Earl Fee

At 90, Earl Fee thinks he'll remain the oldest man to beat his age in the 400-meter dash.

Records July 31, 2019

Sprinters in 90s honor David Pain’s birthday with world records at 400 meters

Wednesday would have been David Pain’s 97th birthday, and I’m marking the occasion by posting video of his funeral I shot April 6, 2019, at Faith Presbyterian Church in San Diego. Earl Fee, Diane Hoffman and Diane Friedman didn’t attend — but their latest ninety-something world record performances in the 400-meter dash are a virtual memorial to the founder of masters track. At Toronto WMA regionals July 19, Earl notched his 60th world age-group record, clocking 89.15 in the 400 at age 90 — and becoming the oldest to beat his age over the one-lap race. “In all probability I…

Records June 24, 2019

WRs fall to M90 Earl Fee (800), W55 Anne Gilshinan (1500 again) and W50 Irie Hill (pole vault)

In his new biography, Earl Fee said his goal, after turning 90, was to raise his world records count to 60. He had 56 age-group WRs when he wrote that. Don’t look now, but he’s at 59. After setting M90 indoor WRs in March in the 400 and 800, he crushed the listed M90 WR in the outdoor 800 on Sunday at the site of 2019 WMA regionals and 2020 worlds. On Facebook, Earl said: “Had some good fortune today at the Ontario Masters Championships at Varsity Stadium today, lowering the outdoor world record 800m in age group 90-94 by…

Records March 25, 2019

Earl ‘The Great’ Fee steals thunder from Torun worlds with M90 WRs at 400, 800 in Iowa

We interrupt Torun coverage (elsewhere) to bring you this important announcement: Earl Fee is back! In the record books. A day after turning 90, The Great One set two M90 indoor world records at a meet in Grinnell, Iowa. Five years ago, the Canadian legend set an M85 indoor 800 WR at Budapest worlds. So this was no surprise. But why isn’t he in Poland? He says he missed the entry deadline. At a USATF Iowa meet over the weekend, he burned a 400 in 1:30.76, obliterating the listed WR of M 90 1:46.78 by barrel-chested Ugo Sansonetti of Italy…

Barrie Kernaghan (left) and Norm Richards are longtime rivals and teammates.

International May 17, 2018

4 decades as friends and rivals: Aussie sprinters Kernaghan and Richards

I tell newcomers to our niche that a major joy is joining a traveling tribe. The High Jump Tribe. The Throwers Tribe. The Hurdles Tribe. We hold reunions at nationals and worlds. Now comes a story Down Under by Laura Pond of Stirling Times — a tale of the Sprint Tribe. “Masters athletes Norm Richards (80) and Barrie Kernaghan (78) have enjoyed a friendly rivalry for nearly 40 years,” Laura writes. “Mr. Richards, of Woodlands, and Karrinyup resident Mr. Kernaghan competed at the recent Australian Masters Athletics Championships at the WA Athletics Stadium, achieving 12 medals between them.” Barrie says:…

M85 legend Earl Fee overcomes all kind of hurdles, including a botched surgery.

General May 15, 2018

Earl Fee’s great scare — items dropped into his eye during cataract surgery

Our Ontario friend Earl Fee — the scholar and poet with countless world titles and dozens of world records — will compete at Malaga worlds this fall at 89. He’ll be the favorite to win most events he enters, usually including hurdles, sprints and perhaps the 800. But even Earl has challenges (besides age). He described his latest in a scary Facebook post eight days ago. He told of a cataract operation gone horribly wrong — “two dropped items at bottom inside [of] my eye — a very rare problem.” He says: an “urgent second operation two days later to…