Coloradans win 14 championship medals
USATF Colorado athletes turned in an impressive collection of performances at the World Masters Athletics Outdoor Championships, held August 22-September 3 in Daegu, South Korea, led by five individual medals from Gary Ostwald and a world title from Tracey Bernett.
Competing in the M80-84 division, Ostwald came away with medals in each of his five events, winning world titles in the 5000m (23:41.17) and 6 km Cross Country (27:34). He added silver medals in the 1500m (6:08.37) and 10 km Road Race (48:24) and completed his five-medal haul with a bronze in the 800m (3:04.78).
Bernett also reached the top of the podium, winning the W70-74 800m world title in 3:08.75. She added a second medal with a runner-up finish in the 1500m, clocking 6:58.53.
Two additional Colorado athletes joined Ostwald and Bernett in earning multiple top-three finishes during the championships.
Carol Wilkinson captured the W75-79 20 km Race Walk world title in 2:30:04 and added a silver medal in the 5000m Race Walk in 35:52.57. She also placed fourth in the 10 km Race Walk in 1:13:31.
Jack Pottle earned three individual medals in the M70-74 division. Pottle finished second in the 10 km Road Race in 44:19 and collected bronze medals in both the 1500m (5:25.64) and 5000m (20:15.31). He also finished fourth in the 6 km Cross Country in 25:55.
Daniel King helped Team USA capture gold in the M65 8 km Cross Country team competition. Individually, King finished fourth in both the M65-69 5000m (18:50.10) and 8 km Cross Country (31:47), sixth in the 1500m (4:53.23) and ninth in the 800m (2:29.09).
Michael Blanchard also earned a world championship gold medal as a member of Team USA's M65 20 km Race Walk squad. Individually, he finished eighth in the 20 km Race Walk in 2:39:04 and 14th in the 10 km Race Walk in 1:16:00.
Other USATF Colorado athletes competing in Daegu included James Murphy, who finished ninth in the M65-69 Half Marathon in 1:33:23; Phillip Bennett, who placed 12th in both the M60-64 Decathlon with 3,829 points and Discus Throw with a mark of 32.59m; and Tracy Bennett, who finished seventh in the W45-49 Hammer Throw with a mark of 25.22m and 13th in the Discus Throw at 22.59m.
Overall, USATF Colorado athletes earned 14 top-three finishes in Daegu, including five world championship gold medals, five silver medals, and four bronze medals across individual and team competition.