Barbara Kousky followed Jerry Donley as TAC national masters chair in the 1980s.

Obituaries December 20, 2018

Barbara Kousky dies at 77; former national masters chair helped organize 1989 Eugene worlds

Former national masters chair Barbara Kousky has died at age 77, according to a spokesman for the Prefontaine Classic. Jeff Oliver, spokesman for the Diamond League meet in Eugene, Oregon, where Kousky once lived and partnered with meet director Tom Jordan, said Thursday: “Barbara sadly passed away last weekend. No funeral or memorial arrangements have been made as of yet.” Kousky — pronounced COW-ski — headed masters track under The Athletics Congress (TAC), which later became USA Track & Field. In 1990, she was named winner of the David Pain Award for Distinguished Service to the sport. Kousky and Jordan,…

Dan Bulkley, near reaching the finish line of life, wore the colors of Southern Oregon University, where he coached.

Obituaries December 18, 2018

Dan Bulkley dies at 101; Masters Hall of Famer made mark in hurdles — and love of many sports

Dan Bulkley died a winner. Even better, he was a player — someone who competed in track (and other sports) just for the joy of it. As his local Oregon paper reported Monday: “Bulkley, a famous masters athlete and pioneer of [Southern Oregon University’s] physical education programs and Mt. Ashland Ski Area, died Sunday evening. The Phoenix resident was 101 and, said his daughter, Dani, of Bend, ‘His philosophy was that the less you do, the less you do — and the more you do, the more you do.’ His secret was to keep moving. He fractured his back a…

Sadao Tabira left Malaga with three silvers medals at M85 distances, but also DNS 14 times in the final results.

International December 17, 2018

M85 Japanese medalist at Malaga: DNS, DNS, DNS, DNS, DNS, DNS, DNS, DNS, DNS, DNS, DNS, DNS, DNS, DNS

A few days before Malaga worlds, I went bonkers over Japanese entrant Sadao Tabira. I learned he was entered in 17 (seventeen, diecisiete, hiragana) events, including the decathlon. And he’s 85! So how did he do? Uhm. The question is how did he not do. He took silver in the 5000 (34:53.87), 10K road run (1:35:21) and 6K cross country (46:00). The rest? DNS. Did not start. Sigh. As noted originally, Sadao is a survivor of the Nagasaki atomic bomb “Fat Man.” So I can’t stay mad. He’s paid his life dues. But he probably paid hundreds of dollars more…

International December 15, 2018

Sierra Leone offers first masters meet for ‘the aged’ — helping unify nation after tense election

An African newspaper reveals another reason to embrace masters track: It helps unify a nation after a contentious election. At least in Sierra Leone. Says Awoko: “The aim of this year’s masters sports is to provide recreation for the aged and also bring the community together after all the political tension of the recent election.” According to Awoko: The President of Sports for Health, Unisa D. Kargbo, said they are going to organize the first edition of a Masters Athletics Sport meet in Masiaka on the 14-15 of this month. He said Sports for Health is a community-based organization whose…

Mark Muttai, with a history of elite marks, could threaten M40 WR at 400 in Poland.

International December 13, 2018

Tale of 2 Kenyans: One claims bogus mark, another could be WR-setter at Torun indoor worlds

In 2012, Anselm LeBourne again broke the 2-minute barrier when he ran a still-listed M50 indoor world record for 800 meters at the Boston Terrier Classic. The listed M50 outdoor WR is 1:58.65 by Nolan Shaheed in 2000. So when my California friend Matt B saw the entry list at Torun 2019 indoor worlds, he was incredulous. Kenya’s Robert Langat claims a time of 1:56.80 in the M50 800. Robert is listed in IAAF — as a 30-year-old distance runner (with a 2014 marathon PR of 2:13:49). But he doesn’t show up in mastersrankings.com. The M50 Langat also gave a…

Phil Greenwald (inset, shown in Malaga) will direct 2021 indoor nationals at the new home of the Millrose Games.

General December 9, 2018

Phil Greenwald named meet director of 2021 USATF masters indoor nationals at Armory Track

Upon learning that the Armory track in New York City was the likely (and only) choice for 2021 indoor nationals, I wrote to Jonathan Schindel, who presented the bid at Columbus. Jonathan is co-president and CFO of the Armory Foundation. He graciously responded, informing me that the nationals are set for March 19-21, 2021, and “our goal would be to keep entry fees as close as possible to current / then-current entry fees.” But the biggest news is that Phil Greenwald, known mainly as USA team manager (stadia) at WMA worlds the past umpteen years, will serve as meet director….

M55 webmaster John Seto was a weight throw specialist,

Rants December 8, 2018

Special Report: John Seto’s mastersrankings.com raised $244,000 in 3 years, still got USATF grants

An argument can be made that John Seto has done more to turbocharge masters track than anyone since David Pain ran his Johnny Appleseed track tours of Europe and Oceania in the 1970s and Al Sheahen spotlighted the sport via National Masters News. After growing his site, mastersrankings.com, for a decade, John won our highest honor a year ago — induction into the USATF Masters Hall of Fame. John wasn’t coy about his commitment, saying he worked 10-12 hours a day. He wasn’t shy about asking for donations, either. And in July 2015, he won nonprofit OK from the IRS….

Carroll DeWeese, shown at 2009 Lahti worlds, is our treasurer and newly minted WMA delegate.

General December 7, 2018

Here’s how USATF Masters T&F Committee is allocating its dollars — budget of $258,000

Carroll DeWeese, treasurer of the USATF Masters Track & Field Committee, has graciously shared our budget for 2019, adopted at the recent Columbus annual meeting. He sent it as an Excel file, and I also made a PDF version. So view either way. Carroll wrote me: Note that it is not a budget in the traditional sense. It is actually pre-approved spending limits for different areas of responsibility. The total is actually greater than the funds being provided to MTF by USATF. MTF knows that everyone will not spend all their approved funds and the total spending will be less…

Kerry Sloan, in front during a pentathlon 1500 at 2011 Berea nationals, faces serious charge involving a 17-year-old girl.

General December 5, 2018

Kerry Sloan faces 10-to-life sentence in rape case — with federal trial set for April 15, 2019

Three months ago, I reported how M55 hurdler Kerry Sloan had been arrested on rape charges on the way to Malaga worlds — seized at a Texas airport on the way to London. I tracked the case for a few days and then let it slide. Wednesday, a USATF notice brought Kerry to my attention again: Please be advised that it has come to USATF’s attention that the following individual has been deemed ineligible by the U.S. Center for SafeSport (www.safesport.org). KERRY SLOAN (Harker Heights, TX) – INELIGIBLE (SUBJECT TO APPEAL/NOT YET FINAL) Accordingly, this individual is prohibited from participating,…

Josh Robbins showed off national meet hardware. He rook silvers in Spokane in the M40 100 and pentathlon.

General December 4, 2018

Speedy Josh Robbins of Arizona quick to embrace masters track, share stories via video

M40 national-sprinter Josh Robbins is so geeked out on masters track he’s started posting videos promoting our niche on Facebook and YouTube. He’s based in Arizona, but his work is an example for USATF associations and clubs nationwide. I was so taken by his professionalism, I shot him a note. He graciously replied to my quickie Q&A. Masterstrack.blog: Where in Arizona do you live? What’s your line of work? Josh Robbins: Gilbert, Arizona. I am a full-time parent (two daughters, Jaya and Maya. Ages 6 and 3) and married 11 years. I worked as a freelance videographer from 1999-2012 (PA/NY/CA/AZ)….