Tullis and Palacios Lead Strong Indiana Showing at USATF Masters Indoor Championships

Results

The 2024 USATF Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships concluded on Sunday (26-Mar) in Chicago.  33 members of USATF Indiana competed in 54 events during the four-day competition. 

USATF Indiana member athletes won 14 national titles and earned 31 visits to the awards podium for finishing in the top three in their event.

Antonio Palacios and Kendall Thomas each won two titles.  Palacios was victorious in the M55 Long Jump (19-7½) and Triple Jump (38-10¼) as he has now won 27 national titles in his career. Thomas won the M35 Weight Throw (51-5) and Superweight Throw (36-5) and also earned a silver medal in the Shot Put (43-9¼).

Brian Tullis (Indiana Elite AC), competing in his first USATF masters championships since 2004, captured the M50 800m. His Tim elf 2:00.07 was just .45 seconds off the M50 world record. The performance scored 95.05 on the age graded (AG) tables where scores of over 90 are classified as world-class. He also finished third in the 1 Mile clocking 4:37.93 (90.69 AG score). Tullis' age-graded scores were the only two above 90 for the Indiana athletes.

Historically Indiana pole vaulters have done very well at masters championships and that held true in Chicago as four Hoosiers claimed pole vault titles and four more earned silver medals for their second place finishes. In the M45 division Scott Johnson won his sixth USATF title since 2018 with a clearance of 12-7. He also finished second in the Pentathlon. In the men's 50-54 division, Anthony Heath cleared the same heigh as Johnson to win his first USATF national title. In the men's 60-64 division Hoosiers finished first and second as Chet Clodfelter won clearing 11-11¾ and Paul Babits (Vault High Athletics) was second with a clearance of (11-5¾). Brenda Babits (Vault High Athletics) won her 21st USATF title as she won the women's 60-64 division clearing 6-4¾ to defeat fellow Hoosier Karen Rieger (5-10¾). In the men's 65-69 division Gary Hunter finished second with a best of 10-6. And in the men's 75-79 division, Dick Kochert also earned silver as he cleared 7-6½.

The remaining five national titles claimed by the Indiana athletes were all earned by athletes in the three youngest divisions. In the men's 25-29 1 mile Dalton Atchison ran 4:40.85 to earn his gold medal. Elizabeth Evans won the women's 30-34 High Jump clearing 1.70m (5-7). Grace Liang claimed the Long Jump in the women's 35-39 division with a leap of 5.24m (17-5¼). She also finished second in the 200m (26.70) and 60m Hurdles (10.58 and third in the 60m (8.00). Ikechukwu Nnachi won the men's 35-39 Shot Put with a throw of 13.37m (43-10½). And the final national title was won by Russell Dill II in the men's 35-39 division in a time of 8.44.

2023 Indiana Masters Athlete of the Year, Leandra Funk earned two silver medals as she placed second in the women's 65-59 60m (10.04) and 200m (32.56). She also finished fourth in the 400m (1:17.48) Also earning a silver medal was Gerald Ingalls as he finished second in the men's 45-49 Weight Throw (47-9). Ingalls also finished fourth in the Superweight Throw (28-5).

Third place bronze medals were garnered by Hidi Gaff (W40 3000m), Tanja Grant (W50 Long Jump), Denver Preston (M60 Long Jump), and Ken Wempe (M55 3000m), 

Athletes scoring over 80% on the age grading tables (indicating their performances were classified as national-class) were:

Brian Tullis (M50 800m, 2:00.07) - 95.05
Brian Tullis (M50 1 Mile, 4:37.93) - 90.69
Antonio Palacios (M55 Long Jump, 5.98m / 19-7½) - 89.27
Grace Liang (W35 60m, 8.00) - 86.88
George Joachim (M50 60m, 7.99) - 86.85
Russell Dill II (M35 60m Hurdles, 8.44) - 86.79
Leandra Funk (W65 400m, 1:17.48) - 85.63
Leandra Funk (W65 200m, 32.56) - 85.47
Leandra Funk (W65 60m, 10.04) - 85.17
George Joachim (M50 400m, 57.89) - 85.11
Antonio Palacios (M55 Triple Jump, 11.84m / 38-10¼) - 83.38
George Joachim (M50 200m, 26.62) - 82.75
Ken Wempe (M55 3000m, 10:29.90) - 82.07
Hidi Gaff (W40 1 Mile, 5:34.93) - 81.68
Ken Wempe (M55 1 Mile, 5:20.22) - 81.53
Paul Babits (M60 Pole Vault, 3.50m / 11-5¾) - 81.42
Elizabeth Evans (W30 High Jump, 1.70m / 5-7) - 81.34
Chet Clodfelter (M60 Pole Vault, 3.65m / 11-11¾) - 81.26
Hidi Gaff (W40 3000m, 10:48.33) - 80.76
Grace Liang (W35 200m, 26.70) - 80.64
Gary Hunter (M65 Pole Vault, 3.20m / 10-6) - 80.45
Tom Smith (M70 60m, 9.59) - 80.25

The complete USATF Indiana Results Scoreboard can be found here.