JACKSONVILLE -- After a long awaited start, the first day of the 2015 USATF Masters Championships got underway amidst grueling heat surrounding Hodges Stadium at the University of North Florida.
 
The USATF Masters Outdoor Championships can be seen on demand on USATF.TV. Action continues Friday, July 24 and concludes Sunday, July 26.
 
Myrle Mensey (St. Louis, Missouri) started the day by nearly surpassing her own record in the W65-69 hammer throw with a mark of 38.46m/126-2.50. Despite winning Thursday by just over three meters, Mensey’s 39.61m/129-11 is still the American W65-69 record set last September.
 
Bill Jankovich (Racine, Wisconsin) began his pentathlon events with one of the more impressive performances of the day, finishing the M70-89 1500m in 11:03. In the discus throw, Jankovich scored 520 points with his toss of 19.97m/65-6, and crossed in 45.91 in the men’s 200 meters. In the final two events of the day, Jankovich threw 26.63m/87-4 in the javelin and cleared 2.66m/8-8.75 in the men’s long jump.
 
The 800 meters saw champions crowned during the morning session with a lot of tight races down the homestretch.
 
The M40-44 division surpassed expectations with the two fastest times of the day coming from this age group. Peter Brady (Jersey City, New Jersey) and Mark Williams (Columbia, New Jersey) battled the entire duration of the race with Brady eventually coming out on top at 1:59.15. Williams was the second runner under two minutes for the day coming in at 1:59.63.
 
Michael Brown went on to capture the M30-34 800m in 2:01.24, while William Mason (Beloit, Kansas) posted a victory in the M50-54 800m in 2:06.80.
 
Betty Schaefer (Buckeye, Arizona) won close in the W65-84 800m field to win in 3:10.70. Nonie Hudnall (Atlanta, Goergia) finished as the runner-up in 3:12.60.
 
The W30-84 division pentathlon ran the 80-meter short hurdles heats in the morning with the third heat boasting the top times. Anne Sluder (Pineville, North Carolina) ran the top overall time in 13.20 and Carmellia Shivers-Cole (Dallas, Georgia) came in just behind Sluder in 13.47.
 
In M70-99 hammer throw, the two longest throws came from Peter La Barge (Runaway Bay, Texas) at 37.05m/121-6.50 and Robert Cahners (Naples, Florida) with his mark of 36.45m/119-6.75.
 
Results from the entire first day of competition can be viewed here.
 
Entry is free to the public for the entire weekend and the rest of the 2015 USATF Masters Outdoor Championships. Click here for more information regarding the rest of the weekend.
 
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Ryan Stevens
Communications Intern
Ryan.Stevens@usatf.org