Dr. William Yelverton wins national title, sets a world record, and ranks #1 in the world

4x200m M55 World Record team:  James Chinn, William Yelverton, Don McGee, Ben James (Photo courtesy of Ellen Mason)

Ellen Mason

Contributing Writer from USATF Masters

Sewanee Visiting Professor of Music, William Yelverton, has won the 400 meter National Championship in the M55 age group at the USA Track and Field Masters National Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, March 4-6. Remarkably, his 55.22 was the fastest indoor 400m time in the world in 8 years in his age group. Yelverton anchored the 4x200m relay team of Jim Chinn, Ben James, and Don McGee that set the M55 World Record in the 4x200m relay, eclipsing the record set by Great Britain in ‘14.

Yelverton says, “Happy to be still getting faster and stronger as I get older. Life is good.”

Yelverton also ran an indoor personal record time of 24.65 in the 200m event where he won the Bronze Medal, missing second place by just 1/100th of a second. His 200m time is ranked third fastest in the world this year in M55. This is William Yelverton’s third USATF Masters National Championship in the 400m. His 55.22 is faster than his previous two Championship races. In August, he won Bronze Medals in both the 400m and 200m events at the World Championships in Lyon, France. His indoor times in Albuquerque were faster than his outdoor times in France at the World Championships. Yelverton, who received an ‘Age Group Athlete of the Year Award’ by USA Track and Field in December, is Professor of Classical Guitar at MTSU, and Visiting Professor of Music at The University of the South.

CORRECTION on April 7, 2016: The title formerly misrepresented the story, reading “Dr. William Yelverton sets personal record.” It has been altered to “Dr. William Yelverton wins national title, sets a world record, and ranks #1 in the world.”