For Immediate Release: Thursday, March 27, 2008

Contact: Bob Weiner/Rebecca VanderLinde
301-283-0821/202-329-1700

USA MASTERS INDOOR TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS AT BOSTON'S REGGIE LEWIS MARCH 28-30 TO FEATURE JEARL MILES-CLARK, OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST, AMONG OLYMPIANS, WORLD CHAMPIONS 30-90+;

EIGHTEEN U.S. WINNERS COMING FROM THIS WEEK'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN FRANCE, 47-YEAR OLD 16'10" POLE VAULTER PAUL BABITS, AND 2007 10-GOLD WORLD CHAMP &CURRENT SULLIVAN FINALIST PHIL RASCHKER

(Boston, MA) -- Jearl Miles-Clark, a member of the U.S. gold medal 4 x 400 relay team in both the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, heads a field of over 700 masters athletes (ages 30+) who will descend on Boston's Reggie Lewis Center March 28-30. This will be the 11th time the indoor national masters championships - the USA Track & Field Masters Championships -- will be held at "the Reggie." Miles-Clark (41, from Knoxville, Tennessee), a five-time Olympian, will be one of a bevy of highly regarded track and field stars in the meet. She will run the 200 and 400.

Eighteen U.S. winners at this week's World Masters Championships in Clermont-Ferrand, France, concluding March 22, are coming to Boston.

In addition, fifteen current defending outdoor World Champions will participate including Phil (Philippa) Raschker, IAAF World Masters Athlete of the Year who won TEN Golds at the World Masters Championships in Italy last year. For the second time, Raschker, 61, from Marietta, Georgia, is a finalist for the Sullivan award for the nation's Top Amateur Athlete last year. With one day remaining, at last count, Raschker also won six golds in France this week -- 60-meter dash, 60-meter hurdles, 200-meters, high jump, long jump, triple jump including a world and two American records.

Also entered: Paul Babbits at 47 has this winter pole vaulted an amazing world 45+ record 16'10 1/4". The first 16 foot vault indoors by ANY age was John Uelses in 1962, and 17' by Bob Seagren in 1966.

In addition, Kathy Martin, 55, who won this week's world 8K cross country championship, as well as the track 800 and 3000, and a many-time Outstanding U.S. Masters Athlete winner, is entered in Boston in the 800, 1500, and 3000.

Competitors ages 30 to 90+ are entered in the meet at Boston's Reggie Lewis Track, 1350 Tremont Street. Finals are 4-6PM Friday, 9-6 Saturday, and 9:30-2 Sunday. Spectators are free.

OLDEST COMPETITORS AT MEET:

Seven competitors are over 90 including Bob Matteson, 92, Bennington, Vermont, and Betty Jarvis, 93, Aberdeen, NC.

CURRENT WORLD CHAMPIONS ENTERED IN BOSTON

(Charts by Ken Stone, masterstrack.com, national media committee member):

INDOOR WORLD CHAMPIONS, March 17-22, 2008 France, Entered in Boston:

W35 Lisa Daley of White Plains, NY (won 400, 4x200 relay in France)
W40 Christine Reaser of Dayton, ME (won 4x200 relay in France)
M40 David Jones of Bellaire, TX (won 4x200 relay in France
M45 Greg Petrosian of Reston, VA (won long jump in France; Soviet Team member late 70's/early 80's as 27 foot jumper)
M50 Bruce McBarnette of Sterling, Virginia (won high jump in France; has obliterated the American M50 HJ record five times over the past months to 6'4" since recently turning 50.)
W50 Rita Hanscom of San Diego (won the pentathlon in France)
M55 Nolan Shaheed of Pasadena (won 800 and 1500 in France; 58, Pasadena, CA, USATF 2007 Male Masters Athlete of the Year)
W55 Kathy Martin of Northport, N.Y. (who won 8K cross country, 800, 1500 and 3000 in France)
M55 Bill Collins of Houston (won 60, 200, 400 and 4x200 relay in France)
W60 Phil Raschker of Marietta, Georgia, (won 60, 60 hurdles, 200, high jump, long jump and triple jump in France; 61, Marietta, GA, USATF 2007 Female Athlete of the Year and IAAF World Masters Athlete of the Year, won 10 Golds last year at Riccione Outdoor World Championships)
M60 George Mathews of Hayden Lake, Idaho (won the 9Kg weight throw in France
W65 Marie-Louise Michelsohn of Stony Brook, N.Y. (won 400 and 800 in France)
M70 Bob Lida of Wichita, Kansas (won 60 and 200 in France)
M70 Charles Allie of Pittsburgh (won 200 in France)
M70 Mack Stewart of Pittsburgh (won 400 and 800 in France)
W70 Christel Donley (won high jump in France)
M75 Robert Fine of Delray Beach, FL (won 3K racewalk in France)
W80 Johnnye Valien of Los Angeles (won 60, long jump and pole vault in France)

In addition, these seven Americans who won medals at indoor worlds are entered at Boston nationals:

M40 Karl Hawke (2nd in high jump) M45 David McFadgen (2nd in triple jump) M50 Robert Clark (2nd in long jump) M50 Richard Stewart (2nd in weight throw) W55 Coreen Steinbach (2nd in 800, 2nd in 1500, 4rd in 3000) M65 Robert Cahners (3rd in weight throw) W70 Mary Harada (2nd in 4x200 relay)

2007 Riccione World Outdoor Champions Entered in Boston:

M40 Getulio "Tony" Echeandia in 400 (44, Puerto Rico)

M45 David Ashford in 60H, HJ, TJ, LJ (45, Wheeling, IL)

M50 Marty Krulee in 60 (51, Rocklin, CA)

M55 Bill Collins in 60, 200, 400 (57, Houston)

M55 Nolan Shaheed in 200, 400, mile, 3000 (58, Pasadena, CA)

M55 Thad Wilson in 60H, LJ, pentathlon (56, San Clemente, CA)

M60 Stan Whitley in 60, 200 (Rancho Cucamonga, CA)

M60 Charles Allie in 60, 200, 400 (61, Houston, TX)

M60 Larry Barnum in 200, 400, 800 (64, Reno, NV)

W60 Phil Raschker in 60, 200, 400, 60H, PV, LJ, TJ (61, Marietta, GA)

M65 Emil Pawlik in 60, 200, 60H, HJ, LJ, pentathlon (65, Jackson, MS)

M65 Robert Cahners in weight throw, superweight throw (65, Naples, FL)

W65 Marie-Louise Michelsohn in 400, 800, mile (66, Stony Brook, NY)

M70 Robert Lida in 60, 200, 400 (Wichita, KS)

W70 Christel Donley in 60H, HJ, SP, pentathlon (Colorado Springs, CO)

M80 Bill Melville in 60, 200 (80)

W80 Johnnye Valien in 60, 60 hurdles, high jump, long jump, pole vault, triple jump, shot put (82, Los Angeles)

Other entrants of note include:

Dennis Lewis M45 HJ, current WR holder in age group, Michigan native;

Roger Pierce M60 sprints, multiple prior world masters champ, Essex, Ma

James Morton M50 400/800, last year's 800 m winner, Springfield, MA