Decatur to host 2004 USA Masters Championships

Many of America's finest athletes age 30 and over will compete for national titles at the 37^th USA Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships, August 5-8 at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois.

The last time the championships were held in the Midwest was 1995 at Michigan State University in East Lansing, just prior to the WAVA World Championships in Buffalo, N.Y. The event is expected to attract athletes from Midwest metropolitan areas less than a half-day drive away including Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Milwaukee and Kansas City.

Standouts to watch in Decatur include Trish Porter, who set a high jump world record in the women's 40-44 age group on the final day of the 2003 USA Masters Championships at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field in Eugene. An Olympian in 1988, Porter won the W40 high jump with a clearance of 1.75 meters/5 feet, 8.75, bettering her own world record from earlier that season of 1.74m/5-8.50.

A mother of two, Porter had not jumped for 11 years before making her return to the sport last year and improving her world age-group record at her first-ever USA Masters Championship. A resident of Albuquerque, N.M., Porter competed for the University of Oregon as a collegian, where she never jumped as high as she did at last year's championships. She is married to eight-time U.S. men's cross country champion and two-time 10,000m Olympian Pat Porter.

Other women to watch in Decatur this week include Oneitha Lewis, who made a clean sweep of the women's weight throw events in the women's 40-44 age division at the 2003 World Masters Championships. Lewis won the world W40 hammer throw title with a best of 55.04 meters/180 feet, 7 inches. She won the world shot put title with a heave of 14.90m/48-10.75, and the world discus throw crown with a best of 49.58m/162-8.

Also look for Carol Finsrud to defend her W45 hammer throw crown after setting an American record of 43.62m/143-1 in winning the 2003 national title in Eugene.

Masters women's legend Phil Raschker will not compete in Decatur following an injury during the indoor season. Raschker holds 44 masters world records and has set more than 200 U.S. and world records. She became the first masters athlete ever in 1993 to be honored as a finalist for the James E. Sullivan Award presented annually by the Amateur Athletic Union to the top amateur athlete in the United States.

On the men's side, look for all-time masters great Bill Collins to add to his long list of accomplishments in Decatur. At the 2003 USA Championships, Collins won the M50 200m title in 23.00 seconds, after winning the 100m in that age-group in 11.40. The reigning world champion in both events, Collins owns 11 world titles, more than 75 U.S. crowns and he holds 11 world records.

Other men to watch include Mack Stewart, who set a new American record in the M65 800 meters with his win last year in Eugene in 2:24.32, and Charles Rose, who set a new American record in the men's 1,500 meters at last year's championships with his time of 5:12.40. In men's hammer competition, 1972 Olympic Games 12th place finisher Tom Gage will be on hand to defend his title in the M60 division after setting a new American record of 59.98 meters/196 feet, 9 inches with his win last year in Eugene.

The 2004 USA Masters Track & Field Championships are open to all men and women athletes ages 30 and over, who will compete in five-year age groups from 30-34, to 95 and over. Team and relay competitions are held in 10-year age groupings of 30+, 40+, 50+ etc. Although anyone can enter, only U.S. citizens can place in the Championships. Non-U.S. citizens, however, receive the same awards as citizens do. The age of a competitor on the first day of the Championships determines the competitor's division for individual events. The age on the first day of the event of the youngest member determines the age division of a squad in a team event or relay.

For more information on the 2004 USA Masters Outdoor Championships visit www.usatf.org.