Nearly 1,000 athletes are expected to gather at BYU Wednesday morning for the start of the USA National Masters Track and Field Championships, among them a handful of past Olympic and collegiate stars.
The meet, which will include competition for athletes 30 years and older, will continue for four days, finishing Saturday afternoon. Most of the finals will be held Friday and Saturday.Among those entered in the meet: former Olympic pole vault champion Bob Richards (of Wheaties fame), former Olympic high jumper Doug Nordquist, former Olympic distance runner Paul Cummings and former NCAA discus champion Glenn Passey.
"It's 26 track meets in one," says USATF-Utah president Ben Stowell, referring to each of the age group competitions for both men and women. Age groups are divided into five-year increments.
The meet offers another unique twist: Women will compete in traditionally male-only events such as the hammer, pole vault and steeplechase.
Last year's meet, which was held in Spokane, Wash., produced some amazing performances.
To wit: Bill Collins, who was 41 at the time, ran 10.99 in the 100-meter dash and an age-group world record of 21.86 in the 200. Payton Jordan covered 100 meters in 13.83 - at the age of 75. Stan Whitley, 46, won the three dash events and the long jump with marks of 11.16, 22.35, 50.53 and 21-9. Larry Almberg, 45, won the 1,500 in 4:02.40. Shirley Matson, 51, set three Ameriacan records in the 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000 with times of 4:57.74, 18:02.0 and 37:38.67.
This year's meet will include athletes as old as 93-year-old Beuell Crane of Twin Falls, Idaho, plus middle-aged, middle-distance stars such as Ken Popejoy and Peter Mogg.
"Utah will be well represented in this meet," says Stowell. "There are 35 to 40 athletes from the state who will compete, and they should do very well."
Utah's top entry will be Cummings, who, one month shy of his 40th birthday, is hoping to become the first 40-year-old to break four minutes in the mile, either later this year or next year.
"This meet should tell me where I am," he says.
Cummings, the 1974 NCAA mile champion who has a personal record of 3:54, will run the 1,500. His chief rival probably will be Jay Woods, another Utahn and former BYU miler who trains occasionally with Cummings. Woods has a best of 3:54.4 in the mile. He will meet Cummings in the 35-39 age division competition.
Utah will have several top entries in the discus, led by Judge High teacher Dan John, a former conference champion from Utah State who has thrown 170 to 180 feet during the past couple of years.
Jim Barry, a former standout pole vaulter for BYU, will be a contender in the 40-44 age group.
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(Schedule of events)
Wednesday
Field events - pentathlon, (8 a.m.), hammer throw (9 a.m.) Running events - 5,000m run (8:30), 800m run (trials, 1:30), 400m dash (trials, 3 p.m.).
Thursday
Field events - Pole vault (8 a.m.), shot put (8:30), javelin (women, 1 p.m.), triple jump (8 a.m.), high jump (women). Running events - 5,000m racewalk (8 a.m), high hurdles (2 p.m.), 400m dash (3 p.m.) 1,500m run (trials, 4:20), 100m dash (trials, 4:30), 100 dash (finals, 5:30), steeplechase (6:30).
Friday
Field events - Discus (8 a.m.), long jump (8:30). Running events - 10,000m run (7 a.m.), 400m hurdles (11 a.m.), 800m run (1 p.m.), 200m dash (trials, 2:20), 200m dash finals (3:45). Saturday Field events - javelin (men, 8 a.m.), shot put (women, 8 a.m.). Walking events (7:30 a.m.) - 10,000m roadwalk, 20,000m roadwalk (on upper BYU campus) Running events - 1,500m run (10:30 a.m.), age-graded 100-meter dash, 4 x 100 relay (1:45), 4 x 400 relay (2:15), 4 x 800 relay (2:45).