The 2017 Torrance County 50+ Games Track & Field competition was held at Estancia High School on May 20. A total of eleven senior athletes gathered to run, walk, throw, and jump on a beautiful, but somewhat breezy, spring morning. On the track, Colleen Burns showed everyone the form that has earned her numerous medals at national events as she tuned up for this year’s nationals to be held in Birmingham, Alabama in a couple weeks. The most popular track events this year were the 400M and 1500M power walks. Among the women Patricia Harriman proved to be the most powerful walker, with John Boerger winning the men’s event.
The discus throw drew the most entries among the field events. Laura Kayser won the women’s event with a throw of 42 feet, 10 inches while Sam Chavez threw 86 feet, 7 inches to lead the men. Two “outdoor recreational events” are included with the Senior Olympics field events: the softball distance throw and the Frisbee distance toss. This year’s softball throw winners are Sheryl Boerger (65 feet, 3 inches) and Tommy Negrete (170 feet, 5 inches). Topping the field in the Frisbee distance event were Leota Harriman (69 feet, 11 inches) and Sam Chavez (115 feet, 7 inches).
The list of participants and complete results for all events follows: Women were Sheryl Boerger, Moriarty; Colleen Burns, McIntosh; Leota Harriman, Moriarty; Patricia Harriman, Knoxville, TN; Laura Kayser, Mountainair and Gloria Predika, Moriarty. The men were Richard Ashbaugh, McIntosh; John Boerger, Moriarty; Robert Chavez, Willard; Sam Chavez, Estancia and Tommy Negrete, Tajique.
-
- Sheryl Boerger jumped 4’5″ in standing long jump.
-
- Tommy Negrete’s best standing long jump was 7’11”
-
- Sammy Chavez best standing long jump was 6’10”
-
- Leota Harriman’s best standing long jump was 5’2″
-
- At the start of running and walking events
-
- Willard’s mayor Bobby Chavez on the track
-
- Colleen Burns on the track
-
- Patricia Harriman was the fastest walker in the group, with a 14 minute and 17 second time for the 1500M race walk
-
- Sammy Chavez throwing a javelin
-
- Bobby Chavez throwing javelin
-
- Tommy Negrete throwing javelin. His longest toss was 82’9″
-
- Sammy Chavez’ best shot put was 32’8″
-
- Richard Ashbaugh’s best shot put throw was 28’2″
-
- Richard Ashbaugh’s best shot put throw was 28’2″
-
- Patricia Harriman’s best shot put was 18’6″
-
- Laura Kayser took a break from record-keeping to throw the best discus for the women at 42’10”
-
- Bobby Chavez best discus throw was 31’6″
-
- Richard Asbaugh winding up for discus. His best toss was 72’8″
-
- Laura Kayser keeping score for events all day
Field Events Results
Estancia HS Field, May 20, 2017
Women’s Discus
Laura Kayser 42’ 10”
Leota Harriman 42’ 4”
Patricia Harriman 38’ 4”
Men’s Discus
Sam Chavez 86’ 7”
Tommy Negrete 77’ 7”
Richard Ashbaugh 72’ 8”
Bobby Chavez 31’6”
Women’s Javelin
Leota Harriman 52’ 3”
Patricia Harriman 24’ 6”
Men’s Javelin
Sam Chavez 91’
Tommy Negrete 82’ 5”
Bobby Chavez 37’
Women’s Shot Put
Leota Harriman 22’ 11”
Patricia Harriman 18’ 6”
Men’s Shot Put
Sam Chavez 32’ 8”
Richard Ashbaugh 28’ 2”
Women’s Standing Long Jump
Leota Harriman 5’ 2”
Sheryl Boerger 4’ 5”
Patricia Harriman 3’ 4”
Men’s Standing Long Jump
Sam Chavez 6’ 10”
Tommy Negrete 6′ 10”
Women’s Running Long Jump
Leota Harriman 6’ 2”
Sheryl Boerger 5’
Men’s Running Long Jump
Sam Chavez 8’ 9”
Tommy Negrete 7’ 11”
Track Results
Estancia HS Field, May 20, 2017
Women’s 200M
Colleen Burns 35.1 sec.
Women’s 400M
Colleen Burns 1 min. 43 sec.
Women’s 1500M
Colleen Burns 6 min. 45 sec.
Women’s 400M Race Walk
Patricia Harriman 3 min. 38 sec.
Leota Harriman 3 min. 56 sec.
Sheryl Boerger 4 min. 35 sec.
Gloria Predika 4 min. 35 sec.
Men’s 400M Race Walk
John Boerger 4 min. 10 sec.
Bobby Chavez 4 min. 31 sec.
Women’s 1500M Race Walk
Patricia Harriman 14 min. 17 sec.
Sheryl Boerger 15 min. 24 sec.
Leota Harriman 15 min. 25 sec.
Recreational Events Results
Estancia HS Field, May 20, 2017
Women’s Softball Distance Throw
Sheryl Boerger 65’ 3”
Leota Harriman 59’ 4”
Patricia Harriman 50’ 5”
Men’s Softball Distance Throw
Tommy Negrete 170’ 5”
Sam Chavez 134’ 1”
Bobby Chavez 43’ 9”
Women’s Frisbee Distance Toss
Leota Harriman 69’ 11”
Patricia Harriman 64’ 3”
Sheryl Boerger 40’ 5”
Men’s Frisbee Distance Toss
Sam Chavez 115’ 7”
John Boerger 68’
Bobby Chavez 50’ 8”
Leota started working for The Independent in 2006, working her way up through the ranks. An employee buyout in 2010 led to her ownership of the newspaper. Leota has served on the board of the N.M. Press Association, and is currently its First Vice President. She is passionate about health and wellness, especially mental health, and loves making art. She can be reached at news.ind.editor@gmail.com.
