USA National Masters Track Championships July 11-14 At Olathe KS District Schools Activity Center, Includes 30 World Champions, 5 Olympians Among 1000 Athletes 30-95+

OLATHE, Kan., July 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 30 reigning world masters track and field champions who won gold at the last World Masters indoor or outdoor championships and five Olympians will be among approximately 1000 athletes 30-95+ years old, including the world's and nation's best, competing at the USA National Masters Track & Field Championships in Olathe, Kansas, near Kansas City, Thursday through Sunday, July 11-14.  The meet will be at the OLATHE DISTRICT SCHOOLS ACTIVITY CENTER, 20925 W. 159th Street.  The athletes will display speed, strength and endurance demonstrating that lifetime fitness is possible for all ages in events ranging from 100 to 10,000 meters, while field events will include the full range of jumps and throws.

Entrants include the world's first woman 75+ SUB-7 MINUTE MILER JEANNE DAPRANO, CHAMPION RUNNER & JAZZ GREAT NOLAN SHAHEED (lead trumpet for Count Basie, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye).  Also competing: Olympian Ed Burke, 70, Los Gatos CA, the 1984 U.S. Olympic flagbearer.

110 athletes are competing from Kansas and Western Missouri. Stars entered from the OLATHE-KC AREA include Olathe 2-TIME TRIPLE NATIONAL CHAMPION KEVIN MILLER.  Warrensburg, MO's KIP JANRIN, now M45, was the oldest Olympic decathlete IN 2000 and is 13-time Drake Relays winner. 

Events will be daily from 7:30 AM through 3:30 PM at the track and field complex. (Detailed schedule posted at http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2013/USA-Masters-Outdoor-Track---Field-Championships/Schedule.aspx or go to www.usatf.org).   Athletes win and place in five year age categories. The media is invited for coverage and interviews, and the public is invited to watch the meet onsite at no cost.

OLYMPIANS entered include:

• Kip Janvrin, M 45-49, Warrensburg, MO, 2000 Olympian and the oldest American to compete in the Olympic decathlon—and winner of the Drake Relays decathlon an amazing 13 times. Other Olympians entered:
• Ed Burke, M70.   Los Gatos, California.  A 3-time Olympian, Ed Burke was the FLAGBEARER for the United States at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. 
• Sunder Nix, M50, Muncie, Indiana.  In 1984, Sunder led off the victorious US 4 x 400 team at the Los Angeles Olympics.  The final time was 2 minutes, 57.91 seconds, or 44.98 seconds per man.
• Chris Williams, M40, Colton, California.  Chris is a 3-time Olympian (2000, 2004, and 2008) for Jamaica who now resides in California.   In 2000 he received a bronze medal in the 4 x 400 relay.  In 2001 he was named Jamaica's Sportsman of the Year.
• Jason Rouser, M40, Dade City, Florida. The 6-6 Rouser, out of the University of Oklahoma, won gold at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta in the 4 x 400 relay.  (Rouser ran the heats to get the US to the finals and also wins the team's gold medal).

Among the star men and world Champions entered include jazz great and 800M, 1500M and other distances world record holder Nolan Shaheed, 64, of Pasadena, CA, who played lead trumpet for Count Basie, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, and Marvin Gaye; Fort Wayne, IN pole vault duo Paul Babits, M 50, world indoor record holder and outdoor pole vault champion, and Gary Hunter, M55, outdoor world PV record holder and world champion; Bill Collins, Houston, TX, 60-64a past champion who startled the world after a severe life-threatening case of Guillain-Barre syndrome in 2011 and came back in 2012 to break world records in the 60 and 200 meters. Accokeek, MD's Oscar Peyton, also M 60, broke his record in 2013, has also won American and world championships, so that the Collins-Peyton competition is an outstanding rivalry to watch. Also competing: Peyton's Potomac Valley Track Club teammate, Bruce McBarnette, Sterling, VA, has won NINE world championships in the high jump including this winter's world record M55 jump of 6'2" which Bruce precisely predicted before the meet.

Possibly Oldest competitor entered: Orville Rogers, Dallas TX, M95-99, who set FIVE world records from the 200 through the 3000 meters at this year's indoor national masters championships in Landover, MD.  

Star women include Kathy Martin, 64, Northport, NY, multiple world champion distance runner and a former BenGay Athlete of the Year; Kathy Bergen, La Canada, CA, the first 70+ woman in history to break 15 seconds in the 100-meter dash as well as the world W70 high jump indoor record holder; Jeanne Daprano, W75, the first 70+ woman, and then the first 75+ woman, to break 7 minutes in the mile, and USATF's Outstanding Athlete of the Year; Rita Hanscom, W55, San Diego, CA, a recent world masters athlete of the year; also watch: Lorraine Jasper, W50, Birchrunville, PA, 2012 world indoor 800 meter champion with a 2013 American indoor record mark.

Athletes to Watch from Greater Kansas City-Olathe Area
(FROM Peter Taylor, Long-time masters meet announcer, Media Committee member):

M30 (men 30 to 34): Quinton Wilks.  Olathe, Kansas.  Quinton has a good chance of medaling in the sprints this year.  In 2012 at nationals he finished fourth in the 200 dash with a time of 23.83 seconds.

M35: Randy Wasinger.  Overland Park, Kansas.  At national indoors this year, Wasinger won both the 800 (2:02.51) and mile (4:31.41).  Last year at national outdoors, he ran an even more impressive 1:57.06 in winning the 800.

Ryan Anderson. Olathe, Kansas. Last year at outdoor nationals, Ryan ran an excellent 2:02.42 in the 800 but finished a disappointing fourth.  Anderson has a great chance for a medal this year in Olathe.

M40: Ron Kochanowicz.  Smithville, Missouri.  At the 2011 outdoor nationals, Ron was the silver medalist in the 1500.  Kochanowicz figures to do well in Olathe.

W40:  Gwen Wentland.  Manhattan, Kansas.  A veteran of five Olympic Trials in the high jump, Gwen was an All-American at Kansas State.  Given her lifetime best of 6 feet, 5 inches (1.956 meters), Gwen appears to have a shot at breaking either the world or American mark for women 40-44 when she competes in Olathe.  Julia Machin of Great Britain holds the world record at 1.78 meters (5 feet, 10 inches), while Olympian Trish Porter has the American mark of 1.76 meters (5 feet, 9 ¼ inches).

M45:  Kip Janvrin, Warrensburg, Missouri. In 2000, at the age of 35, Kip represented the United States in the decathlon at the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. In doing so he became the oldest man ever to compete for the US in this event at the Olympics.  Kip competed for Simpson College in Iowa and now coaches at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg.

W45: Menka Scott.  Lee's Summit, Missouri. Menka, an explosive long jumper and a fine 80-meter hurdler, won both events last year at outdoor nationals and figures to do well in Olathe.  As a collegian, Menka competed for the University of Tennessee, traditionally one of the nation's top programs in track and field.

M50: Kevin Miller.  Olathe, Kansas.  Kevin scored a triple both last year and this year in the national indoors, winning  the 800, 1 mile, and 3000 in brilliant fashion.  Such triples are very rare in elite completion; to do it two years in a row is a remarkable achievement.  At Landover this year, Kevin's times were 2:11.81 for the 800, 4:39.30 for 1 mile, and 9:11.44 (4:55.8 per mile) for the 3000.

W50: Liz Kyger.  Oldfield, Missouri.  At the national outdoors last year, Liz finished fourth in the 1500.  It will be interesting to see how she does in Olathe.

M65: Tim Wigger.  Shawnee, Kansas. Tim won both the 800 and mile in the 2009 indoor masters and figures to do well in Olathe.

FULL LIST OF KANSAS-WESTERN MISSOURI ATHLETES COMPETING AT OLATHE-- from meet contact Ken Ferguson and USATF Associations Manager Sherry Quack:
http://www.weinerpublic.com/20130622.pdf

U.S. MASTERS CONTINUES DRUG TESTING. The USATF Masters Track & Field Committee continues the drug testing program. Testing will be conducted by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

ATTENTION MEDIA – TWO VIDEOS FOR B-ROLL (athletes performing and Background shots):

1) Forever Fast" video, a superb motivating documentary on masters track and field, created by USATF Masters Board Member John Oleski, showing masters T&F athletes:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpY6NRH__9M

2) 2012 Outdoor MTF Championship Video by ABC TV Network Reporter Co-project of Midwest Region (Steve Cohen) and National Masters Media Committee: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbzhJH8z8kE

MEDIA: For more information and media trackside athlete interviews, contact Bob Weiner, USATF National Masters Media Chair, at cells 202-306-1200 or 202-329-1700 or [email protected]. Press may email for advance credentialing or see Bob trackside and show media organization credentials. All media are welcome.

Thanks to Mary Trotto, Masters Active Athletes and Awards Chair, and Peter Taylor, Media Committee member and longtime masters meet announcer, for much analysis and information included in this release.

TOP ATHLETES ENTERED AT OLATHE 
By Mary Trotto, USATF Masters Active Athletes and Awards Chair—Charts below:

TOP ATHLETES TO WATCH AT OLATHE USA MASTERS (FROM Pete Taylor)

Men

40-44 Chris Williams, Colton, California.  A three-time Olympian for Jamaica, Chris has put up some amazing times this year in the M40 division.  For example, in March at the US Indoor Masters, Chris ran an almost impossible 21.84 seconds in the 200 dash on a flat track.  At the Penn Relays in April, Chris won the 100 by a huge margin in 10.58 seconds and, the next day, smoked a 48.2 leg in the 4 x 400.

45-49 Kip Janvrin, Warrensburg, Missouri.  By representing the US at the 2000 Olympics, Kip became the oldest American to compete in the Olympic decathlon.  Janvrin has won the decathlon at the prestigious Drake Relays an amazing 13 times.  At Olathe, Kip, who competed collegiately for Simpson College in Iowa, is entered in the pentathlon, both hurdle events, and the pole vault and long jump.  Not a stranger to masters competition, he holds the world record in the decathlon for men 40 to 44 with a stunning 8542 points.

Khalild Mulazim.  Cleveland, Ohio.  Khalid holds the world 400-dash record for men 45 to 49 with a marvelous 50.18 seconds.  In addition, Khalid ran on the world record 4 x 400 team for men 45-49 at the 2011 world masters championships (3:24.84).

Derek Pye.  Long Beach, California.   The American M40 record-holder for the 60-meter hurdles with a stunning 8.09 seconds, Derek was the silver medalist in the 110 hurdles at the 2011 worlds.  His battle in the 110 hurdles at Olathe nationals against Olympian Kip Janvrin should be worth the price of admission, if not more.

Landen Summay.  Cincinnati, Ohio.  In March, at age 47, Landen ran a sensational 2:02.80 in the 800 on a flat track at indoor nationals, the second-fastest time in the entire meet.  Last summer, in the outdoor nationals, Landen turned in a scintillating 2:01.20 to win the gold.  Finally, at the USATF open nationals at Drake University in June of this year, Landen cranked up a 2:00.65.  Amazing.

50-54:  Paul Babits. Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Paul holds the world indoor record in the pole vault for the M50 group at 4.73 meters (15 feet, 6.2 inches) and finished first at the world outdoor masters championships in 2011.

Kevin Miller.  Olathe, Kansas.  For two years in a row, Kevin has pulled off an extraordinarily difficult triple at national indoor masters: the 800, mile, and 3000.  This year his times for those events were 2:11.81, 4:39.30, and 9:11.44.  As a hometown favorite, look for Kevin to shine in Olathe.

Sunder Nix.  Muncie, Indiana.  An all-time great at Indiana University, Sunder won a gold medal in 1984 as part of the US team in the 4 x 400 at Los Angeles.  The time was a phenomenal 2:57.91.  Sunder is entered in the 400 at Olathe.

55-59:  Gary Hunter.  Fort Wayne, Indiana.  The holder of the world M50 outdoor record for the pole vault at 4.75 meters (15 feet, 7 inches), Gary puts many collegiate vaulters to shame.  Gary won gold at the worlds in 2011.  

Bruce McBarnette. Ashburn, Virginia.  A many-time world masters champion, Bruce established a world indoor mark in the M55 high jump back in March, as he soared 1.88 meters (6 feet, 2 inches).  Given that achievement, look for Bruce to challenge the world outdoor mark of 1.87 meters when he competes in Olathe.

60-64:  Bill Collins.  Houston, Texas.  An All-American at Texas Christian University and a former member of the U.S. national team, Bill was struck with a severe case of Guillain-Barre syndrome in 2011, making it difficult for him to even walk.  He came back strongly, however, and  in March 2012 Collins startled many observers when he broke the world indoor records for ages 60-64 in  the 60 meters (7.58 seconds)  and the 200 (24.32).  The 60 dash record was broken in 2013 by Oscar Peyton.

Outdoors, Collins holds the world record in the 55-59 division for both the 100 (11.44) and 200 (23.36).

Oscar Peyton. Accokeek, Maryland.  The 6-4 Peyton won both the 100 and 200 at the world masters championships in 2011.  In the indoor masters championships in 2013, Oscar established a world indoor mark in the 60 dash with an amazing time of 7.52 seconds.

Nolan Shaheed.  Pasadena, California.  Undoubtedly the best musician among the entrants, Shaheed is arguably the most versatile of the men entered at Olathe, as he holds the American age 60-64 records for the 800, 1500, 1 mile, 2000 steeplechase, and 5000.

Thaddeus Wilson.  Oxnard, California.  Watching Thad Wilson hurdle, spectators could get a little confused.  "Shouldn't he be in a younger age group?" might be an appropriate question.  In the 2011 outdoor nationals, Thad ran the 100 hurdles in 14.37, a shockingly fast time that stands as the world record for 60-64.  At the 2011 worlds, Thad was second in the 100 dash (12.59), 1^st in the 100 hurdles (14.78), and first in the 300 hurdles with a brilliant 45.42 seconds.

65-69: Charles Allie.  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Out of Hampton Institute in Virginia, the versatile Allie is still running at the superstar level. In March he established a world indoor mark in the 200 for the 65-69 age group, running an amazing 25.41 seconds on a flat track.  In May, Charles set a world outdoor mark in the 400 with a sensational time of 56.09 seconds at the Southeastern Masters Championships.

Ty Brown.  Washington, DC.  A great stylist, Ty Brown is a treat to watch.  Already the world indoor record-holder in the M65 60-meter hurdles indoors with a time of 9.17 seconds, Ty added to his laurels in May by flying through the 100-meter hurdles outdoors in a scalding 15.20 seconds.  The listed world mark, by the great Rolf Geese of Germany, is 15.47.

70-74:  Ed Burke.  Los Gatos, California.  Ed is a three-time Olympian who served as the flag carrier in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Burke holds the world record in the hammer for men 70 to 74 with an almost unthinkable distance:  59.04 meters, or 193 feet, 8 inches.  By comparison, the legendary Harold Connolly, in winning the 1956 Olympic hammer in Melbourne as a 25-year-old, threw 63.19 meters (note that the hammer for the M70 group is somewhat lighter than the implement for the open group). Ed Burke also holds the outdoor world M70 record in the weight throw with a heave of 22.33 meters. 

Don Isett. Dallas, Texas.  Don holds the world indoor record in the pole vault for men 70-74 at 3.25 meters (just under 10 feet, 10 inches).  A pole vaulter in junior high and high school, Don quit the event but then resumed a half-century later after his wife gave him a pole for his 66th birthday.  A good idea, as things turned out, as Don won the outdoor worlds in the vault in 2011 just six years later at age 72.

75-79:  Bob Lida. Wichita, Kansas.  The "Kansas Comet" holds the world outdoor records for the 75-79 age group in both the 100 dash (13.49 seconds) and the 200 (27.73).  In addition, Lida is the American record-holder for the M75 group in the 400 at 65.08 seconds.  At the outdoor worlds in 2011, Bob won both the 200 and 400.  If his injuries are healed (TBD), Bob will continue to be amazing at Olathe.

95-99:  Orville Rogers.  Dallas, Texas.  One of the few masters still competing who served during World War II, Orville had a fabulous meet in March at the indoor nationals and is expected to shake things up in Olathe.   At the indoors he set records in the 200, 400, 800, 1 mile, and 3000, with his time of 57.88 seconds in the 200 perhaps the best of these marks.  Recently, Orville destroyed the M95 outdoor world record in the 400 meters by blasting the distance in 2 minutes, 17.45 seconds.  

Women

40-44:  Dena Birade.  Bellingham, Washington.  A former member of the Canadian national (open) team, Dena has won many US titles and, in 2011, took the gold at the worlds in Sacramento in the 100-m dash.  Dena took a silver in the 200 at Sacramento and will be tough to beat in Olathe.

Sonja Friend-Uhl.  Brentwood, Tennessee.  Sonja, the 2011 world outdoor champion in both the 800 and 1500, is one of the greatest runners in the history of the College of William and Mary.  The holder of the American record in W40 for 1500 meters (4:16.99), Sonja will be extraordinarily hard to beat in Olathe. 

45-49: Charmaine Roberts.  Beltsville, Maryland.  An extraordinarily talented long sprinter from Jamaica, Charmaine ran for Alabama A&M as a collegian and is now a special education teacher in Maryland.  The 2009 world outdoor champion in the 400 dash, look for her to do some great things in Olathe.

50-54:  Lorraine Jasper.  Birchrunville, Pennsylvania.  The 2012 world indoor champion in the 800, Lorraine set an American W50 mark (2:26.09) in that event during the 2013 national indoor masters in Landover, Maryland.

55-59:  Rita Hanscom.  San Diego, California.  Rita won world masters track and field athlete of the year honors in 2009 and is a member of the US Masters Hall of Fame.  Look for her to do well in every event she tries at Olathe.

Carol Finsrud.  Lockhart, Texas.  A three-time participant in the US Olympic Trials, Carol is an amazing discus thrower.  She holds the American record for the discus in the 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, and 55-59 age groups, with the 50-54 mark a world record as well (45.67 meters, 149 feet, 10 inches).

60-64: Kathy Martin.  Northport, New York.  A dominating figure at 800 and 1500 meters, Kathy can also go very long. In fact, she is the W50 and W60 American record-holder on the road for 50,000 meters (31.07 miles).  Regardless of what she decides to run in Olathe, expect her to be first across the line.

Myrle Mensey.  Saint Louis, Missouri.  A versatile, powerful thrower, Myrle enjoys setting records, and why not?  The popular strongwoman holds the American W60 records both indoors and outdoors in the weight throw as well as the superweight (20 pounds).  Perhaps the most impressive of these marks is Myrle's 11.87 meters (38 feet, 11 inches) in the outdoor superweight.

70-74: Kathy Bergen.  La Canada, California.  In 2010, Bergen became the first 70+ woman in history to break 15 seconds in the 100-meter dash, turning in an amazing 14.76.  Bergen is also an accomplished high jumper, as she owns the world outdoor mark for W70-74 of 1.30 meters (4 feet, 3.2 inches).

75-79:  Jeanne Daprano,  Fayetteville, Georgia.  In 2007, Jeanne became the first 70+ woman in history to break 7 minutes in the mile, running it in 6 minutes, 47.91 seconds at Duke University in North Carolina.  In March 2012, Jeanne broke the world indoor record in the mile for the 75-79 age group by getting the distance in 7 minutes, 13.51 seconds.

85-89:  Johnnye Valien.  Los Angeles, California.  Out of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, the versatile Valien won gold in the long jump, high jump, pole vault, javelin, and shot put at the 2011 World Masters Athletics championships in Los Angeles, California.  Johnnye is a former USATF Athlete of the Week.      

(Note from Media Chair Bob Weiner):  MANY thanks to Mary Trotto, Masters Active Athletes and Awards Chair, Peter Taylor, Media Committee member and a long-time Meet Announcer, and LOC meet contact Ken Ferguson for much analysis and information included in this release.

Media Contact: Bob Weiner, USATF National Masters Media Chair or Richard Mann
301-283-0821, cells 202-306-1200 or 202-329-1700; [email protected]

SOURCE USATF National Masters Media Committee and Robert Weiner Associates

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