Posted: October 10, 2005

Athletics: News & Notes, Volume 6, Number 78

Sharp, Moore win USA 5 km race walk titles

Ray Sharp and Jolene Moore were the overall men's and women's champions respectively Saturday at the 2005 USA 5 km Race Walk Championships in Kingsport, Tenn.

The 45-year-old Sharp finished the course in 22 minutes, 34 seconds in winning the open division and 45-49 masters age-group titles. It marked the fourth time that he's won this event. "I won it in 1980, '81 and '88," Sharp told the Kingsport Times-News. "This is my first time back since so I'm glad I was able to win it again."

The men's runner-up was Mathew De Whitt (25), who finished the course in 23 minutes, 22 seconds.

Moore, 39, dominated the women's field, finishing in 24:00 - just two seconds off Bobbi Chapman's course record, set last year. "I'm just beginning my season so I basically just wanted to win," Moore said. "This was a great way to start."

Lynn Tracy, 53, was the women's runner-up in 27 minutes, 21 seconds.

For more information on the 2005 USA 5 km Race Walk Championships, including the complete results, visit www.usatf.org.

Shot putter Terry Albritton dies

Former world shot put record holder Terry Albritton died September 1 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. He was 50.

Known as a free-spirit, Albritton set the men's shot put world record at the age of 21 when he threw 21.85 meters/71 feet, 8.50 inches at an all-comers meet in Honolulu.

In addition to winning the NCAA Outdoor shot put title in 1977 and indoor crown in 1976, Albritton won national outdoor shot put titles in 1976 and 1977. The national indoor champion in 1974 and 1976, Albritton won the bronze medal at the 1975 Pan American Games.

Albritton entered Stanford in 1973 on a football scholarship, where he also competed in track. He eventually gave up football and sat out a year before enrolling at the University of Hawaii. He set the shot put world record a few months prior to the school dropping track and field. He later enrolled back at Stanford, where he graduated in 1977. He is a member of Stanford's athletic Hall of Fame.

1976 Olympic discus throw gold medalist Mac Wilkins spoke with the San Francisco Chronicle about Albritton. "Terry was a creative, different-thinking type of guy and I appreciated that," he said. He was easy-going and he was real accepting of everybody. There's another side of him that reminds me of Uncle Duke in Donnesbury. He smoked and he was always scheming about things. Uncle Duke is a take-off on Hunter S. Thompson. That comes from his creative background."

The cause of Albritton's death is unclear. According to the San Francisco Chronicle one story claimed that a heart attack was the cause, while the Cambodian government listed asthma.

Albritton is survived by sons Shane and Thomas, sisters Lorelei Davies and Marla Ramirez Albritton, a grandson and nephew.