Highlights from the penultimate day of the 2013 World Masters Championships in Porto Alegre Brazil
With only two more competitive days left at the XX World Masters Athletics Track & Field in Porto Alegre, Brazil, British Masters women rank 2nd behind the USA on the medal table but the men are struggling to hold off Russia for 10th place from the 51 medal winning countries. The tally will have grown today as the British hurdlers dominated the Finals of the short hurdles in blustery conditions.
Diminutive Joe Appiah’s 14.95sec over the 110mH into a 3.9 wind in the M40-44 age category was good enough to relegate the American Don Drummond to 3rd as the local favourite Simoes snatched the silver. RAF man Greg Dunston was equally as emphatic in taking the M45 in 15.26 (wind -0.2) from Zimbrek of Croatia. Donald Brown was leading in the M50 age group 100H before taking a nasty tumble as his team mate Des Wilkinson went on to win his first individual medal – a bronze – at these Championships behind Damon Blackmore, USA. Glen Riddington completed the British finalists in 5th place.
The older but amazingly agile age categories had British successes. John Mayor from Stevenage won a silver in the M55-59 group, Barry Ferguson collected his second silver medal clocking a smart 13.55 for 80H at aged 71 behind the Japanese, Yasui. Yorkshireman Tony Bowman retained his M75 World crown despite running slower than in his heat and semis but admitted that the Norwegian Solvebert had pressed him all the way. It was another gold medal for Cheltenham’s Jane Horder in the W55 group and Gayle Clarke got a silver medal in the W50 race.
Dr Stephen Peters had another emphatic win, this time in the M60 200m Final. The good Doctor has now had seven unbeaten sprints as Preliminary, Quarter, Semi and Finals were needed to whittle down the large entry to the final 8. Here with a 0.2 wind he raced to a 24.21 victory over Thomas Dickson of Canada (25.93sec) and Tsumanuma, Brazil. The Reading sprinter Wally Franklyn was just out of the medals in 4th and Simon Barrett 7th. Averil McClelland was again beaten to the line by the Puerto Rican Olympian Mathieu in the W55 sprint and Julie Hubbard got another bronze medal in her W35 age group.
In the W40 high jump, jumper cum female boxer Ayamba Akim cleared 1.67m to take the title. Keith Newton finished 3rd in the M40 triple jump.