Hayward Classic

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http://www.registerguard.com/news/2006/ ... ion=sports

Kotelko finishes busy weekend
By Paula Lincoln
The Register-Guard
Published: Monday, June 26, 2006
Olga Kotelko was beginning to tire.
In less than an hour's time, Kotelko had gone from throwing the 12-pound weight, to triple-jumping, to running the 200 meters.
She was back at the triple jump pit, where her third and best mark was 14 feet, but after running the 200 in 52.92 seconds under a hot sun, passed on her last attempt.
Kotelko, who began her day at 8:30 a.m. by throwing the discus 47-8, also passed on the pole vault, in which she had been entered.
"I was too intimidated. It was too overwhelming," said Kotelko, who has competed in the event before and had been training back home. "I'll give it another shot."
Sunday was Kotelko's second day of competition at the 25th Annual Hayward Classic Northwest Regional Masters Track & Field Championships at Hayward Field.
On Saturday, Kotelko competed in the long jump (6-0), hammer (48-4), 100 (23.16), shot put (14-8 1/2 ) and javelin (43-7).
Not bad for an 87-year-old.
"I'm just a year older. But I'll keep going," Kotelko said.
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Kotelko, who took up track and field 13 years ago at the age of 75, is not your typical octogenarian.
A native of Canada, Kotelko grew up "the farmer's daughter." She was the seventh of 11 children and one of two still surviving, which she attributes to good genes and her active lifestyle.
"My advice is to eat well, get a lot of rest and pick up an activity of some sort," Kotelko said. "Keep on going with life and have fun."
Kotelko took up slow-pitch softball at 70 after retiring from teaching. After five years, Kotelko gave up softball because her team had the opportunity to add a 55-year-old.
"I needed a change, but I wanted to keep doing something (active)," said Kotelko, who had no aspirations of competing in track and field. "I didn't know anything like this was going on."
Once she learned of the opportunities, Kotelko figured track and field was perfect for her. It would incorporate the running and throwing she had been doing while playing softball.
Typically, she competes in as many as 12 meets a year. She'll skip the national championships this year because she's chosen to attend two weddings, and will only compete in four meets.
She made the seven-hour trip from Canada to Eugene by car with a group of five other athletes who competed here.
Springfield's Harvey Lewellen didn't have to come as far to compete Sunday.
The 77-year-old made just one attempt at the pole vault, where he cleared 6-0. The retired logger and longtime football official also competed in the discus, where his best throw was 126-7.
Lewellen competed in several other events Saturday because he's training for a decathlon next month in Seattle. Lewellen, who won a masters decathlon national title in 1995, took up masters track in 1993 and has competed every year since.
Though he regularly competes in five to 10 events, Lewellen's favorite events are the hammer throw and discus.
"I just like doing them," Lewellen said. "I like pole vaulting, too, but you have to stay healthy to do that. I'm not really a runner. I do just enough to get by and I'd do less if I wasn't training for a decathlon."
Competing alongside Lewellen was the Willamette Striders' Allen Morris. Morris, 72, grew up in Lowell and coached track and field for 10 years each at Crow and Harrisburg before moving to Canby in 1994. Morris, who cleared 7-7 3/4 , has been pole vaulting since he was 10 years old.
"But in those days, the pit was just a pile of sawdust," Morris said. "The neighbor kids and I would vault and the adults would throw horseshoes. There was no TV. That was our entertainment."
Now, Morris said he competes to stay active.
"People say if you sit and home on the couch and watch TV, you won't live very long, and I believe that to be true, but I'm kind of hyperactive anyway," he said.