Norris And Christel Conquer The World

Christel Donley, 90, in the high jump. She set a world record, but her message below is a bigger reason to pay attention to her. Photo by Rob Jerome.

 

By Ray Glier

GAINESVILLE, Fla.___On Feb. 22, Norris Hanes III, 57, could not get his socks on because his back hurt so much when he bent over. Norris couldn’t even stand up straight. He was moving so slowly he almost missed his flight here from Maryland for the USA Track & Field Masters Indoor Championships.

On Feb. 24, just two days later, Hanes set a world record indoors in the 60-meter dash flying 7.32 seconds (M55).

“You know with backs, they're unpredictable,” Norris said. “One day, you're just like in back pain, and then the next morning you wake up and it's like, ‘hey, it's gone’

“I did a lot of praying, got nine hours of sleep, and used a heating pad, and I woke up the next morning and I'm like, wow, this is looking pretty good.”

The “next” morning was Thursday, the 23rd, and Hanes ran 7.44 in the 60 prelims. The day after that he exploded to the 7.32 in the 60 finals. Given Norris is a cancer survivor made the dash even more inspiring.

“I was building toward the worlds next month and then this happened,” he said. “I was quite surprised.”

It took a while for Norris to even find out he set a world record. He heard the tail end of the public address announcer saying “world record” but didn’t know it was “Me.” Hanes continued to just walk near the track and recover to a normal heart rate.

Then he realized it was "Me" they were talking about. Norris made himself available to the first USATF Masters official he saw so he could get drug tested. He was told no drug test for him.

“It still hasn’t sunk in,” Hanes said the day after his world record. “Say it one more time, please. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to hearing it.”

**

At 90 years old, Christel Donley set a world record in the high jump for women 90 and over at the Masters Indoor Championships in Gainesville, Fla., last Sunday.

90!

The height may look modest to some people, 0.86 meters, or 2.82 feet.

But just consider this: the average life expectancy in the U.S. is 77 years old. So think of that 2.82 feet in more serious terms. Christel is out-jumping Father Time.

What’s more, she adds to the road map Masters athletes in many sports provide to younger generations.

“Being able to still get my body AND my mind to do things, that are a challenge, is important,” Christel told Geezer Jock in a Facebook message. “Matter of fact, Sport and competition have been such a big part of my life (education, teaching, coaching), that I cannot, and will not, imagine not being able to continue.

“While I have been able to perform very well, I have found friends for life! We all simply admit that getting together is one of the most rewarding, joyful parts of our ‘hobby’.”

**

Here is a link to a recap of the meet.

World-record holder Norris Hanes has reason to smile.