Contact: Tom Surber
Media Information Manager
USA Track & Field
(317) 261-0500 x317
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.usatf.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 8, 2002
USA Masters Championships begin in Orono
ORONO, Maine – The 2002 USA Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships
began Thursday under mostly sunny skies with temperatures in the
mid-seventies. The four-day event is being held at the University of Maine’s
Clarence Beckett Family Track & Field Center in Orono.
Nearly 1,100 athletes are on hand to compete in five-year age groups from
30-34 to 95 and over. This marks the second time that the USA Masters
Outdoor Championships have been held here. The event was also held in Orono
in 1998, where eight world records and 27 national age-group records were
set.
In Thursday’s field event competition, masters legend Phil Raschker, who
has set more than 100 masters world records in her career, won the women’s
55 age-group pole vault with a new world record clearance of 3.00 meters/9
feet, 10 inches.
Despite a sore Achilles tendon, Raschker won the W50 pole vault at last
year’s Championships in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with a clearance of
4.51m/14-9.50. The Achilles injury worsened following last year’s
Championships, causing Raschker to miss training for the next six months.
Although she’s pleased to begin competition in the W55 age-group this year,
Raschker said she’s really planning on placing her stamp on the division
next year. “The injury last year cost me a great deal of training time, so I
’m not at my best for this event,” Raschker said. “I’m pleased to have won
the pole vault today, but it should’ve been higher. The wind shifted from a
headwind to a tailwind and that threw me off.”
Raschker also set a new world record in winning the W50 pentathlon this
afternoon with a total of 4,809 points. Caryl Senn of Long Island Track &
Field also set a world record in winning the W40 class with 3,668 points.
Other women’s pentathlon national champions include Liz Pitser (W35-2,120
points), Carla Hoppie (W45-2,740 points), Anna Wlodarczyk (W50-4,809
points), Becky Sisley (W60-2,772 points) and Barbara Jordan (W65-3,556
points).
Men’s pentathlon champions included Jim Russ in the M45 division winning
the event with 3,376 points. Fernando Roman won the M50 class with 2,801
points, with Roger Kroodsma winning the M55 group with 1,770 points. Emil
Pawlik won the M60 division with 3,775 points, and Edward Oleata captured
the M65 group with 3,734 points. Michael Janusey won the M40 class with
3,463 points.
In other women’s results, Susan Nesbihal of Bohemia TC won the W50 pole
vault with a clearance of 1.25m/4-1.25 and Barbara Cleveland won the W60
division with a best of 2.45m/8-0.50. Flo Meiler cleared 1.96m/6-5 in
winning the W65 division unopposed.
Men’s pole vault winners today included Terry Cannon (M60-3.50m/11-5.75),
Deke Conklin of Greater Boston TC (M65-2.95m/9-8) and Jerry Donley
(M70-2.75m/9-0.25).
In women’s shot put action, winners included Bernice Holland
(W75-6.73m/22-1), Olga Kotelko (W83-5.88m/19-3.50), Evaun Williams
(W60-11.55m/37-10.75), Christel Donley (W65-7.88m/25-10.25), Mary Towey
(W50-11.13m/36-6.25), Lorraine Tucker (W55-9.82m/32-2.75) and Jane Decker
(W35-10.74m/35-03).
Competitors winning national championships in the men’s shot put included
Glenn Thompson, who successfully defended his M35 national championship with
a best of 16.99m/55-9. Other winners included Tim Fua (M30-16.10m/52-10),
Phillip Brusca (M75-11.10m/36-5), Robert Horsley (M80-26-2.25), LeLand
McPhie (M85-7.37m/24-2.25), Wendell Palmer (M70-13.27m/43-6.50), Gerald
Vaughn (M65-13.58m/44-6.75), Gary Baskett (M60-14.69/48-2.50) and Tom Gage
(M55-14.36m/47-1.50). In the M50 class, Craig Shumaker of Long & Strong
Throwers Club won the event with a best of 15.36m/50-4.75, and Ron Summers
won the M45 division with a throw of 14.12m/46-4. Warren Taylor of the Long
& Strong Throwers Club won the M40 group with a best of 15.34m/50-4).
In this morning’s 5,000 meter competitions, women’s winners included
Kathryn Martin in the W50 division (17:49.83), Joan Christensen
(W60-25:33.50), Lois Calhoun of the Boulder Road Runners (W65-25:15.67) and
Nancy Smalley, also of the Boulder Road Runners (W75-30:20.60).
Additional women’s winners included Monica Rossi-Montero (W30-19:34.83),
Patty Murray of Ric Rojas Running (W35-17:11.52), Patty Blanchard
(W40-17:14.24) and Angie Miyashiro (W45-19:16.07).
In the men’s 5,000-meter competition, James Sutton won the M70 title in
22:07.04. Other national champions included Jim O’Neill (M77-26:19.00), Dan
Geer of the Southern Vermont Road Runners (M-80-35:21.35) and Dudley Healey
ran unopposed in the M85 division, finishing in 40:32.46.
Bill Borla of Torrington, Conn., successfully defended his M60 5,000m title
in 18:14.19. Other winners included Lloyd Slocum of the Maine Track Club
(M65-19:12.91), Rob McCusker of the Hartford Track Club (M50-16:41.22),
William Dixon (M55-17:12.00) and Aldo Virano of Split Timing Inc.
(M30-16:11.33).
The 2002 USA Masters Outdoor Championships resume tomorrow morning with
race walk competition. The Championships will continue through Sunday. For
more information on the 2002 USA Masters Outdoor Championships, including
the complete results, visit www.usatf.org
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