World Masters Games Athletics Sydney 2009
Over 70 Years and Over 80 Years 100m and 200m Sprint Results Records
Oct 16, 2009
Although the number of entrants in the older age groups was limited, onlookers were impressed by the abilities of all the masters’ sprinters. New Zealand Masters Athletes and Canadian Masters Athletes ran record times in Sydney compared with their previous country Masters Athletics Organisation records. Faster times and new records appear to be a certainty for future years in the over 70s and over 80s female age categories.
Womens 75-79 Years 100m
Margaret Peters (75-79) holds records in the 100m and 200m in her home country New Zealand and took out first place for the sprint double in Sydney’s World Masters Games athletics events.
Her winning 100m time of 16.03 seconds will be a new record for the New Zealand Masters Athletics Organisation, breaking her own previous record of 16.70 seconds set earlier this year. This is also just 0.12 seconds outside Germany’s Paula Schneiderhan’s 12 year World Masters Athletics record of 15.91 seconds but faster than Ann Cooper’s Australian women’s (75-79) masters’ record time of 16.09 seconds.
Womens 75-79 Years 200m
Margaret’s 200m time of 36.42 seconds is not quite as fast as her current record of 35.53 seconds held in New Zealand but was a convincing win over South Africa’s Veronica Welgemoed’s 40.53 seconds. Australia’s Elvire Asprey was third in 45.08 seconds.
Japan team members Midori Yamamoto (75-79) and Fumiko Yamaguchi ran second and fifth respectively in the 100m with very respectable times of 18.12 and 20.04 seconds.
Womens 70-74 Years 100m
There was a full field of great international strength in the women’s 70-74 age category. United States’ Elsbeth Padia won the 100m in 16.9 seconds from fellow team mate Joyce Trader (17.25 seconds). Japan’s Miyoko Miyamae was third in 17.39. The current American record for 100m in this category is 15.57 seconds held by Irene Obera, and the World masters record of 15.16 seconds is still held by Margaret Peters.
Womens 70-74 Years 200m
Canadian, Diane Palmason (71) won gold in the 200m in 35.17, outside her own Canadian record of 34.25 set in 2008 and 3 seconds slower than Margaret Peters’ world record of 31.45 seconds set in 2004. Jeanne Daprano (73) of United States was second in 36.57 and Australia’s Corinne Collins (73) took third place in 36.92 seconds.
Womens 80-84 Years 200m
New Zealand’s Marcia Petley (80) won gold in the 80-84 200m with a time of 47.31 seconds. Although it is 7 seconds slower than the world record for this category held by Japan’s Morita Mitsu of 40.78 seconds, set in 2003, Marcia has run faster than the current New Zealand Master’s 12 year old record by more than 3 seconds.
Second place went to Mavis Hutchison (84) from South Africa in 49.46 seconds. Mavis is also a record holder in her own country for this age group with a time of 45.46 seconds set in 2006. Australian’s Gwendoline Gleeson and Jean Ritter were placed third (52.20) and forth (1:01:15) respectively.
Womens 85-89 Years 100m and Womens 90-94 Years 100m
There was only 1 starter in each of the 100m events for the 85-89 and 90-94 categories. Norma Creais (85-89) from Australia ran in 24.01 and Canada’s Olga Kotelko (90-94) was marginally faster at 23.95 seconds which was not far off Sweden’s Nora Wedemo 2003 world record of 23.18 seconds. Olga still holds the 85-89 years 100m record for Canadian Masters Athletics of 21.83 seconds set in 2004. The previous 7 year old Canadian record for 90-94 years 100m was 47.84 seconds and was held by Ivy Granstrom which Olga has convincingly broken.
So despite a lack of numbers, it is evident that with more numbers of athletes continuing their running careers into the older age groups, competitiveness is improving over time and new records are being set regularly at all levels of competition from state to international standards.
The speed and commitment of international runners in the over 70s categories will certainly be shaken up over the next 2 decades as the big fields from the over 50s and over 60s continue in their running careers.
See also results for 10km road race and 8km cross country from a promoter of all sports,all ages. Pictures below from left to right are of Margaret Peters and Olga Kotelko.
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