FOR RELEASE; Monday, Feb. 8, 2010
Media Contact: Bob Weiner or Rebecca Vander Linde 301-283-0821/202-306-1200 or weinerpublic@comcast.net
LARGEST USA TEAM EVER AT INDOOR WORLD MASTERS TRACK INCLUDES 46 REIGNING
WORLD CHAMPIONS, TWO-TIME SULLIVAN FINALIST, JAZZ MUSICIAN-WORLD MILE RECORD
HOLDER;
MARCH 1-6, KAMLOOPS, BC, CANADA
(Washington, DC) --Team USA will send its biggest ever team to the indoor world masters (WMA) track and field championships March 1-6 at Kamloops, British Columbia: 298 athletes (including 71 women) between the ages of 35 and 92. This is the fourth WMA indoor world meet but the first outside Europe.
24 American gold medalists from 2008 Clermont-Ferrand, France indoor worlds will defend titles at Kamloops, and 22 champions from last year’s outdoor worlds in Lahti, Finland are on the U.S. team.
U.S. stars at the meet are expected to include Phil Raschker (W60), who won ten golds at the 2007 outdoor world championships, was named the outstanding athlete, and is a two-time Sullivan Finalist the past five years for America’s top athlete in any sport—other finalists included Michael Phelps, Apollo Ohno, and Tim Tebow (Raschker is entered in nine events in Kamloops); Nolan Shaheed, acclaimed jazz musician/trumpeter who’s played with Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Phil Collins, Anita Baker and Natalie Cole – and in January set a new indoor world record in the M60 mile; Kathryn Martin, (W55), a BENGAY Athlete of the Year and Nike TV ad star who is slated to try for gold in five distance races; Emil Pawlik (M70), Lahti World Champion in the Decathlon; Becky Sisley (W70), winner of four Golds among seven medals in Lahti; Rita Hanscom (W55), celebrated in Monte Carlo last November as IAAF World Masters Athlete of the Year after winning five Gold Medals at Lahti worlds; Sid Howard (M70), whose New Jersey delivery company “Super Fast” could describe his numerous world track middle distance championships; and Bruce McBarnette in the M50 high jump, a professional actor (we saw him in “West Wing”) who proudly uses his world track titles to draw people to events to raise money for important philanthropic causes. Details on these and other potential stars and charts of American reigning world champions competing in Canada are below.
The oldest American entrants are Orville Rogers, 92 of Dallas and Ralph Maxwell, 90, of Alamo, Texas -- both record holders. Orville set M90 world indoor records in the 800 and mile in 2008. Maxwell holds American outdoor records in the 80- and 300-meter hurdles.
Team USA’s oldest women are Johnnye Valien, 84, of Los Angeles and Sumi Onodera-Leonard, 81, of Huntington Beach, CA. Valien has world indoor marks (W80) in pole vault and triple jump and as W75 in pentathlon, and Onodera-Leonard in the W80 400 and 800.
USA STARS TO WATCH AT KAMLOOPS:
Val Barnwell (Brooklyn, NY): Set M50 world record in 60 (7.18) at Clermont-Ferrand and 7.13 at Landover Nationals, won the 100 and 200 at Lahti worlds, as well as helping win gold in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays in Finland.
Nick Berra (Enola, PA): Won the M40 elite race in 4:24.74 at the prestigious Hartshorne miles at Ithaca, New York, in January. In late December, he ran an anchor leg of 1:57.4 to help the Greater Philadelphia Track Club slice a tenth of a second off the listed M40-49 world indoor record for the 4x800 relay.
Bill Collins (Houston, TX): Swept the 60, 200 and 400 in Clermont-Ferrand. Skipped Lahti worlds but ran at the Sydney World Masters Games in October, where he won triple gold (100, 200 and 400). A former World Masters Athlete of the Year, he currently holds four world indoor records and three outdoor WRs. Widely considered one of the greatest masters sprinters of all time.
Frank Condon (Chico, CA): Won the 800 and 1500 the National Senior Olympics last August in Palo Alto. Set the M65 world indoor record in the mile in 2008 -- 5:11.43 at Boston.
Rita Hanscom (San Diego, CA): Named World Masters Athlete of 2009 by the IAAF and World Masters Athletics after winning five gold medals at Lahti and setting a world record in the W55 heptathlon. She's a deputy attorney general for the state of California.
Sid Howard (Plainfield, NJ): America’s top-ranked middle-distance runner in the M70 age group, he won Lahti gold in the 1500 (5:19.51) and silver in the 800 (2:29.01). He holds four American records in the 800. Though a New Jerseyite, he’s also an honorary citizen of Bermuda, which he has visited since 1977. The only runner to compete in every Fifth Avenue Mile, dating to 1983.
Kathryn Martin (Northport, N.Y.): One of the most decorated American masters distance runners of all time, she starred in a Nike TV commercial and won the 2004 BENGAY Masters Athlete of the Year award from USATF. She’ll have a full plate in 55-59F at Kamloops – three indoor races (800, 1500 and 3000) and two outdoor races associated with the championships (8K cross country and half-marathon). That’s a total of 21.5 miles.
Bruce McBarnette (Sterling, VA): Recently inducted into the USATF Masters Hall of Fame at the young age of 52. High jump specialist (a Fosbury flopper) with an all-time best of 7-feet-1. Owns several world masters titles. Had a 2009 best of 1.93 meters (6-feet-4), best in the world and an American record. One of world’s best masters jumpers in history. Lawyer, professional actor, he also works in real estate.
Bill Murray (Birmingham, AL): Multi-eventer who once weighed 259 pounds, he shed close to 80 pounds in his late 40s. At Lahti, he set an American record in the M55 decathlon with 8087 points. In late January, he scored 5080 points in winning the national indoor heptathlon title. Also a world-class high jumper, hurdler and vaulter. Makes his living in real estate.
Emil Pawlik (Jackson, MS): Hurdle specialist, won the M70 decathlon world title in Lahti and the national heptathlon title in January. Entered in seven events at Kamloops, including the pentathlon. Made his career as an oilman.
Philippa "Phil" Raschker (Marietta, GA): Two-time finalist for the AAU's Sullivan Award and 2007 World Masters Athlete of the Year, she won 10 gold medals at the 2007 world championships in Riccione, Italy. Inducted into the USATF Masters Hall of Fame in 1997, she owns 64 world titles and has set 200 world and U.S. records. Entered in nine events at Kamloops. Tax accountant in Georgia.
Nolan Shaheed (Pasadena, CA): Named USATF Athlete of the Week in late January after setting an M60 world indoor mile record of 4:57.06 at the Hartshorne Mile in Ithaca, N.Y. Shaheed served as musical director for Motown great Marvin Gaye and has played the trumpet with Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Phil Collins, Anita Baker and Natalie Cole. Threat to set world records in the 800 and 1500 at Kamloops.
Becky Sisley (Eugene, OR): Was the first women's athletic director at the University of Oregon. She won seven medals in F70-74 at Lahti worlds, including four gold.
Michael Waller (Federal Way, WA): Swept the 100, 200 and 400 at the USATF masters national outdoor championships last summer in Oshkosh, Wisc., beating three world champions in the process in the M50 age group. Coaches in Washington State.
OLYMPIAN ON TEAM USA:
Patricia Porter of Albuquerque was a high jumper on the 1988 U.S. Olympic Team. Her personal best is 1.96 meters (6 feet, 5 inches). She holds three American age-group records.
FROM 2009 LAHTI, FINLAND, OUTDOOR
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS--
24 TEAM USA GOLD MEDALISTS ENTERED IN
KAMLOOPS (Kamloops events listed):
Val Barnwell Brooklyn NY (M50 60, 200, relay)
James Chinn Oceanside CA (M50 200, 400, relay)
Linda Cohn Northridge CA (W55 60, discus, hammer, javelin, LJ, shot, TJ, weight throw)
Lisa Daley White Plains NY (W40 200, 400, relay)
Jeanne Daprano Fayetteville GA (W70 200, 400, 800, 1500, relay)
Latrica Dendy New York NY (W35 200, 400)
Alfred Dubois West Allis WI (M75 3K walk, 10K walk)
Kathleen Frable Ivins UT (W60 3K walk, 10K walk, 8K cross country)
Norman Frable Ivins UT (M60 3K walk, 10K walk, high jump)
Rita Hanscom San Diego CA (W55 60, 60 hurdles, 200, 400, HJ, LJ, TJ, PV, pentathlon)
Mary Harada West Newbury MA (W70 400, 800, 1500, 3000, relay)
Sid Howard New York NY (M70 800, 1500)
Jeff Lindsay Tulsa OK (M50 200, 400, 800, 1500, relay)
Bruce McBarnette Sterling VA (M50 HJ)
Martha Mendenhall Tacoma WA (W50 60, HJ, relay)
William Murray Birmingham AL (M55 60 hurdles, HJ, LJ, TJ, PV, pentathlon, relay)
Sumi Onodera-Leonard Huntington Beach CA (W80 60, 200, 400, 800)
Emil Pawlik Jackson MS (M70 60, 60 hurdles, 200, HJ, LJ, pentathlon, relay)
Greg Petrosian Reston VA (M50 LJ)
Marcus Shute Conyers GA (M45 200, 400, relay)
Becky Sisley Eugene OR (W70 60 hurdles, 200, HJ, PV, javelin, relay)
Kenneth Thomas Houston TX (M50 60, 60 hurdles, 200, LJ, pentathlon, relay)
Robert Thomas Grand Prairie TX (M40 200, 400, relay)
Johnnye Valien Los Angeles CA (W80 60, 200, HJ, LJ, TJ, PV, shot, javelin)
FROM 2008 CLERMONT, FRANCE, INDOOR
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS--
22 TEAM USA GOLD MEDALISTS DEFENDING
TITLES IN KAMLOOPS:
John Altendorf Corvallis OR (M60 pole vault)
Val Barnwell Brooklyn NY (M50 60, 200, relay)
James Broun Sarasota FL (M55 60 hurdles, relay)
Bill Collins Houston TX (M55 60, 200, 400, relay)
Lisa Daley White Plains NY (W40 200, 400, relay)
Jeanne Daprano Fayetteville GA (W70 200, 400, 800, 1500, relay)
Christel Donley Colorado Springs CO (W75 60 hurdles, 200, HJ, LJ, TJ, javelin, pentathlon, relay)
Don Drummond Lawrenceville GA (M40 60 hurdles, relay)
Gregory Foster Lumberton NJ (M45 LJ, TJ, relay)
David Jones Bellaire TX (M45 400, relay)
Robert Lida Wichita KS (M70 60, 200, 400)
Bruce McBarnette Sterling VA (M50 HJ)
Kathryn Martin Northport NY (W55 800, 1500, 3000, 8K cross country, half-marathon)
George Mathews Hayden Lake ID (M65 weight throw)
Dexter McCloud Norcross GA (M45 60 hurdles, relay)
Greg Petrosian Reston VA (M50 LJ)
Phil Raschker Marietta GA (W60 60, 60 hurdles, 200, 400, HJ, LJ, TJ, PV, pentathlon)
Nolan Shaheed Pasadena CA (M60 800, 1500)
Marcus Shute Conyers GA (M45 200, 400, relay)
Robert Thomas Grand Prairie TX (M40 200, 400, relay)
Joy Upshaw-Margerum Los Altos Hills CA (W45 60, 60 hurdles, 200, LJ, relay)
Johnnye Valien Los Angeles CA (W80 60, 200, HJ, LJ, TJ, PV, shot, javelin)
Media Chair’s Note: MANY thanks to media committee member Ken Stone, editor of masterstrack.com, for researching and compiling most of the information in this release, Peter Taylor and Phil Raschker for additional facts, and Jeff Brower and Jay Wind for links and Internet guidance..
USA MEDIA CONTACT:
For U.S. athlete interviews and information, Bob Weiner, USATF MTF Media Chair, 301-283-0821; During meet, find
Bob trackside or at cells 202-329-1700
or 202-306-1200, or hotel (250) 374-4144
Link
to athletes by age, event, home association, etc:
http://www.usatfmasters.org/20100205wma_summary.htm