The same can be said for almost 1000 other participants in the recent USA Masters Indoor Track and Field Championships, held in Landover, Md. in March. Thirteen age-division world records were broken during the three-day event.
Benoit Samuelson, the first women’s Olympic marathon champion (1984), set a U.S. record in the women’s 50-year-old 3000 meters on the first day of competition, winning the race in 10:22.69. Former record-holder Kathryn Martin was second overall (first among the 55-and-over set) in 10:59.36.
Leland McPhie, 95, broke three men’s 95-year-old division world marks, in the high jump (.96 meters/3 feet, 1¾ inches), triple jump (3.81/12 feet, 6 inches) and shot put (6.90/22-7¼). The oldest athlete in the competition, McPhie also won the men’s 95 weight throw (6.57/21-6¾).
Sumi Onodera-Leonard set world records in the women’s 80-year-old 800 (4:59.60) and 400 (2:03.80).
Bob Ward set a world mark in the men’s 75 weight throw (16.85/55-3½) plus U.S. age- division records in the shot put (12.42/40-9) and the super weight throw (8.85/29-½).
Other world record-setters included Jeannie Daprano in the women’s 70-year-old 800 meters (3:09.74), Grace Foster in the women’s 90-year-old 60 meters (31.22), William Murray in the men’s 55 pentathlon (4384 points), Emil Pawlik in the men’s 70 pentathlon (4316 points), Robert Hewitt in the men’s 75 pentathlon (4437 points), Val Barnwell in the men’s 50-year-old 60 meters (7.13) and Nadine O’Connor, who broke her own mark in the women’s 65 pole vault (2.90/9-6¼).
The So Cal Track Club won its fifth consecutive team title with 439 points. The host Potomac Valley Track Club was second (358) while the Philadelphia Masters Track and Field Club finished third (223).
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