Team USATF Masters Torun Collects 24 Medals on Day Three at the WMA Indoor Championships; Including Two American Records
Team USATF Masters Torun had its biggest day yet on Tuesday, March 26 as 22 individuals claimed a total of 24 medals. Highlights of the day were the American Records set by Masters Hall of Famer Irene Obera (W85, Fremont,CA) and Sue McDonald (W55, Santa Barbara, CA), both in the 400m. Obera bested her own record set at the Masters Indoor Championships in Winston-Salem, NC at the beginning of March with a time of 1:58.46. McDonald survived a rough race to win bronze in a time of 1:04.38, besting the mark she set in the semifinals the previous day by .12 seconds. In the opinion of Team USATF Masters team managers, McDonald was obstructed at about the 200m mark, and a protest has been filed that may move her up to silver medal position.
In addition to her win in the 400m, Obera also claimed the gold medal in the long jump with a leap of 1.92m. Gloria Krug (W85, New Oxford, PA) joined Obera on the medal podium in the long jump with a mark of 1.02m for silver. She then moved over and claimed another silver medal in the weight throw, with a toss of 7.22m. Flo Meiler (W80, Shelburne, VT) also took second in the long jump with a mark of 2.56m.
During the course of the day Durelle Schimek (W50, Grass Valley, CA) won gold in the javelin with a toss of 37.43m in cold, windy weather in the outdoor stadium. In addition to Gloria Krug’s silver in the W85 weight throw, Carol Finsrud (W60, Lockhart, TX) added a bronze with a throw of 14.60m.
In the jumps, William Hickman (M45, Houston, TX) and Ken Hoffmann (M45, Rogne, Norway) went 2-3 in the M45 high jump, with both clearing 1.80m and Hickman winning the silver on fewer misses; and Antonio Palacios (M50, Bloomington, IN) added to his gold in the long jump with a silver in the triple jump with a mark of 13.18m.
Two women picked up medals in the 3000m racewalk with Tami Graf (W80, Luxby, MD) earning silver and Marianne Martino (W65, Littleton, CO) taking home the bronze.
The day built to a climax with a series of 400m races wrapping up the day. Americans won a total of 13 medals in the two lap race, six by men and seven by women. Golds went to WMA Male Athlete of the Year Charles Allie (M61, Pittsburgh, PA) in a time of 60.48 seconds, Roman Marenin (M35, Denver, CO) who ran 50.31, Emma McGowan (W50, Sugar Hill, GA) in a time of 61.23, LaTrica Dendy (W45, Bronx, NY) who ran 59.74, and Cynthia Monteleone (W42, Lahaina, HI) who won in 58.17 seconds. All the US winners in the 400 led from wire to wire.
Silver medals in the 400m went to Larry Barnum (M75, Santa Rosa, CA) who ran 67.54, George Haywood (M65, Washington, DC) in a time of 60.89, Irene Obera, whose time of 1:58.46 set a new American record, and Rose Green (W80, Upper Marlboro, MD) who ran 1:43.90. The bronze medalists in the 400m were Mack Stewart (M85, Fair Oaks Ranch, TX) in 1:20.19, newcomer David Pitts (M55, Imperial, MO), Carolyn Langenwalter (W80, Calvin, OK) who ran 2:11.14, and Sue McDonald, whose 64.38 broke her own day-old American record.
After three days, Team USATF (54 medals) stands in fourth place in the overall medal table, trailing Germany (102 medals), Poland (66 medals), and Great Britain and Northern Ireland (58 medals). Spain rounds out the top five with 47 medals.
Wednesday’s highlighted event will be the finals in the 60 meters, with Team USATF having qualified a total of 26 sprinters (14 men and 12 women). Also on tap is the 10k road race, the first of the indoor pentathlons, and a variety of throwing and jumping events.
Compiled by:
Sandy Triolo, MTF Communications Subcommittee Chair (mtfcommchair@gmail.com)
Jerry Bookin-Weiner, MTF Vice Chair (mtfvicechair@gmail.com)
Amanda Scotti (ascotti.nmn@gmail.com) .
