Four Minnesotans Win USA Masters Titles

Four Minnesota masters track and field athletes won a total of nine USA Masters titles at last weekend's USA Masters Indoor Track and Field Championships held in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Ralph Maxwell, a 91-year-old who splits his time between Richville, Minnesota and Alamo, Texas, won five events in the M90 division: the high jump (3-5 1/4), long jump (7-11 1/4), triple jump (17-9 1/2), shot put (23-2), and pentathlon (3952). His time in pentathlon 60m hurdles (15.39), broke his own world record in the event.

He also finished second in the 60-meters (11.65).

(We recommend the video interview of the charming -- and once "flabby" -- Maxwell posted below.)

Thom Weddle, 72, of Minneapolis, won the M70 3,000 meters (13:02.24) and mile (6:30.17). He also finished third in the 800m (2:56.26).

Tweety Wolf, 55, of Watertown, won the W55 400m (1:07.79), and finished second in both the 800m (2:41.20) and mile (6:22.08). She also ran on two medal-winning relay teams.

She and Kathy Haubrich of Shakopee, made up half a W50-59 non-club 4x400 relay team that turned in a world record time of 4:36.11 – more than seven seconds faster than the old record.

The Minnesota pair were part of the winning non-club W50-59 4x200 team with 2:01.70.

Tom Langenfeld, 75, of Edina, won the M75 high jump on misses at 4-5 – one centimeter better than the listed American age-group indoor record. The victory was Langenfeld's 32nd career masters high jump title.

Other Minnesota medalists included: Lance Elliott of Edina, who took second in the M40 mile (4:49.73); Haubrich, who finished fourth in both the M50 400m (1:10.81) and 800m (2:44.17); Shawn Regan of Minneapolis who was sixth in both the M60 400m (1:03.24) and the 800m (2:37.57); and Mike Moser of Minneapolis, who, despite injury, competed in the M60 pentathlon finishing seventh.

Moser also ran 400m and 800m legs on non-club relay teams.

Thanks to Tom Langenfeld for the information for this post.