Bruce McBarnette, 51, an attorney living in Sterling, won the World Masters Track and Field Championships in the high jump for men over age 50, going 6’ 2¾” inches (1.90 meters). The competition was held Aug. 4 in Lahti, Finland.
The win was McBarnette’s sixth World Championship victory for his age group, and he has broken the USA high jump record for his age group ten times in less than two years. USA Track and Field chose McBarnette as Athlete of the Year for 2008 for men 39-54 years old. "Competing in Finland was fantastic. The officiating was great, and the crowd was excellent," said McBarnette on Tuesday after returning to the U.S. "Since I know people from many countries, it was great to have them there to cheer me on."
McBarnette is planning to compete in the World masters Games in Australia in October. "These games are not just track and field, but similar to the Olympics," said McBarnette. "The are held every four years."
McBarnette is president of Summit Connection, a real estate investment firm, and is a member of the Potomac Valley Track Club. His personal record is 7’1” (2.16 meters), set at the Rutgers Relays in 1984.
A graduate of Princeton University and New York University Law School, McBarnette is a former legal counsel to the United States Senate, a former senior counsel for Fannie Mae, and a former Judge Advocate attorney for the U.S. Army, serving at the rank of captain. His coach at Princeton was Olympian Fred Samara.
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