Dave Ashford of SoCal Track Club poses by signboard showing his time in winning the M35 110 hurdles at the 2002 USATF National Masters meet in Orono, Maine

Jeannine Fleming photo

Seek and ye shall set hurdle mark:
David Ashford claims M40 record

By Ken Stone

Dave Ashford set a high goal for himself after turning 40 in January -- becoming the fastest masters hurdler in history. On July 11, 2003, he achieved it in Carolina, Puerto Rico. And he did so by defeating Karl Smith, the reigning world champion and M40 record holder in the biggest race of the year -- the final of the M40 short hurdles at the 15th World Masters Athletic Championships. By clocking 13.73 into a 0.5 mps (1.1 mph) headwind, Ashford lowered one of the most respected records on the books. But his early season served notice that the record of 13.96 could fall.

David Ashford accepts congratulations after winning the M35 short hurdle title at Orono, Maine, in August 2002.

A newly minted master (born January 24, 1963) with an all-time best of 13.65 in the 42-inch 110 highs (and 13.38 wind-aided), Ashford still had a challenge on his hands. The M40 hurdles record was far from soft. When Jamaica native Smith ran 13.96 at the 2001 WMA worlds in Brisbane, Australia, the record at that time was Stan Druckrey’s legendary 14.24 dating to 1989.

But Ashford, like Druckrey and Smith, had the world-class background to tackle his goals. Ashford was the 1981 California high school champion in the 120-yard high hurdles (13.67) while competing (as an 18-year-old senior) for West Covina High School. In 1982, he set a slew of freshman records at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California. He’s now a professional fitness trainer living in the Chicago suburb of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, with his wife and two cats. He has all-time PRs of 10.42 in the 100 and 20.94 in the 200 – and ranks as the 10th-fastest over-35 110 hurdler (Olympic height) of all time.

Earlier this year, he competed in the February indoor Meyo Invitational at Notre Dame (8.19 for 60 highs), at the April 20 Indy Relays at Butler University (14.40 in Olympic highs) and at the Butler Twilight (14.71 in Olympic highs into a 2.7 mps wind). In mid-May, he took second at the Keeler Invitational at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, clocking a 14.63.

On June 14, Ashford tuned up with a 14.36 at the USATF Wisconsin Association Championships at Carthage College. On July 10, he won Heat 1 of the prelims at worlds in his masters PR of 14.02 -- nearly two seconds ahead of the runner-up.

Ashford’s agent/publicist Dave Klawitter wrote:  “As soon as he gets back from Puerto Rico, he will run at the USA team club meet in Indiana over the 42’s. He also plans to run in Eugene at the USA Masters” championships.

In a release titled “Super Dave,” Klawitter also wriote: “In June of ’04, Dave is looking to become the first 40-year-old hurdler ever to qualify for the Olympic Trials. If his current times are any indication, he has an excellent shot. His times are currently falling within the top 25 nationwide (all ages) and approximately 32-36 runners will qualify for the Trials.

Ashford has his work cut out for even making the Trials, though. To qualify for the 2004 Sacramento OT, he’ll have to run sub-14 in the international (42-inch) highs -- and the world masters record for that event is 14.16 by Spain’s Carlos Sala.

Don’t count him out.

As Klawitter says: “Dave says that hurdlers have the capability to benefit from experience and improve as they get older. Personally, he feels stronger than he did 15 years ago and is turning in the same times he was running 10 years ago. Dave attributes his success to strict training and God’s grace. He is a true champion in the world of sports and a humble, awesome man.”