Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Race videos: USATF National Masters Championship M60, 400m and 200m Finals / the 1-2-4-8 Quad

Here are the youtube links for my two Championship races:

400m:

https://youtu.be/i3yktEJA_9Q


 


200m:

  https://youtu.be/TOQvAIwayM0



The 100-200-400-800 quadruple

I have not confirmed this but I'm pretty sure I'm the only person in an age group below M70 to medal in these four events at one USATF National Masters Championship meet, certainly in a championship where all events had qualifying rounds (100-200-400) and/or multiple heat finals (800).  

I had inquired about this to one of the greatest Masters Track announcers and historians, the great Pete Taylor, who pointed out that many of the most senior age groups above M/W75 sometimes lack the participation numbers, and undoubtedly have had medalists in all four events.  As he put it:   "many people, especially those 75+, have entered all four of those events with the idea that there will be no more than 3 entrants in their age group, thus guaranteeing them a medal if they cross the finish line."

A lack of participants was certainly not an issue in this meet with a turnout of 1051 athletes, the largest USATF National Masters in 7 years.   The events: 100m, 200m, 400m, and 800m are the mainstay and most popular of track events.  (Unlike say the W60 2000m steeplechase).    In order to verify the above claim of "only person in an age group below M70 to medal in these four events,"  a lot of research would have to be done.  It could be simplified by just looking to see how many people entered both the 100m and 800m.  That's exceedingly rare, I would expect, and a medal in both, plus the 400m and 200m... even less likely.  

I got a very nice text from my fellow M60 sprinter Jim C. from CA who congratulated me and said he's not seen a similar achievement in his 20 years in masters track.

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