Posted: August 4, 2007

Athletics: Michelson, Madison, Dussett shine at USA Masters Outdoor Championships

ORONO, MAINE - The warm weather and windy conditions were again the biggest issue during day two of the USA Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships here Friday on the campus of the University of Maine. More than 1,100 athletes ages 30 to 95+ are in Orono competing in the national championships. The USA Masters Championships continue through Sunday. While she admitted the weather had its affect on her, it didn't stop Marie-Lousie Michelson (Stony Brook, N.Y.) from claiming her eighth overall World Record Friday. Her time of 9 minutes 9.25 seconds is the fastest ever run in the W65 2,000m steeplechase. "I love it," Michelson said of the world mark. "And I really like the steeplechase. It's just fun." Michelson also owns world records in indoor competition in the 1,500m, mile, and the 3,000m. That trio goes along with her bests in the mile, 3,000m, 5,000m, 10,000m and the steeplechase outdoors. "I love everything about track except for the warm down," she said. "I hope I can do it until I drop." In terms of the temperatures which neared 90-degrees at race time, Michelson said she likely could have run around 8:50 in the steeplechase under better conditions. "I lost four minutes in a 10,000 once because of the weather," she concluded. The heat and wind didn't seem to bother 91-year-old Bob Madison (Bennington, Ver.) as he claimed first place in the M90 400m dash. Madison, the youngest competitor in the event, finished ahead of 93-year-old Max Springer (Knoxville, Tenn.) in a time of 1:56.12. "For my physical well-being, my mental well-being and it gives me a little recognition as well," Madison said when asked what keeps him going. Madison estimated he has been competing in track and field for the past 20 to 25 years; ever since his daughter challenged him to take up running. How long does he intend to do it? "That's in God's eyes I guess," he said. Madison will also compete in the 200m, 800m and in the 1,500m this weekend in Orono. The fastest respective time turned in Friday belonged to Antwon Dussett (Peoria, Ill.) in the M30 400m dash. His time of 48.21 was a little slower than the meet record of 46.98 he ran one year ago at the Masters Outdoor Championships in Charlotte, N.C. "It would be a 46," Dussett said about what he thought the time could have been in better conditions. "I wasn't expecting the wind to be so strong. And the other guys really pushed me hard on the backstretch. I just thank God that I was able to finish strong." The M30 400m was likely the most anticipated race of the day and Dorian Green (Lorain, Ohio) also broke the 50-second barrier to finish second in 49.53. "Sometimes it gets to be a bit of pressure," Dussett said about the race receiving consistent attention from the announcer. "But you have to remember it is more than just you out there." Dussett will attempt to win four individual championships in Orono. Finals of the 100m dash and the 800m run are Saturday with the 200m dash being run Sunday. Winners in the women's 5,000m race walk were Rebecca Garson of Afton, Va., (W40, 29:31.49), Maryanne Daniel of Clinton, Conn., (W45, 28:43.18), Debbie Topham of Mayville, Mich., (W50, 29:20.58), Panseluta Geer of Hazlet, N.J., (W60, 31:17.73), Lynn Tracy of Racine, Wisc., (W55, 28:57.29), Louise Walters of Foresthill, Calif., (W65, 31:57.91), Essie Faria of Miami, Fla., (W70, 37:44.17), Miriam Gordon of Hollywood, Fla., (W80, 40:55.99). Winners in the men's high jump were James Barrineau of Burke, Va., (M50, 1.75m/05-09.00), Milan Jamrich of Houston, Texas, (M55, 1.70m/5-07.00), David Montieth of Ridgefield, Conn., (M60, 1.60m/5-05.25), Emil Pawlik of Jackson, Miss., (M65, 1.48m/4-10.25), Tom Langenfield of Edina, Minn., (M70, 1.43m/4-08.25), Richard Lowery of Spring Hill, Fla., (M75, 1.32m/4-04.00), Denver Smith of Louisville, Ohio, (M80, 1.15m/3-09.25), Ralph Maxwell of Alamo, Texas, (M85, 1.10m/3-07.25). Winners in the women's long jump were Carol LaFayette-Boyd of Regina, Sask., (W65, 3.85m/12-07.50), Barbara Jordan of South Burlington, Vert., (W70, 3.30m/10-10.0), Gloria Krug of New Oxford, Penn., (2.38m/7-09.75), Ann McGowen of Providence, R.I., (W80, 1.86m/6-01.25). Winners in the women's long jump were Gretchen Henrickson of Saltillo, Miss., (W30, 5.01m/16-05.25), Laura Barre of West Lebanon, N.H., (W35, 5.25m/17-02.75), Tracey Singleton of Upper Marlboro, Md., W40, (5.11m/16-09.00), Kay Glynn of Hastings, Iowa, (W50, 4.62m/15-01.75), Linda Lowery of Decatur, Ga., (W55, 4.26m/13-11.75), Winners in the men's long jump were Ty Brown of Washington, D.C., (M60, 4.84m/15-10.50), William Daprano of Fayetteville, Ga., (M80, 3.37m/11-00.75), Edwin Lukens of Skaneateles, N.Y., (M85, 3.46m/11-04.25), Max Springer of Knoxville, Tenn., (M90, 1.60m/5-03.00). Winners in the women's discus were Wanda Johnson of Tampa, Fla., (W35, 35.90m/117-09.50), Lesley Duncan of Warren, N.J., (W40, 28.59m/93-09.50), Carol Finsrud of Lockhart, Texas, (W50, 42.96m/140-11.25), Mary Hartzler of Gahanna, Ohio, (W55, 28.28/92-09.25), Lorraine Tucker of San Jose, Calif., (W60, 24.25m/79-06.75), Joan Berman of Ann Arbor, Mich., (W70, 18.74m/61-05.75), Carol Young of West Hartford, Conn., (W65, 21.80m/71-06.25), Gloria Krug of New Oxford, Penn., (W75, 16.46m/54-00.0) Bernice Holland of Cleveland, Ohio, (W80, 17.32m/56-10.00), Olga Koew of West Vancouver (W85, 15.35m/50-04.25). Winners in the men's discus were Thomas Bouber of Rochester, N.Y. (M30, 36.80m/120-09.00), Michael DeMarte of Huntersville, N.C. (M35, 45.54m/149-05.00), Warren Taylor of Columbia, Pen.., (M45, 42.12m/138-02.25), Jay McKeen of Mays Landing, N.J., (M50, 44.21m/145-00.0), Thomas Fahey of Chico, Calif., (M55, 50.04m/164-02.0). Winners in the men's race walk were Edward Parrot of Tampa, Fla., (M35, 25:10.88), Edgardo Rodriquez of Gotha, Fla., (M40, 27:29.34), Donald Lawrence of Albany, N.Y., (M45, 26:24.17), Klaus Thiedmann of Chicago, Ill., (M50, 26:43.74), Michael Wiggins of Hawarden, Iowa, (M55, 25:56.37), Leon Jasionowski of East China, Mich., (M60, 26:40.93), Paul Johnson of Fort Smith, Ariz., (M65, 29:57.64), Jack Bray of Greenbrae, Calif., (M70, 29:51.25), John Starr of Newark, Del., (M75, 32:45.82), Marvin Goldenberg of Palm Beach, Fla., (M80, 34:42.49), John Levinsohn of Greenbrae, Calif., (M85, 45:54.75). Winners in the men's discus were Glenn Thompson of Harrisburg, Va., (M40, 50.50m/165-08.25), Bill Hiney of Southold, N.Y., (M60, 49.72m/163-01.50), Larry Pratt of Newark Dele., (M65, 46.68m/153-02), Phillip Brusca of Maryland Heights, Md., (M80, 29.48m/96-09), David Schlothauer of Westport, Mass., (M85, 19.77m/64-10), Champion Goldy of Haddonfield, N.J., (19.00m/62-04). Winners in the women's long jump were Veronica Amarasekara of Fontana, Calif., (W45, 5.06m/16-07.25), Phil Raschker of Marietta, Ga., (W60, 4.65m/15-03.0). Winners in the women's 2,000m steeplechase were Jacqueline Concaugh of Burke, Va., (W30, 7:21.30), Gina Witcher of Youngsville, N.C., (W35, 7:41.11), Marisa Hanson of Pleasant Valley (7:40.41), Caren Ware of Twin Peaks, Cailf., (W45, 9:02.84), Denise Janneck of Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., (W50, 9:44.74), Ashley Childs of Royal Oak, Md., (W55, 10:54.12), Mary Trotto of Kihei, HI, (W60, 11:40.54). Winners in the men's 2,000m steeplechase were Robert Barber of Loudon, Tenn., (M60, 7:39.78), Joe Cordero of Islip Terrace, N.Y., (M65, 9:00.01), Thomas Butterfield, Windsor, Conn., (M70, 9:30.00), George Freeman of Cobleskill, N.Y., (M75, 11:39.62). Winners in the men's 3,000m steeplechase were Clint Santoro of Surprize, Ariz., (M30, 10:59.23), Edward Parrot of Tampa, Fla., (M35, 12:19.62), Christopher Yorges of Eugene, Ore., (M40, 10:42.37), Michael Fussell of Cumming, Ga., (M45, 11:03.72), Daniel Dillon of New London, Conn., (M50, 10:59.14), Mark Weeks of Colorado Springs, Colo., (M55, 12:25.06). Winners in the men's long jump were Robert Paulen of Silver Spring, Md., (M70, 4.21m/13-09.75), James Stookey of Dickerson, Md., (M75, 4.01m/13-01.75). Winners in the women's 400m dash were Dionne Bruff of Houston, Texas, (W35, 1:00.01), Charmaine Roberts of Beltsville, Md., (W40, 1:01.42), Jai Black of San Diego, Calif., (W45, 1:02.61), Karla Del Grande of Toronto (W50, 1:05.97), Catherine Nicoletti of Nederland, Colo., (W55, 1:10.83), Phil Raschker of Marietta, Ga., (W60, 1:10.33), Marg Radcliffe of Lake Cowichan (W65, 1:31.25), Joyce Hodges-Hite of Mille, Ga., (W70, 1:59.04), Patricia Peterson of Albany, N.Y., (W80, 1:58.70). Winners in the men's 400m dash were Chris Grant of Austin, Texas, (M35, 50.72), Khalid Mulazim of Lyndhurst, Ohio, (M40, 50.93), Saladin Allah of Piscataway, N.J., (M45, 50.96), Ben James of Honeoye Falls, N.Y., (M50, 54.14), Bill Collins of Houston, Texas, (M55, 54.04), Roger Pierce of Essex, Mass., (M60, 1:02.17), Mack Stewart of Katy, Texas, (M65, 1:04.42), Robert Lida of Wichita, Kan., (M70, 1:02.39), Earl Fee of Mississauga, On., (1:10.01), Raoul Rodriques of Milldale, Conn., (M83, 1:43.75), John Means of Richmond Hts, Ohio, (M85, 1:31.19). Winners in the women's short hurdles were Susan Wiemer of Freeport, Maine, (W40, 14.54), Liz Palmer of Folsom, Calif., (W45, 13.29), Irene Thompson of Syracuse, N.Y. (W50, 14.48), Rhona Trott of Hamilton, ON, (W55, 14.95), Phil Raschker of Marietta, Ga., (W60, 13.56), Becky Sisley of Eugene, Ore., (W65, 17.77), Barbara Jordan of South Burlington, Ver., (W70, 17.92). Winners in the men's short hurdles were Michael Jackson of Red Lion, Penn., (M30, 16.58), Don Drummond of Fresno, Tex., (M35, 15.00), David Ashford of Wheeling, Ill., (M40, 15.55), Robert Stanley of Naperville, Ill., (M45, 16.39), Joe Johnston of Apopka, Fla., (M60, 17.00), Bob Osterhoudt of Sun City, Ariz., (M65, 18.46), Robert Paulen of Silver Springs, Md., (M70, 14.28), James Stookey of Dickerson, Md., (M75, 16.07), Denver Smith of Louisville, Ohio, (M80, 16.98), Ralph Maxwell of Alamo, Texas, (M85, 20.00). Competition continues Saturday at 7:30 a.m. starting with the women's 10,000m finals. For more information on the 2007 USA Masters Outdoor Track and Field Championships, including live scoring and webcast, visit USATF.org. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest