60-64

Oscar Peyton:  Accokeek, Maryland, age 64. Oscar is the world indoor record holder in the 60 for the M60 division at 7.52 seconds, and he has the outdoor 200 mark in the same age division at 24.14 seconds.

In 2011, in the world outdoor masters in Sacramento, at age 58, he won the 100 in 11.89 seconds against a wind of 1.4 mps and the 200 in 24.17 (wind -0.4). In Albuquerque, Peyton will compete in the 60 and 200.

65-69

Bill Collins: Houston, Texas, age 66. Arguably the greatest male sprinter in the history of the American masters T&F program, Collins has suffered in recent years with life-threatening Guillain-Barré syndrome, a nerve and muscle paralysis. Still, when he laces up the spikes the former Texas Christian University All-American is always a threat to set more records. Last year in Albuquerque, Bill became the first 65+ man ever to break the 25-second barrier indoors in the 200, blasting a 24.94. Earlier in the meet he had run 7.69 seconds in the 60 dash, another world record.

In the 2016 championships, Collins restricted his efforts to the 60 and 200; this year he is entered in the 60, 200, and 400. Given the strong sprinters in this age group, managing a sweep seems challenging, but how often has Bill Collins failed to meet a challenge?

Quenton "Doug" Torbert. Redlands, California, age 65. Doug Torbert is literally a master of the shot put, and his M60 American records for the 5-kilogram (11.02 pounds) shot reveal that mastery. Outdoors his record is 16.69 meters (54-9 ¼), and indoors he has the mark at 16.25 (53-3 ¾).

Last year, Doug journeyed to Australia to compete in the world outdoor masters in the M60 age group, and he took gold even at age 64, the upper limit of the division.  In the finals he had four throws of more than 15.00 meters (best:  15.56 meters [51-0.75]), while no one else in his group exceeded 15 meters even once.

In Albuquerque, Doug will limit his athletic activities to the shot put, but this time in the M65 class. On February 5, 2017, Doug smashed the listed M65 indoor world at the USATF Mid America Masters Indoor Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with a toss of 15.83m.

70-74

Ty Brown: Washington, DC, age 72. As with Derek Pye (above, 45-49), track fans often wonder how well a great hurdler could do in the sprints; perhaps less frequently, they might speculate on how a top-level sprinter would do in the hurdles. At last year's indoors in Albuquerque, he won the 60 hurdles in a very quick 9.66 seconds (the world indoor mark is 9.44, held by none other than Ty Brown himself).

In the same nationals, competing against a loaded field, Ty broke the listed world record for his age group in the 60 dash, flying to a time of 8.11 seconds. Unfortunately for Brown, a British sprinter ran 8.09 last year, and that is now the official record for M70. Finally, for good measure, Ty downed a strong field in the 200 at Albuquerque, scorching a 27.03, an American record.

A youthful-looking competitor out of the University of Maryland who displays impeccable form, Brown may have more record performances to come. At Albuquerque, Ty will compete in the 60, 60 hurdles, 200, and long jump.

Larry Hart: Los Angeles, California, age 70.  Larry Hart has been among the top American masters hammer and weight throwers for the past five years, consistently ranking first in both events in his age group.  Albuquerque will mark his first appearance at a national championship.  Nonetheless, his weight throw marks in his new age group already have him far ahead of the field, with a toss of 19.40m at the Indoor/Outdoor Meet in Santa Ana, CA at the end of January.  A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he won the 1975 Pan American Games gold medal in the hammer throw.  Hart won the US Olympic Trials in 1976 and represented the USA in Montreal. More recently, in 2015, he set the American M65 record in the event, besting the old mark by fellow Olympian Ed Burke.

80-84

Bob Lida: Wichita, Kansas, age 80. No doubt one of the youngest 80-year-olds in the world, Lida's entry into the 80-84 group means that the record keepers need to sit up and pay attention. Just how often can you find someone who is 80 sprinting like a thoroughbred rather than using the more pedestrian, lower-to-the ground style that one might expect of octogenarians? In fact, near the end of January, Bob did just what you might expect, as he crushed the world indoor M80 mark of 31.23 by flying to a 30.01 at a meet in Kansas.

Indoors, Bob has the world indoor M75 marks in the 60 at a shocking 8.44 seconds and the 200 at an amazing 27.64 seconds. Now that he has knocked down the M80 200 mark he might as well go for the world standard in the 60, which is 8.88. With the current M55 world mark sitting at 7.34 by the great Bill Collins, it seems absurd to expect a man who is 80 years old to run 8.84, or just 1.5 seconds slower than Collins did, but watch for Lida to do just that or even better in Albuquerque.

Among Bob's major achievements of the last five years are his selection in 2012 by the WMA as the world male masters athlete of the year. In 2012 at the world indoor masters in Finland he won the 60 in 8.56 (at the time a world mark), the 200 in 27.64 (still a world record), and the 400 in 1:05.14. The next year, at the world outdoor masters in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Bob won all three sprints.

Look for Bob in all three dashes in Albuquerque.

WOMEN

40-44

LaTrica Dendy: Bronx, New York, age 44. LaTrica is an inspiring competitor who can go long or stay short. At the worlds in Perth last year, on her 44^th birthday, she won the 400 in an American record time of 56.90. In addition, she was the silver medalist in the 200 with a sweet 25.47 (wind +3.7). Finally, she dropped down to the W35 division to anchor American teams to victory in both the 4 x 100 (49.21) and 4 x 400 (4:00.07) relays.

The Perth performances came as no surprise to veteran Dendy observers, as she established herself years ago as a true standout. In the 2009 outdoor worlds in Finland, LaTrica won the 400 in brilliant fashion, ringing up a 55.35, a time that still stands as the official American W35 record. In the 400 hurdles, for good measure, she went gold in 1:01.19, also the current American record for W35.

In Albuquerque, LaTrica will run all three sprints.

Rachel Guest: Surprise, Arizona, age 41. New Masters Awards Co-Chair Rachel has shown herself to be one of the best all-around athletes in American masters. She currently holds the W35 and W40 American indoor marks for the pentathlon and the W40 outdoor mark for the heptathlon, which she set in finishing second in the 2015 worlds in Lyon. While in Lyon, Rachel also won the 80 hurdles (11.67 seconds). Last fall, at the worlds in Perth, Australia, Guest added another gold in the hurdles, flashing an 11.42 with a following wind of 2.5 mps.

At Albuquerque, Rachel will compete in the 60 hurdles and the pentathlon.

45-49

Emmanuelle McGowan. Sugar Hill, Georgia, age 48. In 2016, Emma, who was born in France but is now a U.S. citizen, ran 59.30 in the 400   for an American indoor record in the 45-49 division. In 2015, at Lyon, France, she won the world outdoor title in the 100 (12.85, even though the wind was -1.9 mps) and finished second in the 200 (25.91) and 400 (59.02).

Several months ago, at the 2016 world masters outdoor championships in Perth, Australia, Emma went gold in both the 100 (12.80, +1.5) and the 200 (25.51, +1.9). At the Albuquerque indoors nationals, Emma will try for wins in the 60, 200, and 400.

Sonja Friend-Uhl: Boca Raton, Florida, age 45. Sonja, a former star at the College of William and Mary and a participant in the 2000 Olympic Trials, is in fine form as she approaches Albuquerque nationals. On January 28, in Boston, she ran the 3000 against collegiate and open performers and did very nicely, coming in 11^th of 60 finishers. Moreover, she broke the American indoor record for her age group, bettering the record of none other than Olympic marathon champion Joan Benoit Samuelson ─ 9:53.04 for Sonja to 10:02.55 for Joan.

In 2011, Friend-Uhl won both the 800 and 1500 at the outdoor world masters championships in Sacramento, and she is currently the world indoor record holder in the mile for women aged 40-44 at 4:44.81 while also being the American outdoor record holder for that age group in the 1500 with a fabulous 4:16.99. At Albuquerque, Sonja will try to pull off a very difficult triple, the 400, 800, and mile.

50-54

Renee Shepherd: Merchantville, NJ, age 52. Renee, who has also competed as Renee Henderson, is certainly one of the finest female sprinters in American masters history. Recently elected to the USATF Masters Hall of Fame, Shepherd could still run for a lot of Division II, and certainly Division III, college teams. She has the world indoor record for W50 in the 60 dash at 8.03 seconds and has a variety of American records both indoors and outdoors. Indoors, she has the American record in the 60 for W40 at 7.78; W45, 7.86; and the aforementioned W50, 8.03.

Renee also owns the American indoor records in the 200 for W40 at 25.34 and for W45 at 25.47. How good are those times?  Well, at the Division II indoor nationals last year in Kansas, the times for the eight finalists ranged from 23.62 to 24.48.

In Albuquerque, Shepherd will compete in her signature events, the 60 and 200.

55-59

Carol Finsrud:  Lockhart, Texas, age 59.  An Olympic Trialist as recently as 2000, Carol has been a very prominent figure in US masters throwing for quite a few years.  She is perhaps best known as a discus thrower, and an examination of the US records shows why. Her name appears as the outdoor record holder for five consecutive age groups ─W35, W40, W45, W50, and W55, albeit the W35 mark has been exceeded (but not approved by the records body).

Carol will turn 60 the day after the Albuquerque meet, and thus she was generally at the top of her age group in 2016 competitions. Even so, she did quite well at the world outdoor masters in Perth, Australia, last year. In the shot put she finished second with a throw of 10.41 meters (34-2), and she was third in the discus at 31.86 meters (104-6). In the hammer she was also the bronze medalist, reaching 37.74 meters (123-10), and she was second in both the weight throw and throws pentathlon.

A member of the USATF Masters Hall of Fame, Carol will be competing in the shot put, weight throw, and superweight in Albuquerque.

Oniethea (Neni) Lewis:  Queens, NY, age 56.  Long one of the outstanding female throwers in the U.S. and the world, Neni has had a series of health challenges in recent years but is still among the elite.  Her name appears on the American and World Record sheets multiple times (9 indoor and 18 outdoor American records and 2 indoor and 9 outdoor World records).  At the end of January she came within 2cm of the American and World indoor records in the weight throw at the USATF East Region Masters Indoor Championships in Providence, RI (Neni threw 14.97m and the record belongs to the legendary Vanessa Hilliard at 14.99m). 

In 2010, USATF named Lewis its Masters Track and Field Athlete of the Year, and she has been an Age Group Athlete of the Year multiple times, most recently in 2016.  A member of the USATF Masters Hall of Fame, Neni will be competing in the shot put, weight throw, and superweight in Albuquerque.

Lorraine Jasper: Birchrunville, PA, age 55. This smooth-striding middle-distance star acquitted herself beautifully at the WMA outdoor championships in Perth last fall, where she won the 800 in brilliant fashion (2:32.14) and took second in the 400 (1:06.97) and 1500 (5:08.96). She also showed her versatility, not to mention regard for her teammates, by anchoring the US W55 squad to a third in the 4 x 100 (1:04.69) and a second in the 4 x 400 (4:48.86).

In Albuquerque, Jasper will try for a very challenging triple, the 400, 800, and mile.

Joy Upshaw: Lafayette, California, age 55. Joy has excellent bloodlines, as her father, Monte Upshaw, was the young athlete who in 1954 broke Jesse Owens' long-standing high school record in the long jump by leaping 25 feet, 4 ½ inches. In addition, US Olympic long jumper Grace Upshaw is Joy's little sister.

Joy, a Masters Hall of Famer, had an excellent year in 2016. At indoor nationals in Albuquerque last year she established a world W55 mark in the 60 hurdles, as she took only 9.71 seconds to get the job done. In addition, she set American records in the 60 dash, running 8.48 seconds, and the 200, at 27.51.

Later in the year she flew to Perth, Australia, for the outdoor masters worlds, and that proved to be a wise decision. She went gold in the 80 hurdles (13.05 seconds, wind +1.1) and stretched out in the 300 hurdles to win that one as well (50.65). She also found time to go over to the long jump, where she led all competitors with a leap of 4.92 meters (16-1.75, wind +2.4). Finally, she ran on silver-medal teams in the 4 x 100 (W50) and 4 x 400 (W55).

In Albuquerque, Joy will compete in the 60, 200, 60 hurdles, long jump, and triple jump.

Kathy Martin: Northport, Long Island, New York, age 65. One way to find out about Kathy Martin is simply to look in the record book, which gives a partial history of her running career. Martin has gone from a 30-year-old who couldn't run a lick to an athlete of the greatest stature on the roads, track, and cross-country courses. In Albuquerque, Kathy will try to sweep the 800, 1 mile, and 3000, and the odds are very long that she will not be successful.

Last year, at the WMA championships in Australia, Kathy showed her dual penchant for running well and running often. She went gold in the 5000 (20:08.17), 10,000 (42:34.97) and 2000 steeplechase (8:57.54). In addition, she led off the bronze-medal team in the 4 x 400. She won the 8000 cross-country race in 34:36.30, the only W65 woman to break 36 minutes. She also was second in the 800 (2:41.34) and the 1500 (5:40.15).

Kathy owns a variety of records outdoors; indoors, she has the world standards for the mile in both the W55 category (5:19.87) and W60 (5:47.25) and in the 3000 for W55 at 10:35.76, the latter an amazing 5:41.1 per mile. She was the first 60+ woman worldwide to break 6 minutes indoors in the mile. A member of the USATF Masters Hall of Fame, Martin will compete in the 800, mile, and 3000 in Albuquerque.

65-69

Myrle Mensey: St. Louis, Missouri, age 68. Myrle was selected as  USATF masters track and field athlete of the year for 2013, and she is a tour de force in the throws. For example, in the W65 division this Masters Hall of Famer has all three U.S. indoor marks: 9.36 meters (30 feet, 8 ½ inches) in the shot (3 kg, or 6.6 lbs); 16.91 meters (55-5) in the weight throw (12 pounds), also a world record and which she set in winning the world indoors in 2014; and a staggering 11.06 meters (36-3) in the superweight (20 pounds).

Myrle will put the shot and throw the weight and superweight in Albuquerque, and her results are sure to be impressive. 

75-79

Kathy Bergen: La Canada, California, age 77. At Albuquerque, Kathy will compete in the 60 and 200 dashes as well as the high jump. Last fall she flew to Perth, Australia, for the World Masters Athletics (WMA) Championships, perhaps to see how she would fare against a high level of competition. She did quite well; in the 100-meter dash, for example, Kathy rang up a sizzling time of 15.56 seconds (wind was + 0.9 meters mps). The silver medalist in the race ran 17.56 seconds. In the 200, Bergen blazed a 34.39 (wind was + 4.2), while the athlete in second required 36.79 seconds to get the job done.

In the high jump at the worlds, Kathy took gold with a leap of 1.22 meters (4-0). In fairness, Kathy owns so many records in the 70-74 and 75-79 categories that the only surprise would be a failure to "go gold." In the 60 dash she has the W70 and W75 world indoor marks in both the 60 and 200 ─  9.21 and 9.49, respectively, in the 60 and an amazing 31.86 and stratospheric 33.06 in the 200. Yes, she has the world indoor mark in the high jump (1.25 meters, 4-1^1/4) for W75 as well.

Kathy emerged from obscurity about two decades ago and established herself as a standout performer; eventually she moved to all-world status, where she has remained for quite a few years. She is without question one of the four best women in the history of masters sprinting in the U.S.

A note about the pole vault:  Three of the women to watch in the pole vault will be Kay Glynn, 64, of Hastings, Iowa, still recovering from major surgery, Hall of Famer Rita Hanscom, 62, of San Diego, California, and Rena Wong, 57, of Federal Way, Washington, a surgeon when not pole vaulting.

Racewalkers at the Championships

Albuquerque will be unusual in that it will have two racewalks, the mile and the 3000, rather than the customary one.  Of the racewalkers described below, all but Mr. Sadlej will compete in both events.

Susan Armenta:  Los Angeles, California, age 43.  The former US record holder in the 50,000 (31.07 miles), Susan still holds the American record of 3:32:08 at 40,000, which she set way back in 2002.

Zbigniew Sadlej:  Royal Oak, Michigan, age 55. Zibby, as he is known to his friends and fellow walkers, came to the US from Poland to work in the automobile industry.  Last July at the outdoor masters nationals in Grand Rapids, Sadlej won both the 5000 on the track and the 10,000 on the road; his time of 23:11.93 in the 5000 equates to 7:28 per mile.  In August, Zibby was first overall in the 1-hour US open championships in Wisconsin, traveling 12,145 meters (7.55 miles).   He will compete in the 3000 racewalk at Albuquerque but not the mile racewalk.     

Maryanne Daniel:  Clinton, Connecticut, age 58. Maryanne Daniel, formerly known as Maryanne Torrellas, is a racewalker with a very high profile.   She was the best in the US for quite a few years and, in the 1980s and 1990s frequently represented this country in the 10,000 racewalk.  Among her many distinctions, she currently owns the W55 American indoor mark in the 3000 racewalk at 16:14.01 while also having the American outdoor records in the 5000 racewalk for both W50 (26:25.52) and W55 (27:20.85).

Maryanne is highly respected for her knowledge of the sport and is currently an IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) level 3 racewalk judge.

Marianne Martino:  Littleton, Colorado, age 66. Named USATF women's masters racewalker of the year for 2016, Maryanne has distinguished herself for many years on the track and road.  Two of her noteworthy records on the road came in 2015 in Lyon, France, at the WMA world championships, where she spun W65 American records in the 10,000 (1:00:59) and 20,000 (2:07:40).

Last year, at the WMA championships in Perth, Marianne won a silver in the 20,000 event and bronze medals at 5000 and 10,000.

Kathy and Norm Frable:  Ivins, Utah, both 71. This couple will often enter other events, but they are best known for their efforts in the racewalk. In Albuquerque, in addition to the racewalks, Kathy has entered the 200, 400, 800, mile, and 3000 runs, while Norm has signed up for the high jump as well as the two walks. 

In Perth, Australia, at the worlds Kathy won three bronze medals in the racewalk, while Norm won two silvers and a bronze.

Four Olympians

Larry Hart (see above): Los Angeles, California, age 70, among the top American masters hammer and weight throwers for the past five years, consistently ranking first in his age group.  Albuquerque will mark his first appearance at a national championship. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he won the 1975 Pan American Games gold medal in the hammer throw.  Hart won the US Olympic Trials in 1976 and represented the USA in Montreal. In 2015, he set the American M65 record in the event, besting the mark by fellow Olympian Ed Burke.

Jim Barrineau: Burke, Virginia, age 61. Jim competed for the U.S. in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. A quick review of the American records shows that he presents a problem for other high jumpers ─ like his marks have been too high for other masters athletes to dislodge.

To illustrate this point, note that Barrineau set his M35 indoor mark of 2.14 meters (7 feet, ¼ inch) way back in 1995, and his outdoor mark for M40 of 2.11 meters (6-11) dates to 1995.  Jim, a standout at the University of Georgia and now retired after a career as an officer in the U.S. army, hopes to win gold in his signature event at Albuquerque.

Howard Lindsay: New York, NY, age 53. Howard, who was born in Jamaica, competed for Antigua and Barbuta in the 1984 Olympics (Los Angeles), the 1988 Olympics (Seoul), and the 1996 Olympics (Atlanta). Lindsay ran in the 200 dash and the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 relays in 1988, and in the 4 x 400 in both 1984 and 1996. At Albuquerque, Howard will compete in the long jump and 60 hurdles.

Karl Smith: Alexandria, Virginia. Age 57. A 1984 Olympian for Jamaica who competed at Los Angeles in the 400 hurdles and the 4 x 400 relay. Karl, a former star at the University of Texas, owns the world outdoor record for the M45 group in the 110 hurdles at 14.41 seconds. In addition, he just broke the M55 world indoor record for the 60 hurdles as described in the summary above under 55-59 (for men). Karl will compete in the 60 hurdles and 200 dash in Albuquerque.

Stars in the Entertainment World

Nolan Shaheed: Pasadena, California, age 67. Nolan is a noted jazz musician who has played with Diana Ross, Phil Collins, Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, and Stevie Wonder, among other notables, and was lead trumpet with Count Basie. In terms of track and field, he has been bothered by physical problems recently but seems to have turned the corner, as judged by his recent 5:15.91 in the mile on a flat track (the world indoor record for M65 is 5:11.43).

Although perhaps best known for setting records in the mile, Shaheed has broken records at other distances.  For example, he has the world outdoor records in the 800 for both M50 (1:58.65) and M60 (2:08.56 at age 61), and he has the American indoor record for the 3000 for M55 (9:10.27, or 4:55.2 per mile) and M60 (9:48.84).

In Albuquerque, Nolan is scheduled to run the 800, mile, and 3000.

Damien Leake, Van Nuys, California, age 64, has been a TV and movie actor for many years, having appeared in Serpico, Apocalypse Now, and numerous other films as well as on television. In the last couple of years, Mr. Leake has emerged as an outstanding sprinter, and he now does the long jump as well.  His body of work in the 60 is particularly impressive, as his results at indoor nationals beginning in 2014 have been as follows: 7.60 (first), 7.71 (first), and 7.88 (first). Enough said.

A Former Wide Receiver, Kick Returner, and Punt Returner in the NFL

Phil McConkey: La Jolla, California, age 59. A standout in football at the US Naval Academy and a 5-year veteran of the Navy as a commissioned officer, McConkey played for the New York Giants, the Green Bay Packers, the Phoenix Cardinals, and the San Diego Chargers during his 6-year career in the National League. In Albuquerque he will go against an absolutely loaded field in the 60 dash that includes world 100 and 200 champion Don McGee. If the meet started just 7 days later, McConkey would be competing in the M60 group rather than the flaming-hot M55 group.  The 60, scheduled to have trials and then a final, will be McConkey's only event.

OLDEST ENTRIES

Male Entrants Born During the Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921) or Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929) Administrations

The Albuquerque championships will feature four men with many decades of life experience, as indicated below. The most senior of the group, Mr. Rogers, was born during the First World War and thus in the Wilson administration, and three, Messrs. Hemphill, Soller, and Brusca, arrived while Calvin Coolidge was president.

Orville Rogers: Dallas, Texas. Age 99. Orville will go to the line in the 60, 200, 400, 800, and mile, providing him with a nice workout as well as the chance to set one or more M95 records, even though he is at the top of the age group. Mr. Rogers holds six world indoor records, of which the most impressive may be his M90 standard in the mile of 9:56.58. Also notable is his M95 record in the 400 of 2:24.51.

Dixon Hemphill: Fairfax Station, Virginia. Age 92. Dixon will emulate Orville Rogers by running the 60, 200, 400, 800, and mile.

Richard Soller: North Bend, Ohio. Age 89. You can see Richard in the 60 and 200 dash as well as in the high jump and long jump.

Phil Brusca: Maryland Heights, Missouri. Age 89. Phil, who will be doing the shot put and weight throw, holds the American indoor record in the shot for the M85 division at 9.82 meters (32-2 ¾). Phil was inducted into the Masters Hall of Fame in 2016.

Women Who Have "Seen the 81"

Four women in the meet, three from the US and one from Canada, have had at least 81 birthdays.

Gloria Krug:  New Oxford, Pennsylvania, age 85.  Gloria is known as a very versatile thrower, but she can also do the horizontal jumps.  Krug  has 10 American records outdoors ─ two in the shot put, superweight, weight pentathlon, and ultraweight pentathlon ─ and one each in the hammer and weight throw.  She currently owns no indoor marks, making the Albuquerque competition perhaps especially meaningful.  There she will  compete in the shot put, weight throw, and superweight as well as the long and triple jump.

Christel Donley:  Colorado Springs, Colorado, age 82.  Christel was one of the seven members of the 1997 USATF Master Hall of Fame class, just the second class (the first also had seven). Donley is widely known as both an athlete and as "the glue" that can hold a meet together from the management side.

In the 2015 outdoor worlds in France, Donley won seven medals. She ran on two world record relay teams, the 4 x 100 and the 4 x 400.  She can sprint, hurdle, throw, do everything.  Perhaps nothing defines Christel's athletic versatility better than the fact that she holds the American indoor record in the heptathlon for three consecutive age groups:  W70, W75, and W80. In Albuquerque she will compete in the 60 dash, high jump, long jump, triple jump, shot put, and weight throw.

Her husband, Jerry Donley, 87, is also a Hall of Famer competing in the pole vault and high jump. They are a unique world level masters athlete husband-and wife team.

Mary Roman:  Norwalk, Connecticut, age 81.  Mary is known primarily as a thrower, but she is also a capable sprinter.  Outdoors she holds American records in the shot put for W75 and the weight throw for W80.  Indoors, she has the American marks in the shot for both W75 (2kg [4.4 pounds], 8.49 [27-10 ¼]), and W80 (2kg, 8.06 [26-5 ½]).  In Albuquerque she will compete in the 60 dash, shot put, weight throw, and superweight.

Helly Visser:  Helly, age 83, is described in the summary just below.

Two Canadian Friends

Helly Visser. Calgary, Alberta, age 83. Helly will contest the 400, 800, and 1-mile run in Albuquerque, and she should do very well. After all, in the middle distances she holds all three world indoor records (WIRs) for her age group. In the 1500 her WIR is a sparkling 7:38.11, and her world mark at 1 mile is 8:19.70. In the 3000, her WIR is a wonderful 15:57.73.

Roger Davies. Calgary, Alberta, age 81. Roger will run the 800, mile, and 3000. The M80 Canadian outdoor record holder in the mile at 6:59.57, Mr. Davies has an impressive running history.

Albuquerque Stars

With some 28 entrants from the city of Albuquerque, space does not permit a detailed summary of their accomplishments.  The three competitors listed below have perhaps the highest national profiles of the Albuquerque competitors.

Paul Economides.  Age 71. Economides is entered in the shot put, weight throw, and superweight, and history indicates that he should do very well if in top form.  Outdoors, Paul holds the American M65 record in two events, the discus (1 kg, 2.2 lb) and the throws pentathlon.  His discus record is quite impressive at 54.99 meters (180-5).

Paul Fragua.  Age 60. Fragua, who specializes in the 800 but is also very strong in the 400, is scheduled to run both of these events at the championships. Fragua is a tribal member of the Pueblo of Jemez in New Mexico, a tribe with a rich running tradition, and has multiple national titles to his credit.

Lisa Valle. Age 50. Lisa came to fame by winning the 800 and 1500 at the 2009 world masters outdoor nationals in Finland. At this year's indoors she is scheduled to compete in the 800, mile, and 3000.

FROM MARY TROTTO, 2016 USATF MASTERS AWARDS CHAIR:
Athletes who are making their mark as they enter a new Age Division who received the age group Athlete of the Year award:

FULL LIST OF NATIONAL AND AGE GROUP CHAMPIONS COMING TO ALBUQUERQUE-- FROM Mary Trotto

Note: I went through both lists this year's registrants and last year's National Champions and included all plus added a few who were award winners but most of the award winners were also national indoor champions.

name hometown, age sex and the events they will be in and the events they were national champions last year.  (Late registrants not included).

Mary

Contact:  Bob Weiner, USATF National Masters Media Chair 202-306-1200
[email protected]; Ashley Mitchell USATF Marketing and Communications Manager 301.980.4767 [email protected]

SOURCE Robert Weiner Associates and USATF Masters Media Committee