A number of Southern California Association’s clubs and masters athletes traveled to Ames, Iowa from July 22, through July 25, 2021 to participate and excel in the 2021 USATF Masters Outdoor Championships. Competing in the Cyclone Sports Complex for the duration of the competition, many of our athletes came out on top with big finishes and big wins.
Southern California Association’s very own, So Cal Track Club, led by SCA President and club coach, Mark Cleary, took home big prizes with first place finishes in the Men’s Team Championship and Women’s Team Championship, in the first year that these separate championships were held. Most significantly, though, was the big win for team So Cal Track Club with the combined, overall first place team championship, with a whopping 666 points. This win marked an overall Masters Outdoor Championships sweep for So Cal Track Club and the 20th National Team Title in its history. Adding to these accomplishments were 37 individual event titles and 6 relays for So Cal Track Club. Breaking the American Record of 5:28:50 for M75 in the 800M was Gary Patton, of So Cal Track Club, with a time of 5:19:87
Not to be forgotten and coming in an impressive fifth place, out of the total 111 teams, was Southern California Association club, SC Striders Track Club with 217 points. Completing the top 5 overall teams in the Championship were second place’s Potomac Valley TC with 433 points, Atlanta Track in third place with 317 points, and the Philadelphia Masters in fourth place, with 244 points.
When asked what propelled his club to this year’s success, So Cal Track Club coach Mark Cleary said, “So Cal Track Club’s long time staff massage therapist, Bill Theriault, was key in our success.”
Overall Champions, So Cal Track Club (Photo by Mark Cleary)
Rounding out the Southern California Association’s clubs’ history making wins were the additions of its prominent members to the USATF Masters Track & Field Hall of Fame. Athletes Gunnar Linde, age 93, and Willie Gault, age 61, of So Cal Track Club, were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2019. SC Striders’ Linda Cohn was inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2020. Mark Cleary, SCA President and Masters Hall of Fame Chairman for 2019 & 2020 had the pleasure of presenting those awards at the championship.
Bill Theriault and Mark Cleary (Photo by Mark Cleary)
For full results, please visit the link below:
http://live.finishtiming.com/meets/202100259/events
USATF article and recap:
https://www.usatf.org/news/2021/american-records-more-world-marks-set-on-final-day
