EUGENE, Oregon – After setting the world masters W75 pole vault record three times on Thursday, Leonore McDaniels broke that age group’s world record in the triple jump four times Saturday at the 2003 USA National Masters Track & Field Championships at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field in Eugene.

More than 1,200 of the nation’s finest masters track and field athletes are on hand in Eugene for four days of national championship competition concluding on Sunday.

McDaniels broke the W75 women’s world pole vault record on three occasions two days ago with clearances of 1.80 meters/5 feet, 10.75 inches, 1.83m/6-0 and 1.90m/6-2.75. On Saturday, McDaniels won the W75 triple jump competition as each of her four best attempts eclipsed the former world record of 6.30m/20-8 by Johnnye Valien from 2001. Her best triple jump effort of the day was 6.66m/21-10.25.

A resident of Virgina Beach, Va., McDaniels captured five events at the 2003 World Masters Championships last month in Puerto Rico, setting world records in the high jump and triple jump, a U.S. mark in the long jump and she also won world titles in the heptathlon and pole vault.

In another outstanding performance, all-time masters great Bill Collins stood tall over his competition at the beginning of his race and at the finish line on Saturday.

After winning the 2003 world titles in the M50 100 and 200 meters last month in Puerto Rico, Collins won the 100m U.S. title on a sunny, 80-degree day, in 11.40 seconds, a margin of .30 hundredths of a second ahead of runner-up Robert Bowen.

The winner of 11 world titles, more than 75 U.S. crowns and the holder of 11 world records, Collins utilized a standing start in his race, while his competitors used the customary sprint start out of the blocks. “The standing start helps me because it takes pressure off of my sore hamstring, said Collins. “I’ve had so many injuries, as long as I can compete well starting like that I’ll continue to do it. But athletes are getting better and you need an edge. I do have a good forward lean with my stand up start and that helps me a lot.”

Originally from New York, Collins, who was a standout collegian at Texas Christian University, now resides in Houston, Texas.

Another impressive performance was turned in Saturday by Diane Palmason, who set a new world record in winning the W65 800 meters in 2:41.82. Palmason’s performance blew away the previous record of 2:44.43 by American Jeanne Daprano in 2002.

An American record was set this morning by 2003 W60 world 800m and 1500m champion Marie-Louise Michelsohn, who won the 10,000m in that age-group in 41:43.64, bettering the previous record of 42:28.50 by Shirley Matson in 2002.

Men’s 100m winners today include Jeff Culpepper (M30-10.78), Barney Borromeo (M35-11.10), Kettrell Berry (M40-11.08), Val Barnwell (M45-11.17), Stan Whitley (M55-11.70), Paul Edens (M60-12.22), Kenneth Dennis (M65-12.40), Harry Brown (M70-13.87), Bill Melville (M75-14.20) and Jim Manno (M80-15.94).

Women’s 100m champions are Anita Howard (W30-12.29); Venus Jewett (W35-12.82), Joy Upshaw-Margerum (W40-12.74), Cindy Steenbergen (W45-12.92), Karla Del Grande (W50-13.15), Phil Raschker (W55-14.59), Kathy Jager (W60-14.14), Audrey Lary (W65-15.60), Patricia Peterson (W75-17.93) and Olga Kotelko (W80-21.92).

Mack Stewart set a new American record in the M65 800m competition with his winning time of 2:24.32, which broke the previous record of 2:25.3 by Frank Finger in 1980. Other men’s 800m winners were Kyle Lanier (M30-2:02.60), David Nash (M35-1:55.80), Tony Young (M40-1:53.76), David Bradley (M45-2:04.13), David Salazar (M50-2:10.00), Larry Barnum (M55-2:12.60), Sidney Howard (M60-2:21.94), Earl Fee (M70-2:25.77), Jim Selby (M75-2:44.27), Archie Messenger (M80-3:14.88 and Les Leyland (M85-4:07.53).

Women’s 800m winners were Sarah Leonard (W30-2:16.43), Megan Finaly (W35-2:16.38), Mary Thane (W40-2:18.26), Dianna Hall (W45-2:30.24), Carolyn Smith-Hannah (W50-2:30.41), Sharon Gerl (W55-2:42.65), Diane Palmason (W65-2:41.81), Joyce Bahler (W70-4:22.61) and Sumi Onodera-Leonard (4:00.11).

Women’s 10,000m winners were Shannon Overbay (W30-45:30.86), Beth Ellickson (W35-39:07.54), Angela Minnefield (W40-44:43.88), Char Davidson (W45-57:17.58, Angie Miyashiro (W50-40:29.19), Barbara Spannaus (W55-50:33.64) and June Machala (W70-50:24.97).

In men’s 10,000m action, winners Saturday were Chad Newton (W30-31:58.34), Joe Dudman (M35-33:43.20), Brian Pope (M40-31:47.24), Thomas Cushman (M45-34:40.58), Wayne Chick (M50-36:37.00), Scott Taylor (M55-37:13.72), Don Coffman (M60-Don Coffman (M60-37:38.74), Bill Iffrig (M65-41:37.52), Paul Heitzman (M70-45:26.19 and Bob Koch (M75-53:34.12).

Men’s high jump winners were James Sauers (M55-1.75m/5-8.75), John Burns (M60-1.50m/4-11), Richard Teller (M50-1.84m/6-0.50), Tom Langenfield (M65-1.45m/4-9), James Stookey (M70-1.28m/4-2.25) and Gordon Seifert (M75-1.28/4-2.25).

In men’s pole vault action, Gary Hunter won the M45 competition with a clearance of 4.57m/15-0. Other pole vault winners were Allen Heinly (M30-14-3.25), Rod Wilcox (M35-3.30m/10-10) and Paul Sinatra (M40-4.65m/15-3).

This year’s national championship men’s triple jumpers include Robert Brown (M30-10.38m/34-0.75), Brian Coushay (M35-12.81m/42-0.50), Lavell Davenport (M40-13.61m/44-8), world and American masters record holder and National Track and Field Hall of Famer Willie Banks (M45-14.18m/46-6.25), Larry Rodenbeck (M50-11.93m/39-1.34), James Manor (M55-10.51m/34-5.75, Frank Struna (M60-10.62m/34-10.25), Doug Spainhower (M65-9.47m/31-1, James Stookey (M70-9.29m/30-5.25), Bill Carter (M80-7.09m/23-3.75) and Max Springer (M85-5.08m/16-8).

Women’s triple jump champions include Regina Richardson, who set a new W35 American record with her effort of 11.74m/38-6.25, bettering the former world record of 11.35m/37-3 by Phil Raschker in 1983. Other women’s triple jump winners were Veronica Amarasekara (W40-10.63m/34-10.50), Liz Johnson (W45-7.61m/24-11.75), Anna Wlodarczyk (W52-10.93m/35-10.50), Phil Raschker (W55-9.17m/30-1) and Audrey Lary (W65-8.34m/27-4.50).

Men’s discus throw winners were Chad Lindsay (M30-41.30m/135-6), Todd Davis (M35-49.51/162-5), Hank Kraychir (M40-46.14m/151-4), Jim Wetenhall (M45-41.98m/137-9), Valentino Martinez (M50-48.16m), Thomas Fahey (M55-49.71m/163-1), Larry Pratt (M60-54.51m/178-10), Richard Cochran (M65-53.00m/173-11), Hal Wallace (M75-36.21m/118-9), Bill Carter (M80-29.04m/95-3), David Schlothauer (M85-22.97m/75-4.50).

In women’s javelin throw competition, Monica Kendall set a new W45 American record with her winning throw of 37.79m/123-11, bettering the previous record of 36.98m/121-4 by Lurline Struppeck set in 1992. Another AR was set in the women’s javelin competition by Dorothy Vander Cruyssen, who won the W55 age-group with a throw of 31.89m/104-7, bettering the previous record of 22.44m/73-7.50 by Georgia Cutler in 2000. Tina Bowman also set an AR in the W50 javelin with her winning effort of 31.89m/104-7, bettering the standard of 28.67m/94-0 set by Phil Raschker in 2000. Another javelin AR was set by Deborah Ecklund in the W40 division with her winning throw of 54.90m/180-1. Her performance bettered the previous record of 43.58m/143-0 by Kate Schmidt in 1996.

Other women’s javelin throw winners were Jacqueline Nasca (W30-23.10m/75-9.50), Becky Sisley (W65-28.20m/92-6), Christel Donley (24.17m/79-3.75), Johnnye Valien (W75-15.42m/50-7.25), Olga Kotelko (W80-15.90m/52-2) and Katharine Gradick (W85-11.12m/36-5.75).

For more information on the 2003 USA National Masters Championships, including the complete results, visit www.usatf.org.

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