Sacramento's World Masters Track & Field Championships Have Largest-Ever USA Team July 6-17, 1915 of 4804 Athletes From 93 Countries

INCLUDES OLYMPIANS AL JOYNER and WILLIE BANKS, JAZZ GREAT NOLAN SHAHEED (played lead for Count Basie, Dizzie Gillespie, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder), SULLIVAN FINALIST PHIL RASCHKER (only masters athlete in history in finals -- with Michael Phelps, LeBron James, Apolo Ohno), ED BURKE, 3-Time Olympian and 1984 Flagbearer

Most events at Hornet Stadium, Sacramento State University, Sacramento, CA

News provided by

USATF National Masters Media Committe and Robert Weiner Associates

Jul 01, 2011, 08:00 ET

SACRAMENTO, Calif., July 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The World Masters Athletics Championships to be held in Sacramento, CA July 6-17 -- the top worldwide competition for athletes 35+ in track and field -- have the largest USA team in history.

The USA team may have something of a group competition with the rest of the world, since the USA Team has 1915 athletes of the 4804 total from 93 countries; Canada is second with 215, and Great Britain third with 195.

USA stars and some persons of interest for media include Olympians Al Joyner, 51, Chula Vista, CA (1980 Olympic Gold medalist in triple jump, now a coach at the Olympic Training Center, and former triple gold medalist Florence Griffith Joyner (Flo-Jo)'s husband and coach), and triple gold medalist Jackie Joyner Kersee's sister; Willie Banks, 55, San Diego, CA, former world triple jump record holder and President of US Olympians; Jazz great and world champion runner Nolan Shaheed, M61, Pasadena, CA, who has played lead trumpet for Count Basie, Dizzie Gillespie, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye; Sullivan Finalist Philippa Raschker, 64, from Marietta, GA, the only masters athlete in history to be a finalist for the top overall US athlete with the likes of open stars Michael Phelps, LeBron James, and Apolo Ohno (and she's done it twice over the last decade because of her winning 10 and 7 gold medals at recent world masters championships and setting over 100 masters world records); and Ed Burke, 3-time Olympian (hammer throw) and the U.S. 1984 Flagbearer.

For interviews of US athletes or more information, contact USATF National Masters Media Chair Bob Weiner trackside or at cells 202-306-1200 or 202-329-1700 or [email protected] .

For information on the USA athletes at the meet including home towns and events, see http://www.weinerpublic.com/2011wma.txt

For overall meet information and event schedules, and event-age athlete listings, see the Sacramento Sports Commission (meet host) and WMA site at http://www.wma2011.com/en/home.htm

The USA has at least 22 current defending outdoor and indoor masters world champions participating in the meet (see chart below, thanks to USATF Masters Active Athletes Chair Mary Trotto). Many are multiple event winners who are expected to repeat.

According to the Sacramento Sports Commission and meet media director Bob Burns, the top Sacramento area entrants include:

Liz Palmer (Folsom, CA), who will be one of the favorites in the W50 sprints and hurdles;
Kevin Morning (Roseville, CA), a former world record holder in the M45 200 meters and double gold medalist at the 1997 and 2001 WMA Championships;
John Mansoor (El Dorado Hills, CA), the longtime race director of the California International Marathon who will compete in M55 distance events; and
Rod Jett (Sacramento, CA), a former Hiram Johnson High School and University of California hurdler who now coaches track at Jesuit High School.

CHART BELOW OF THE USA'S DEFENDING WORLD MASTERS CHAMPIONS ENTERED IN SACRAMENTO prepared by Mary Trotto, Chair, USATF Masters Active athletes Committee:

LIST OF USA ATHLETES WHO ARE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS FROM THE LAST WMA CHAMPIONSHIPS IN LAHTI, FINLAND 2009 AND THEIR PERFORMANCES AT OUR INDOOR AND OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS SINCE 2009 ALONG WITH THE WMA INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS IN KAMLOOPS (X = THEY DID NOT COMPETE OR NA = NO 1ST PLACE. THESE ARE ONLY 1ST PLACE PERFORMANCES. Women followed by Men.


age	Name and home town	Indoor 2011 Nationals	Kamloops WMA 2010	Indoor 2010 Nationals	Outdoor 2010 Nationals	WMA Lahti, Finland '09
35	Lisa Daley, White Plains, NY (note two age groups)	200,400,800m	200,400m	60,200,400m	200,400,400mH	400m, 400mH
40	Lisa Daley, White Plains, NY (Current age group)	200,400, 60mH	400	60,200,400m	200,400	200m
40	Lisa Valle, Albuquerque, NM	800, mile, 3000m				800,1500m, 2000SC
40	Charmaine Roberts, Beltsville, MD					400m
45	Renee Hendersen, Mechanicsburg, NJ	200,,LJ	X	60, 200, 400M	100,200M	100,200M
50	Martha Mendenall, Tacoma, WA	HJ	X	X	X	HJ
50	Carol Finsrud, Lockhart, TX	No 1st	X	X	X	Throws Pent.
55	Rita Hanscom San Diego, CA	200,60mH, Pent	HJ, PV, LJ	X	80mH, 300mH, LJ	80mH, LJ, 300mH, Hept., PV,
55	Linda Cohen, Northridge, CA	TJ.				JT
70	Becky Sisley, Eugene, Oregon	X	X	X	X	80mH, PV, Hept.
80	Johnnye Valien, LA, CA	LJ, WT	PV, LJ	X	HJ, PV, LJ, TJ, SP	PV, LJ, TJ
	Males
40	Mike Godbout, Glenwood, IA	X	X	X	X	110mH
40	Robert Thomas, Indianapolis, IN		200m	200m	200m	400m
50	Bruce McBarnette, Sterling, VA	HJ	HJ	HJ	HJ	HJ
50	Anselm LeBourne, Maplewood, NJ	X		800m	X	1500m
55	Michael Brown, Jacksonville, FL	X	X	X	Jav.	Jav.
65	Glenn Sasser, Hampstead, NC	X	X	SP	SP	SP
70	Sid Howard, Plainfield, NJ		800, 1500m	800, mile	800m	1500m
80	Gunnar Linde, Venice, CA	X	X	X	X	2000mSC

The following USA athletes did not compete at the 2009 World Championships in Lahti, but their performances for this past year are noteworthy. Placing 1st in the following Nationals.


age	Name and home town	2011 Indoors	Kamloops	Indoor 2010 Nationals	Outdoor 2010 Natl.	Lahti Finland
50	Oneithea Lewis, NY, NY	SP. WT, SWT	X	SP, WT, SWT	SP, HT, WT, THROW PENT.	X
55	Kathy Martin, Northport, NY	800, mile, 3000m	800,1500, 3000m	800,1500, 3000m	800, 1500, 5000,10000, 2000mSC	x
55	Kay Glynn, Hastings, IA	Competed pl.2nd	x	60mH,HJ,PV, LJ,TJ, HEPT.	HJ,PV, DECA	X
60	Phil Raschker, Marietta, GA	60mH, PV, LJ,TJ	200,400,60mH, PV,LJ, TJ,		80 & 300mH, 400, PV,LJ,TJ	x
65	Nadine O'Connor, Del Mar, CA	60mH, LJ, Pent.	X	X	200, 80mH, HJ,LJ, SP. DT	X
70	Carol Young, Marietta, GA	SP, WT, SWT		60,200,400,WT, SWT	WT,SWT, THROW PENT. ,	X
70	Carol Young, Northridge, ,,	SP,WT,SWT	X	X
70	Kathy Bergen, LaCanada, CA	HJ, 60m	X	60,200M, HJ,	100,200, HJ, DT	X
75	Chrystel Donley,	X	HJ, LJ, PENT	HJ, SP, HEPT	HJ,SP, JT, HEPT	X
75	Flo Mailer, Shelburne, VT	Pent. , PV, 60mH, HJ,	X	60mH, PV, LJ, TJ	80mH, 200mH, PV. DT, HT	X
75	Audry Lary, Fredricks, MD	LJ, TJ SWT	X	60.200,400,	LJ.TJ	X
95	Betty Jarvis, Alberdeen, NC	SP,WT	X	SP,WT, SWT	WT, SWT, THROW PENT	X
35	Alfee Pettes	X	60,200m, LJ	60m, LJ	LJ	X
40	Nick Berra, Enola PA
50	Mike Wallar, Fed Way, WA		60,200,400m	X	400m	X
60	Bill Collins Houston, TX	200, 400m	60,200,400m	60,200,400m	100, 400m	X
60	Nolan Shaheed, Pasadena	800,mile, 3000m	X	800, mile, 3000m	800, 1500m	X
60	Charlie Allie Pittsburgh, PA	X	X	60,200, 400m	100,200,400m	x
65	John Altendorf Corvalls, OR	X	PV		PV	X
95	Leland McPhie, SD, CA	TJ, SP, WT, SWT.	X	60M,HJ,LJ,TJ, SP, WT, SWT	100M, HJ, LJ,TJ, SP, WT, SWT.	X

Other notable names: Olympians Ed Burke is a world class thrower and Willie Banks a jumper -- see text

NOTE -- OLDEST known record holders entered in Sac to date: Leland McPhie and Betty Jarvis

Charts prepared by Mary Trotto, Chair, USATF Masters Active Athletes Committee

Media contacts:
USA Team Athlete Media and interviews: Bob Weiner, USATF National Masters Media Chair -- trackside or 202-306-1200 or 202-329-1700 [email protected].
Sacramento Sports Commission, overall meet, and media credentials: Bob Burns 916-802-5841

Contact: Bob Weiner, USA Masters Track Media Chair, or Khurram Abbas
301-283-0821 or cells 202-306-1200 and 202-329-1700; [email protected]

SOURCE USATF National Masters Media Committe and Robert Weiner Associates