LISLE, Ill. -- While temperatures in the mid-90s greeted the nation's top masters athletes Thursday for the first day of the USA Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships, it did little to slow down Sherwood Sagedahl (M73) as the multi-event athlete bettered the listed American age group record in the pentathlon with a score of 3,806 points. The Masters Outdoor Championships, which includes more than 1,100 athletes ages 30-95+, continue Friday on the campus of Benedictine University in Lisle, Ill.
More information on the meet along with complete results and a full schedule of remaining events can be found here.
Sagedahl bettered the existing record of 3,660 thanks to consistent performances. He secured the record performance with his biggest point total in the final event of the day. His time of 5:45.96 added 918 points to his overall total. Sagedahl's remaining performances Thursday were: long jump (3.85m, 661 points); javelin (35.83m/117-6, 741); 200m (30.37, 776) and discus (33.43m/109-08, 720).
The warm temperatures were even higher surrounding the track's surface as competitors battled for national titles early in the day in the 5,000m.
Andrew Duncan (M45) ran the fastest overall 5,000m time of the day to win his age group in 16:01.27 while Tammy Lifka (W42) grabbed the fastest women's time in the event of the day in 18:03.97.
Competition Thursday also included the men's shot put, women's hammer throw and men's pole vault for selected age groups. On the track, athletes put themselves into position for finals later in the week with racing prelims of the men's and women's 400m and men's 800m.
The top overall women's performances Thursday included: Tammy Lifka (W42) in the 5,000m (18:03.97); Ruth Welding (W56) in the hammer throw (39.00m/127-11) and Caryl Senn-Griffiths (W50) in the pentathlon (3,374).
The top overall men's performances in each event Thursday included: Andrew Duncan (M45) in the 5,000m (16:01.27); Quenton Torbert (M60) in the shot put (15.93m/52-3.25); Thomas Jenkins (M61) in the pole vault (3.40m/11-1.75).
Khalid Mulazim (M46) ran a time of 53.72 in the 400m and Landon Summary (M46) ran 2:06.15 in the 800m to each qualify for the finals with the best overall performances in Thursday's preliminary races. Ocean Evensley (W54) ran a time of 1:07.11, which was the fastest women's 400m time of the day.
Competition continues Friday and runs through the weekend at the Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex.
Thursday's track event winners
Women's 5000m -- Megan Baganz (W35), 19:15.64; Tammy Lifka (W42), 18:03.97; Laura Stuart (W47); 19:23.58; Elena Shemyakina (W53), 19:12.15; Debbie Lee (W55), 20:59.21; Joy Oakey (W63), 23:29.06; Nancy Rollins (W65), 22:10.30; Kemisole Solwazi (W72), 32:02.86; Mary Harada (W77), 29:53.02; Lois Gilmore (W81), 30:54.86
Men's 5000m -- Napolean Griffin II (M32), 20:57.26; Chris Setzler (M39), 16:41.43; Chad Newtown (M42), 16:22.97; William Moore (M50), 16:44.47; Andrew Duncan (M45), 16:01.27; Dave Walters (M56), 17:09.02; Ben Fondren (M60), 19:29.60; Gary Patton (M66), 18:43.83; Jon Bixler (M74), 23:47.38; Bob Pates (M76), 26:06.27
Thursday's field event winners
Men's shot put -- Mike Rainis (M33), 15.71m/51-6.5; Andrew Hogue (M39), 10.06m/33-0.25; John Wirtz (M43), 14.07m/46-2; Todd Adelgren (M45), 13.07m/42-10/75; Ralph Fruguglietti (M57), 13.96m/45-9.75; Bruce Cook (M50), 13.00m/42-8; Quenton Torbert (M60), 15.93m/52-3.25; Paul Economides (M67), 14.30m/46-11; Larry Rheams (M70), 13.76m/45-1.75; Phil Shipp (M77), 11.56m/37-11.25; Leonard Olson (M81), 7.32m/24-0.25; Karlis Ezernis (M85), 10.16m/33-4; Ralph Maxwell (M92), 6.74m/22-1.5
Women's hammer throw -- Jaime Flynn (W34), 15.18m/49-9; Stephanie Timmer (W45), 25.32m/83-1; Tamara Alegria (W53), 31.51m/103-4; Ruth Welding (W56), 39.00m/127-11; Myrle Mensey (W63), 36.48m/119-8; Sharon Raham (W66), 25.86m/84-10; Roslyn Katz (W70), 20.43m/67-0; Mary Roman (W76), 22.63m/74-3; Olga Kotelko (W93), 15.94m/52-3
Women's pentathlon - Dawn Kent (W38), 1,910; Christine Bell (W44), 2,007; Christine Roemer (W47), 1,818; Caryl Senn-Griffiths (W50), 3,374; Delores Grandison (W59), 2,677; Ashley Childs (W62), 2,560; Sorothy Vander Cruyssen (W66), 2,705; Jane Simpson (W71), 1,251; Florence Meiler (W78), 3,715
Men's pentathlon -- Michael Janusey (M54), 3,216; Greg Canfield (M56), 3,615; Sherwood Sagedahl (M73), 3,806 (AR); James Leggitt (M77), 2,972; Bill Walsh (M83), 322; Charles Ross (M89), 690
Men's pole vault -- Thomas Jenkins (M61), 3.40m/11-1.75
About USA Track & Field
USA Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track & field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, the World's #1 Track & Field Team, the most-watched events at the Olympics, the #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport, and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States: USATF.org.
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