USATF

2020 Olympic Trials masters exhibitions where? USATF not sure

USATF is sweating bullets over whether anyone will bid for the 2020 Olympic Trials — important for masters because we get some exhibitions and major attention. As I reported a couple week ago, Mt. SAC lost the Trials gig because of a lawsuit cloud over it stadium project. But I also learned that Mt. SAC and USATF both had reason to be red-faced — the Walnut school for not informing Indy about pending lawsuits until two months after it won the meet and USATF for not checking court records. As my Times of San Diego story noted, USATF Deputy General…


George Kleeman dies at 77; USATF technical official at many WMA meets

George Kleeman was a superstar in his field — officiating track meets on the national and international stage. When he died April 22 at 77, a week after a major heart attack, he deserved his kudos. Services were Monday in Pleasant Hill, California. Among his dozens of major meets — USATF masters national in 1993, 1995 and 1997 and world masters meets in 1985, 1989, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2011. “Many recognize Kleeman’s numerous contributions to national and association events and committees over the past three decades, but he was also an accomplished distance runner in the 1960s-70s…


USATF notes Kirsten O’Hara-Leetch 10K AR — after a little nudge

A couple days after Kirsten O’Hara-Leetch set a W50 American record in the track 10K (the only one that counts), I posted the news as part of a Mt. SAC Relays roundup. Per custom, I shot a note to USATF communications to let them know. Sometimes my suggestions get Athlete of the Week recognition. But days passed, and USATF didn’t announce a winner. Finally, today (almost a week after AoWs are typically posted), I wrote my Indy contact: Did you pick an AoW? The answer: “Yes, we did! Posting got lost with all the Penn/Drake business but it is up…