Greetings, all: Of all the masters world records on the books, the oldest seemed the most otherworldly -- the 14.4 hand-timed mark for 120-yard high hurdles by Don Finlay of Britain set back in 1949. The mark was set over Olympic-style 42-inch barriers. And since over-40 athletes rarely compete at 42 inches (the WAVA/USATF standard is 39 inches), Finlay's record was considered good for eternity. Now comes word from Peter Matthews of Britain that a five-time Olympian, Carlos Sala of Spain, has shattered this hallowed time with a 14.16 automatic performance on August 16, 2000, at Castellón. Sala was born March 20, 1960, and his M40 mark (set with 0.7 mps legal wind) also was good enough to demolish Stan Druckrey's world masters record for 110m (39-inch) hurdles as well! Druckrey, a Wisconsin resident who once competed in the USA Olympic Trials, ran 14.24 on July 30, 1989. In fact, Sala broke the old Finlay record three times in 2000, adding: 14.29 +0.4 4 Gavá May 28, 2000 14.21 0.0 6 Majadahonda June 28, 2000 Later, he also ran 14.19 and 14.13 (windy?) at Castellón on August 23, reports Matthews. Sala was fifth in the Spanish (open) Champs with 14.22 into a 0.4 mps wind. Matthews, editor of International Athletics Annual, shared his profile of Sala, who has a 13.44 all-time PR from 1987: Carlos SALA Molera b. 20 Mar 1960 Barcelona 1.87m 76kg Larios. At 110mh: OG: ¹80- sf, ¹84- 7, ¹88- sf, ¹92- qf, ¹96- h; WCh: ¹87- 6, ¹91- h, ¹95- h; EC: ¹86- 3, ¹90- sf; EJ: ¹79- 5; ECp: ¹89- 6, ¹91- 1B, ¹93- 8. Spanish champion 1986, 1988-93. At 60mh: EI: ¹88- 3. Three World veterans 110mh records 2000. Progression at 110mh: 1978- 14.7, 1979- 14.23/13.8w, 1980- 13.84, 1981- 13.90, 1982- 13.93, 1983- 13.64/13.55w, 1984- 13.56, 1985- 13.62/13.4, 1986- 13.50, 1987- 13.44, 1988- 13.67w/13.69, 1989- 13.61/13.5, 1990- 13.61, 1991- 13.64, 1992- 13.62, 1993- 13.91, 1994- 14.14, 1995- 13.81, 1996- 13.73A/13.75, 1997- 14.18/14.01w, 1998- 13.98/13.88w, 2000- 14.16. pbs: 200m 21.43 ¹85, 60mh 7.66i ¹88, 200mh 22.96 ¹87. "He is a case of a good athlete who has continued to compete into veterans years - no doubt vets marks will be smashed as and when more do so," Matthews writes. But wait! The news continues. World M40 and W40 records also were set in the 400-meter hurdles this past year, Peter writes: Antônio Eusébio Dias Ferreira of Brazil (born March 2, 1960) ran the long hurdles in 52.62 at Rio de Janeiro on July 23, 2000, lowering the previous over-40 best of 52.76 by American James King in Eugene on 8/3/89. And Maria José dos Santos (born September 12, 1959) of Brazil became the first women over 40 to crack 60 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles with her 58.88 at Americana on June 3, 2000. That mark demolished the previous record of 62.08 by Spain's Maria Sangous (born Jan 8, 1955) at Pontevedra on June 22, 1995. Other vets records set in 2000 were far better known, coming at the Olympics or meets leading up to them: W35: 5000m 14:45.35 Regina Jacobs (8/28/63) USA Sacramento 7/21/00 W35: 20km walk 1:25:59 Tamara Kovalenko (4/25/64) RUS Moscow 5/19/00 W35: Long jump 6.99 (22-9) Heike Daute-Drechsler (12/16/64) GER Sydney 9/29/00 W35: Shot put 21.46 (70-4 3/4) Larisa Peleshenko (2/29/64) RUS Moscow 8/26/00 W40: 100m 10.99 Merlene Ottey (5/10/60) JAM Thessaloniki 8/30/00 (Merlene did not run a 200m in 2000.) Matthews commented on my amazement that I hadn't heard of these fantastic performances, writing me: "Just shows that most top over-40 marks do not get onto the 'Masters/Veterans' news circuit. Because of course they are done in meetings open to all ages." In a year where most observers thought Olympian Johnny Gray would finally stun the 800m record (but didn't), these lesser-known European and South American stars shined far greater in the vets firmament. I have no idea whether they're even aware that they've set world veterans records. I urge the World Association of Veteran Athletes to consider these marks for official WAVA records -- and give these athletes the recognition that they are due. Ken Stone http://www.masterstrack.com
