For Immediate Release
Friday, August 5, 2009
 
Contact:
Sarah Price
 Communications Intern. 
USA Track & Field 
[email protected]
 
          
 INDIANAPOLIS - Becky Sisley, Johnnye Valien, and Rita Hanscom continue to dominate their respective age-groups in the pole vault, long jump and hurdles this week at the 2009 World Masters Athletics Championships in Lahti, Finland.
The Championships feature athletes from all over the world, ranging in age from 30-95-plus, in an impressive display of speed, strength and endurance. Track events range from 100- to 10,000-meters, while field events include the full range of jumps and throws. The Championships will continue through Sunday, August 8.

Becky Sisley continued her pursuit of excellence in recent days which began last week when she won one gold medal, one silver and one bronze medal. This week she out-jumped her competitors in the W70 age-group pole vault with a clearance of 2.10m/6 feet, 10.75 inches to capture the gold. Sisley returned today to win the 80-meter hurdles in 17.34 seconds. The medal count for Sisley includes three gold, a silver and a bronze medal.
Rita Hanscom recently added two more gold medals in the W55 age-group to her collection. Hanscom's wind aided jump of 4.55m/14-11 on Thursday helped her capture her fourth gold medal of the championships. Earlier today she competed in the 80m hurdles and captured her fifth gold medal in a time of 13.89.

Johnnye Valien, who had one gold medal and a silver medal as of Monday, has since added two more gold medals in the W80 age-group pole vault (1.10m/3-7.27) and the long jump (2.09m/6-10.25).
Other U.S. masters to add to their medal count include Jack Bray, gold medalist, and Carlos Acosta, silver medalist, in the M75 age-group 20km race walk, William Moremen, gold medal in the M80 20km race walk, Ed Burke and George Mathews who finished 2-3 respectively in the M65 weight throw, Gunnar Linde, a bronze medalist in the M80 1500m, Martha Mendenhall, bronze medal in the W50 long jump, and Marianne Martino, who won a silver in the W55 20km race walk.

The U.S. totaled 109 medals (44 gold, 36 silver, 29 bronze) as of August 7, and currently stand in third place in overall medal count.
U.S. medalists from the 2009 World Masters Championships since Tuesday, August 4 include:
August 4
W50 Shot Put
Lisa Kinimaka (BRONZE) 11.29m/37.5
M70 1500 m
Sidney Howard (SILVER) 5:46.34
M65 Shot Put
Glenn Sasser (GOLD) 13.93m/45-8.5
M50 High Jump
Bruce Mcbarnette (GOLD) 1.90m/6-2.75
W60 Pole Vault
Mary Trotto (SILVER) 1.10m/3-7.25
W70 Pole Vault
Becky Sisley (GOLD) 2.10m/6-10.75
W80 Pole Vault
Johnnye Valien (GOLD) 1.10m/3-7.25
August 6
M80 20 km Race Walk
William Moremen (BRONZE) 2:25:37.00
M75 20 km Race Walk
Jack Bray (GOLD) 2:16:35.00
Carlos Acosta (SILVER) 2:17:39.00
M65 Weight
Ed Burke (SILVER) 18.99m/62-3.75
George Mathews (BRONZE) 18.98m/62-3.25
W55 Long Jump
Rita Hanscom (GOLD) 4.55m/14-11 (+3.5w)
W65 20 km Race Walk
Jolene Steigerwalt (SILVER) 2:18:08.00
W55 20 km Race Walk
Marianne Martino (SILVER) 2:00:25.00
W50 Long Jump
Martha Mendenhall (BRONZE) 4.49m/14-8.75 (+2.8w)
M55 Javelin
Michael Brown (GOLD) 62.20m/204-1
M80 1500 m
Gunnar Linde (BRONZE) 6:53.38
W70 1500 m
Jean Daprano (SILVER) 6:33.73
August 7
W80 Long Jump
Johnnye Valien (GOLD) 2.09m/6-10.25 (+1.8w)
M45 110 m Hurdles
David Ashford (SILVER) 15.56
M40 110 m Hurdles
Mike Godbout (GOLD) 14.32
M55 100 m Hurdles
Thaddeus Wilson (GOLD) 15.28
James Broun (BRONZE) 16.17
W55 80 m Hurdles
Rita Hanscom (GOLD) 13.89
W70 80 m Hurdles
Becky Sisley (GOLD) 17.34
M80 Throwing Pentathlon
Arnie Gaynor (SILVER) 4,712 pts.