Phil Raschker to Masters Hall of Fame

[roger/over]

I'm embarrassed at taking so long to forward this article about Phil Raschker being inducted into the National Senior Games on June 17th. I stalled all this time in trying to find a comprehensive list of her present and past USA and world masters records, but will have to settle for listing only eleven of her current world standards.

NATIONAL SENIOR GAMES INDUCTS RASCHKER INTO HALL OF FAME

Pittsburgh, PA (June 17)--The National Senior Games, now underway in Pittsburgh, inducted legendary track and field athlete Philippa Raschker into its Hall of Fame during the Open Ceremonies held at Mellon Arena Sunday night.

Raschker, 58, an accountant from Marietta, Georgia, has competed in every Senior Olympics since turning 50, winning numerous gold medals and establishing several records in track and field events. This year she continued to impress, winning gold medals in the 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash, 400 meter dash, long jump, and high jump, and setting new records in each of those five events. These accomplishments add to her amazing legacy of records; Raschker currently holds 24 world records and 62 U.S. records in track and field events.

The Opening Ceremonies for the National Senior Games – Senior Olympics, which are held every two years in different host cities, featured Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell’s welcoming remarks, Olympic figure skater Peggy Fleming leading the athletes in the reciting the athletes’ pledge, and Phil Raschker’s and swimmer Charles Baldwin’s induction into the National Senior Games Association Hall of Fame. These two athletes were selected from the more than 10,000 senior athletes who participate in the Senior Olympics every two years, for their athletic accomplishments and their ambassadorship for senior athletes.

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Phil has been the outstanding female masters vaulter for far longer than there has been a National Seniors Games, and I'm quite sure has held every world vault record from age 40 to her present ones. Currently, she has the W50 record at 3.25m (10'8") and W55 record at 3.05m (10').

Additionally, I found the following world records she presently holds:

100m: W50--12.50; W55--13.30
200m: W45--25.46; W50--25.72
100mH: W50--12.68
400mH: W55--49.14
long jump: W50--5.40
heptathlon: W50--6250 (a better total than the W40 or W45 records)

She also anchored a USA W50-59 4 x 100m relay team to its 53.39 WR.

Obviously, what I found were far short of the numbers mentioned in the Senior Games citation; but congratulations to Phil on these and perhaps someone else can provide some additions.

[Vaulting prof]

A most impressive -- yet down to earth- athlete.
I had the honor to sit in the Mellon Arena when she was
Inducted. Then three days later as she ducked her head
under my umbrella and we groused about the rain and
gusty wind as we waited to pole vault. Then she ran off to
throw the javelin-- typically doing two-- or more events at a time.

vaulting prof