World Masters Championships begin in Spain

INDIANAPOLIS - Irene Obera, Mel Larsen, Emil Pawlik, Robert Thomas and Kathy Jager all played starring roles at the USA Masters Championships last month in Honolulu, and will compete at the 2005 World Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships today (August 22) thru September 3, in San Sebastian, Spain.

The championships will feature competition by the world's best masters track & field athletes, ages 30 to 95, including 2000 Olympian Kip Janvrin, who will compete in his first masters decathlon.

Irene Obera (Fremont, Calif.) crossed the finish line in Honolulu in an American record time in winning the 100m (15.57) title in the W70 age group. The 71-year-old Obera also won the 200m in 34.32 seconds.

Former Iowa State University standout Mel Larsen (Ames, Iowa) won the 100m (15.00) and 200m (32.81) at the USA Championships in the M80 age group. Earlier this year the 1945 NCAA All-American set age group world indoor marks in the 60m, 60m hurdles, and 200m dash at the 2005 USA Masters Indoor championships in Boise, Idaho.

In Hawaii, Emil Pawlik (Jackson, Miss.) scored the most points by any male in the men's pentathlon. The 66-year-old won the M65 age division with a score of 4,023 which also betters the meet record of 3,734 set in 2002. Pawlik set a world masters mark in the M65 decathlon earlier this year.

Robert Thomas (Indianapolis, Ind.) a Southwestern Michigan Community College All-American, successfully defended his 100m (11.20) and 400m (48.69) titles at the USA Masters Outdoor Championships. Thomas, a member of the Indiana Invaders, won the M35 200m at the 2004 World Indoor Masters Championships.

Rita Hanscom (San Diego, Calif.) has come from nowhere to run shocking times in the sprints. A deputy district attorney, Hanscom won the W50 age division titles in the 100m (13.61), 200m (28.24) and pole vault (2.40m/7-10.5) at the USA Masters Outdoor Championships.

Kathy Jager (Casa Grande, Ariz.) won the W60 age division crowns in the shot put (8.21m26-11.25) and the long jump (3.60m/11-9.75) in Honolulu. She was raised in Minnesota and attended Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn.

For more information on the 2005 World Masters Championships, including a list of American entrants, visit www.usatf.org.