Robert Barrett Tops
National Senior Ranks

By Frank Rizzo
SMALLWOOD — March 14, 2000 -- Robert Barrett of Smallwood maintained his decade-long placement as one of the top senior athletes by continuing to be nationally ranked in racewalking circles.
The retired New York City junior high school principal finished 1999 ranked first in his age group (65-69) in the 10 kilometer and 20 kilometer races. In addition, he was third in the 5K.
Barrett, 66, won 15 of the 24 races he entered, including the USA Track & Field National Masters Indoor Championships at Boston last March (3K), and the Empire State Games on Long Island last July (5K).
One of the highlights for Barrett was a trip to the British Isles in August to participate in the World Veterans Athletic Championships at Gateshead, England.
Barrett was part of the United States 20K racewalking team which won the gold medal on August 1 in the 65-69 age group. Individually, Barrett was sixth in the race.
Six days later, Barrett competed in the 5K and placed fourth with a 27:31:08 behind former Olympian Gerhard Weidner of Germany (25:05:02) and American rivals Jack Bray (27:00:41), and Max Green (27:20:19).
Barrett then entered the Irish Veterans Championship, held August 14 at Tullamore in County Offaly. He placed first in the 5K with a time of 28:18.
In October, at the National Senior Games in Orlando, Fla., Barrett placed second in the 5K with a 29:15 and third in the 1500 with an 8:01.
In the final national rankings, Barrett finished behind Bray and Green in the 5K. He topped the 10K list with a 59:19, and the 20K competition with a 2:00:07.