Athletes As Old As 100 Compete In Boston Track Event
BOSTON (CBS) - Here's a story that absolutely, positively, 100% proves the adage, you're never too old. How about a track and field championship where competitors are as old as 100? It's happening all weekend, right here in Boston. It's the USA Masters Track Indoor Championship at the Reggie Lewis Center at Roxbury Community College.
Leland McPhie who is 100 years old and a member of the SOCAL track club from San Diego is competing in 4 events. "It gets me out of bed every morning and keeps me alive. I enjoy track and hold 12 world records and 11 U.S records," he says
Nine hundred twenty athletes are competing this weekend from ages 30 to 100. "My goal is to get everybody in shape in America who is over 50 years of age,"says 80 year old Bill Jankovitch. "We have 47 world champions here, to every day Joe and Mary's," says Bob Weiner from USA Track and Field. And they're competing in a full range of indoor track events. "It's the competition. It's the only sport I feel that you have that head to head competition for so long into your age groups," says Mary Trotto, age 66, from Hawaii.
And next week many of these jumpers, vaulters and runners go to the world masters championship in Budapest. "You do not have to stop. In fact you want to get to the next age group. Getting to the next five year age group is important. When you get to be 100, that's the one you want to get in," says 60-year-old David Ortman from Seattle.
You can watch all the action at the Masters Championship organized by USA Track and Field Saturday and Sunday at the Reggie Lewis Track at Roxbury Community College. Admission is free.
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