GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) – Officials with Alachua County said some of the most decorated athletes in World Masters Athletics were in action again on Thursday morning.
Canada’s Carol Lafayette-Boyd set a Women’s (80-84) Long Jump championship record with a distance of 3.14 meters.
On Monday, she set a record and won a gold medal in the Women’s (80-84) 60m with a time of 10.33 seconds. With over 30 years of competition under her belt, the Canadian Masters Hall of Famer has achieved 18 world records across multiple categories.
“I just want to do better than I did that last time,” Lafayette-Boyd said. “It’s nice to be here with all these people. I haven’t competed in the WMAs for a while and haven’t done too many 200m in the last few years, so I am looking forward to that, too.”
Lafayette-Boyd will have the chance to claim another gold medal on Friday in the 200m final, having recorded the fastest qualifying time of 36.00 seconds among all competitors.
American Flo Meiler has also been a strong competitor, breaking four records throughout the week’s events. “It’s never too late,” Meiler said. “If I can take up track at 60 years old, anybody can do it.”
Meiler’s world records include the Women’s (90-94) 60m Hurdles with a time of 23.62 seconds, the High Jump at 0.90 meters, and the Pentathlon with 2531 points. She also set a championship record in the Women’s 60m with a time of 15.85 seconds.
In the men’s competitions, athletes from eight different countries claimed gold across 12 categories in the Men’s 200m finals, with at least one world record being set.
In the Men’s (90-94) category, Mongolia’s Radnaa Tseren electrified the crowd after setting a world record time of 37.12 seconds.
Team USA won five gold medals, while athletes from Australia, Sweden, Spain, Germany, France, Saudi Arabia, and Mongolia also stood on the podium.
In the Indoor Jumps, Neringa Jakstiene of Team USA set her second world record of the week with a Triple Jump of 4.77 meters, securing her place at the top of the podium in the (60-64) age group. Earlier in the week, her Long Jump mark of 4.74 meters became the first world record of the WMA Indoor Championships.
Kay Glenn of Team USA also set a championship record in the Women’s (70-74) Long Jump with a distance of 3.80 meters.
In the Indoor Throws, Myrle Mensey of Team USA set a world record in the Women’s Weighted Throw (75-79) with a distance of 16.82 meters.
At West End, four nations won gold in the Outdoor Throws disciplines, including the Javelin, Hammer, and Discus. Team USA, Germany, Great Britain, and Japan all stood atop the podium, while Germany, Spain, Poland, Austria, and Lithuania won silver, and Israel and Ireland secured bronze.
As day five concluded, a total of 57 different countries had earned medals.
Team USA leads the medal count with 265 total medals, followed by Great Britain with 53 and Germany with 37.
On Friday morning, the Men’s 3000m Race Walk and the Indoor Jumps featured the Women’s (55-59) Triple Jump and the Women’s (75-79) High Jump at the Alachua County Sports and Events Center.
Friday afternoon, officials said the finals for the Women’s 200m will begin, starting with the (80+) category.
At the West End, the Outdoor Throws will continue with the Men’s (80+) Hammer, followed by the Men’s (65-69) Javelin and the Men’s (75-79) Discus.
On Friday at 8 p.m., the Sci-Fi Punk Rock Band “Teleporters” will perform at the Athletes Village.
Out of an abundance of caution and for the safety of the athletes, officials with the World Masters Athletics and the Local Organizing Committee, advised by the Chief Medical Officer, said that if a race is interrupted due to inclement weather, it will not restart.
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