The track and field competition is in full swing at the Summer Olympics in Paris and American athletes have been performing brilliantly.
While we are all paying attention to what’s going on in France, there is another track and field athlete from St. Louis who is used to doing big things on the world stage.
Myrle Mensey, 75, has been a star on the national and international stage in Masters track and field for more than 20 years. I first started following Mensey back in 2005 when she was preparing for the World Masters Games in Canada. She was 58 years old then and on the front end of what would become a remarkable career in the throwing events in Masters track.
At 75, Mensey has shown no signs of slowing down as she continues to compete at a high level while also running her own “Throwing and Growing” Foundation. Mensey is still going strong as she moves up in age group while winning medals and setting new records along the way. Each time she moves into a new age division, she leaves behind a brand new set of records and standards for the athletes that follow her.
“I love to throw,” said Mensey, when asked about maintaining such a high level of performance for two decades. “Throwing is an individual sport. It’s you against you. I am also amazed at how I’m able to continue to throw and train at such a high level. I feel good. As God continues to bless me with the ability to do it, I will do it. When I’m feeling stressed, I go throw.”
The latest step for Mensey will be the World Masters Championships, which will be held in Sweden from August 19-26.
Mensey prepared for her upcoming trip to the World Championships with a smashing performance at the recent USATF Masters Championships in Sacramento, CA. She won three gold medals while setting three American records and two world records in the process.
Competing in the Women’s 75-age division won the hammer throw with an effort of 41.25 meters (135 feet 4 inches), which were new American and world records. The following day, she set a new American record in the shot put with a throw of 9.42 meters (30 feet 10 inches)>
On her final day of competition, she set the new American and world records in the weight throw with an effort of 16.24 meters (53 feet 3 inches). She broke the American record by 14 feet and world record by five feet.
At the World Championships, Mensey will be competing in the weight throw and the throws pentathlon, which is a combination of the shot put, discus, hammer, weight and javelin throws. She has set lofty goals for herself in Sweden.
“My goal is to win the weight throw and the throws pentathlon and set a world record in the hammer, weight, throws pentathlon and American record in the shot (put). I just have to relax and let it fly and don’t try to overdo.”
Congratulations, go for it.