95-year-olds deliver records at USA Masters Championships
By Jill Geer, USATF
Posted Friday, 10 July, 2009
OSHKOSH, Wis. - It was titan vs. titan among the 95-year-old entrants at the 2009 USA Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships Thursday morning, with two records among the casualties.
On the track at J.J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium, Frank Levine of Norristown, Pa., ran the 5,000 meters in 50:10.56 in the men's 95-99 age group to break the listed world record of 50:23.50 set by American Herb Kirk in 1991. Leland McPhie of San Diego's Southern California Track Club broke the American record in the men's 95-99 shot put, throwing the 3 kilogram ball 6.87m/22 feet, 6.5 inches to break Trent Lane's mark of 6.61m/21-8.25 set in 2003. McPhie also owns American records in the M90 high jump and triple jump.
An ageless wonder on the distaff side, Florence "Flo" Meiler of Mass Velocity, set a pair of records in the women's 75-79 age group while contesting the pentathlon. Her time of 18.63 in the 80m hurdles crushed the world record of 24.34 set by masters legend Johnnye Valien in 2005. Meiler's pentathlon point total of 4,783 was an American record as well. (World records for the pentathlon are not officially kept.)
The women's weight throw also provided the traditional assortment of American records in a variety of age groups. Setting pending ARs in the event were Jennifer Stephens in W35 (10.49m/34-5), Myrle Mensey in W60 (15.73m/51-7.75), Audrey Lary in W75 (10.40m/34-1.5) and Lillian Snaden in W80 (6.92m/22-8.)
More than 1,000 athletes in age groups from 30 to 95 will provide an extraordinary demonstration of speed, power, skill, and endurance at the Masters Championships, showing that age is no barrier to lifetime fitness and competition. Track events will range from 100 meters to 10,000 meters, while field events will include the full range of jumps and throws. The meet runs through Sunday.
For complete results from the 2009 USA Masters Outdoor Championships, visit http://www.usatf.org/events/2009/USAMastersOutdoorTFChampionships/
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