ALBUQUERQUE – As expected in the speed-friendly altitude at Albuquerque's Convention Center records fell left and right at the USATF Masters Indoor Track and Field Championships Feb. 20-22, with more than two dozen world or American standards being set in the sprints and power events.
Cynthia McNamee zipped to a world record in the women's 50-54 60 meters with a 7.93 that clipped a tenth off the previous record, and she added an American record in the 200 at 26.10.
Mary Smith was another double record-setter, claiming the women's 85-89 world record in the 200 at 40.60, more than a half second better than the previous world mark, and she picked up gold and an American record in the 400 with a 1:41.02, more than 17 seconds faster than the previous best.
In men's sprints, Craig Wood demolished the old global standard in the 55-59 division of the 200, running 23.14 to chop .22 off the previous world record. Not to be outdone, David Gibbon trimmed .32 off the 60-64 world record with a 23.96 effort.
Field event stars got in on the record action, too, led by Kathy Bergen's world record in the women's 85-89 high jump, where she broke her own record with a clearance at 1.03/3-4.5. Monica Kendall launched the women's 70-74 shot put 11.07/36-4 to claim the world record by almost a foot.
One of a group of Olympians competing at the Championships, Joetta Clark Diggs again lowered the American record in the women's 60-64 200, running 27.66 to take .51 off the old mark.
The 400 elicited a handful of American records, topped by the 49.31 for Tom Gates in the men's 40-44 race. Inocencio Cantu also nabbed a men's 90-94 mark by more than six seconds with his 2:18.20, while Maureen Zivic took over the top spot in the women's 40-44 with a 57.33. Leandra Funk grabbed the women's 70-74 national record at 1:18.11.
Funk also helped set a world record (non-club) in the 4x400, teaming up with Tracey Bernett, Alda Cossi and Ivy Bell to take 28 seconds off the previous record with a 6:01.02. She added an American record (non-club) in the 4x200 with teammates Bell, Rita Hanscom, and Claudia Simpson.
Three other relay records fell by the wayside, with a foursome of Roxanne Brockner, Terri Rath, Nancy Simmons, and Sue McDonald shattering the non-club 60-64 women's 4x400 world mark in 4:44.80. The Greater Philadelphia TC racked up a pair of American records, including a 11:13.02 to win the men's 65-69 4x800 with a team of Robert Whitaker, Jeff Flock, Tim Sullivan, and Timothy Conheady. Their women's 60-64 4x400 squad beat the old record by more than five seconds with Julie Hayden, Betsy Stewart, Debbie Hammond, and Michelle Rohl.
High jumpers Pamela McCartney (women's 55-59) and Nering Jakstiene (women's 60-64) took American records with clearances at 1.55/5-1 and 1.47/4-9.75, respectively. Superweight marks were felled by Angela Bickel, who powered the women's 50-54 implement out to 11.86/38-11, and Thomas Ten Eyck and Arthur Sepin. Ten Eyck took the men's 80-84 record with a toss of 9.57/31-4.75, and Sepin was the 85-89 champion at 6.75/22-1.75.
Kevin Bosma added more than 100 points to the American record in the men's 55-59 pentathlon, scoring 4,260, and Terry Towan added the men's 85-89 60-meter hurdles record to his resumé with a 13.55 clocking. Marianne Martino was the star of the race walk events, setting an American standard in the women's 75-79 mile race at 10:53.25.
Full results are here.