Anyone expecting another fantastic final between Karla Del Grande, CAN, and Caroline Powell, GBR, in the W65 200m race were not disappointed. The two oldest athletes in the final were in lanes 5 and 6 respectively. The WMA Female Athlete of the Decade and defending WMACi2019 W65 200m champion was barely behind coming off the curve where they raced stride for stride down the straightaway finishing 31.18 and 31.20. Thank you both for the thrilling races this Championship.

Karla’s time in the 200m final lowered the W70 world record she set in yesterday’s heats. A few minutes later, Nicole Alexis, W60, FRA, the WMACi2019 W55 champion, ran 27.34 which also reset the world record set yesterday. 200m world records were also set by Lion Martinez, M45, SWE, in 22.23 which he ran in the semi-finals, John Wright, M60, GBR, in 24.28 and Hiroo Tanaka, M90, JPN, in 38.79. Hiroo was the M85 200m champion at WMACi2019. Earler in the day, Derek Pye, USA, set the M55 60m Hurdles world record by running 8.41 over the barriers. The last barrier interfered with Derek’s attempt to better that mark in the evening’s final. Wolfgang Ritte, M70, GER, the M65 pole vault WMACi2019 champion, set another world record this year vaulting 3.56m.

Emmanuelle McGowan, USA, led for most of the 200m final in her attempt to duplicate her W50 sprint triple champions from WMACi2019. Cristina Sanulli, ITA, surged on the straightaway to overtake Emmanuelle for the top podium position. Thomas Jones, USA, also took second while trying to repeat as M65 WMACi 200m champion. WMA Best Athletes, Rietje Dijkman, W80, NED, Charles Allie, M75, USA, and David Carr, M90, AUS, earned medals for their 200m performances. Rietje ran 38.91 to take first place. WMACi2019 M70 champion, Charles, repeated the feat by running 28.43. David earned his fourth medal of this Championship running 47.58 and finishing right behind world record setter, Hiroo Tanaka. Regular WMAC participant, Walwyn Franklyn, M70, GBR, competing in his nineteenth Championship, made the 200m finals.

Four former Olympians are World Champions! Tomasz Lipiec, POL, Sydney 2000, won M50 10km racewalk in 46:41. Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 participant, Joanna Wisniewska, W50, POL, won discus throw with her 41.19m toss. Rafal Sikora, M35, POL, who competed in London 2012, won 10km racewalk in 43:25. 2016 Rio participant, Grace Wanjiru Njue, KEN, took top honors in W40 10km racewalk. Fourth place 10km M55 racewalk competitor, Rodrigo Moreno Munar, COL, also participated in Beijing 2008

Several other World Champions from WMACi2019 repeated that feat in a new age group. 10km racewalk: Antonina Tyshko, W75, UKR; Miguel Periañez Garcia, M60, ESP; Ettorino Formentin, M75, ITA. 200m: Nicole Alexis, W60, FRA; Lion Martinez, M45, SWE; Gerhard Zorn, M65, GER. Discus throw:Maria Sløk Hansen, W40, DEN; Joanna Wisniewska, W50, POL. 60m hurdles: Joe Appiah, M50, GBR; Thad Wilson, M70, USA; Milan Beliansky, M75, SVK; and pole vault: Valdis Cela, M75, LAT.

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