Courtesy: USATF

Many of America's finest athletes age 30 and over will compete for national titles at the 36th USA Masters Track and Field Championships, August 7-10 at venerable Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene.

More than 1,500 men and women are expected to vie for national titles in Eugene, which is hosting the event for the first time since 2000 when seven world records and 21 U.S. age-group records were set.

Opening with the 5,000 meters and pentathlon for men and women on August 7, the meet has a full schedule before closing August 10 with three relay events.

Many U.S. athletes who played staring roles at last month's World Athletics Championships in Carolina, Puerto Rico, will be on hand for the event including Masters Hall of Famer Phil Raschker, who won the W55 heptathlon with 6,199 points and added gold in the pole vault (2.70m/8 feet, 10.25 inches), the 80m hurdles (13.48) and the triple jump (9.81m/32-2.25) in Puerto Rico. The owner of over 100 age-group world records, Raschker improved upon her eight gold medals at the 2002 U.S. Outdoor Championships by winning nine events in the women's W55 age- group at last year's Nationals in Orono, Maine, where she set world records with her performances in the pentathlon (4,938 points), pole vault (3.0 meters/9 feet, 10 inches), 100m (13.30), 200m (27.39) and 300m hurdles (49.14). She also set an American age-group record in the triple jump (9.66m/31-8.50), and she captured gold in the high jump (1.40m/4-7), long jump (4.90m/16-0.75) and 80m hurdles (13.03).

Other women to watch in Eugene 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 W40 hammer throw 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 discus throw crown with a best of 49.58m/162-8.

In women's middle distance events at the World Championships, Marie-Louise Michelsohn turned in a strong performance in winning gold medals in the W60 800 meters (2:47.51) and 1500m (5:40.95).

Men's events in Eugene will be headlined by masters sprint legend Bill Collins, who won the M50 100m world title last month in Puerto Rico in 11.39 seconds. Collins owns countless national indoor and outdoor titles, along with numerous world age-group records indoors and outdoors in events ranging from the 50m to the 200 meters.

Other men's standouts include Dave Ashford, who set a world M40 110m hurdles age-group record in winning the world title last month in a blistering 13.73 seconds, and also watch for discus thrower Tom Gage, who placed 12th at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. Gage, who will compete in the M60 division in Eugene, won the M55 national title last year with a best throw of 57.14 meters/187 feet, 6 inches.

The 2003 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 2002 USA Masters Outdoor Championships visit www.usatf.org.