MALAGA, Spain -- Day 3 of the 2018 World Masters Athletics Championships in Malaga, Spain saw Team USATF win a total of 22 medals – 8 gold, 6 silver, and 8 bronze – its biggest haul of the meet thus far.
Today saw and evening of finals in the 100m, with Team USATF winning five golds, three silvers, and four bronzes in the events. Gold medalists were W80 Rose Green, M80 Bob Lida (current WMA Male Athlete of the Year), M70 Hall of Famer Charles Allie, M60 Val Barnwell, and M35 Rondrick Parker. American silver medalists in the 100m were M65 Michael Kish, M55 Don McGee, and M50 Karnell Vickers. The bronze medalists were W65 Jane Barnes, M65 David Craig, W55 Joy Upshaw, and M35 Terrence Roland.
Also bringing home gold medals from Malaga will be W60 Hall of Famer Carol Finsrud in the hammer throw, W40 heptathlete Rachel Guest, and M55 shot putter James Patterson. Other silver medalists were M55 race walker Ray Sharp in the 5000m race walk, W65 hammer thrower Patricia Baker, and honorable mention WMA combined event athlete of the year Rita Hanscom in the W60 heptathlon. And the other bronze medalists were M75 Hall of Fame hammer thrower George Mathews, M55 shot putter Victor Desmarines, and heptathletes Carla Hoppie (W60) and Janean Shannon (W55).
Competition continues on Friday with finals in the discus throw for men over 70, steeplechase, long hurdles, and completion of the decathlon for several age groups. In addition the first round heats will be run in the 200m.
Saturday will be a rest day, during which the WMA General Assembly will meet. Major issues on the agenda are election of a new WMA President, with former USATF Masters Track & Field Chair Gary Snyder one of the contenders in a three-way race, and selection of the sites for the 2021 indoor championships (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada is the lone bidder) and for the 2022 outdoor championships, a contest between Gothenburg, Sweden, Tampere, Finland, and L’Aquila, Italy.