Joy Upshaw jumped to a quick lead from the blocks and never looked back as she clocked a quick 26.24 in the W50 200m to set a new American and World Records.

Female throwers toss records at USA Masters Champs

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ALBUQUERQUE – The female throwers were the stars of the day with multiple records in the weight and super weight throws as the USA Masters Indoor Championships wrapped the final day of competition in Albuquerque, N.M.

The three-day meet featured athletes ranging in age from 30-96 in a display of speed, strength, and endurance for all ages. Track events ranged from 60m to 3,000m, while field events included the full range of indoor jumps and throws. A total of 63 American and 16 World Records were set, and two World Records were equaled.

The 2010 overall USATF masters athlete of the year, Oneithea Lewis of Oakland Gardens, N.Y., had an outstanding day in the throwing ring. She started the day with a throw of 16.68m/54-08 in the weight throw, which surpassed the listed World and American Records in the W50 division by more than a meter. She followed up with another record setting performance in the super weight, where she recorded a toss of 11.72m/38-05 which broke a sixteen year-old American Record.

In the weight throw, Mary Roman, Florence Meiler and Audrey Lary all threw further than the listed American Record. Roman of Norwalk, Conn., also set a World Record with her toss of 10.88m/35-08. to win the competition. Meiler of Shelburne, Vt., was the runner-up in 9.47m/31-01.00 followed by Lary of Frederick, Md., in 9.44m/30-11. Betty Jarvis of Aberdeen, N.C. also established World and American Records in the W95 weight throw with a winning toss of 5.10/16-08.

In the super weight throw, the following women set American Records: Myrle Mensey (Saint Louis, Mo.) W60 10.74m/35-03, Susy Hess-Wojcik (Eugene, Ore.) W65 6.10m/20-00, Audrey Lary W75 7.25m/23-09, Mary Roman W75 6.54m/21-05 and Betty Jarvis W95 2.99/9-09.

Audrey Lary carried her success over to the triple jump runway where she also set an American Record in the W75 triple jump where she hopped, skipped and jumped 7.35m/24-01.50 to win the national title.

Bill Collins of Houston, Texas continued to prove that age is not a barrier as he ran 24.32 in the M50 200m setting both American and World Records. Antwon Dussett of Peoria, Ill., clocked the fastest time of the day of 21.67 to win the M35 title and break the American Record.

Joy Upshaw jumped to a quick lead from the blocks and never looked back as she clocked a quick 26.24 in the W50 200m to set a new American and World Records. Renee Henderson of Merchantville, N.J., tied her American and World Record time of 25.47 in the W45 200m. Barbara Jordan of South Burlington, Vt. won the W75 in 36.80. Her time smashed the American Record by almost two and a half seconds and set the World Record. Audrey Lary set her third American Record of the day with her runner-up performance of 38.58.

Milan Jamrich of Houston, Texas opened the day by breaking the listed American Record in the M60 high jump by clearing 1.67m/5-05.75, also earning him the national championship crown.

Albuquerque local Lisa Valle rounded out her sweep of all three events she was entered in with her win in the W40 800m in a time of 2:25.83. Steve Gallegos of Golden, Colo. ran to a huge lead in the M55 to win with an eleven second margin. He claimed the national title in the M55 race in 2:07.08, and his time was only three hundredths of a second shy of the listed American Record. The only record from the 800’s came in women’s 85-89 division, where 88 year-old Mary Kirsling of McIntosh, N.M. ran 8:11.20 to set an American Record and win the national crown.

The last event on the track, the 4x400m relay, delivered many impressive Records. The team of Julie Hayden (Ashburn, Va.), Cheryl Bellaire (St. Davids, Penn.), Kathy Haubrich (Shakopee, Minn.) and Tweety Wolf (Watertown, Minn.) set the American and World Record in the W50 relay in 4:36.11. The Houston Elite Track and Field “A” comprised of Robert Cozens, Robert Lida, Gary Sims and Mack Stewart crushed the World Record in 4:50.36, more than 45 seconds faster than the previously listed World Record.

For more information on the 2011 USA Masters Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, including the complete results, visit www.usatf.org

About USA Track & Field

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