Still competing in a young man's world
Krista Latham; The (Colorado Springs) Gazette, June 9, 2002

Spectators at the Colorado Open/ U.S. Pentathlon Nationals couldn't help but notice Bob Hurley.

Some playfully called him the living dead. Others hoped his heart wouldn't give out.

And when he finally crossed the finish line in last place, everyone cheered and wondered aloud if they'd be able to do that when they turn 69.

A modern pentathlon is no ride on a merry-go-round. It's an all-day athletic affair - this one staged Saturday at various sites around the Springs.

Shooting: 20 shots with an air rifle at a stationary target 10 meters away. Fencing: Two bouts with each competitor, one touch, with an epee. Swimming: 200 meters. Riding: 15 4-foot jumps, with a horse you've just met. Running: 3 kilometers, cross-country.

It's not for the old or faint of heart. Unless you're Hurley, and you've been doing it for 30 years.

"I'll be 70 next year, and once you get over 60 you lose your muscle mass," he said. "If you want to stick around, you better get serious. A lot of people choose to check out."

Hurley refuses to check out, and doesn't mind placing last while he's at it. Place just isn't important when you're racing guys less than half your age, who train full-time.

The winner, Eli Bremer, 24, an Air Force officer, lives and trains for 22 hours a week at the Olympic Training Center. He started the run seeded fourth and began 26 seconds after the leaders. By the second lap of the 1,500-meter course at Penrose Equestrian Center and Bear Creek Park, he had closed the gap to 100 meters and eventually won by at least 50.

"I knew I had to have a gutsy race," said Bremer, who won the swim competition and placed second in fencing.

Bremer sees himself wearing Olympic gear in 2004.

Hurley sees himself tending to his apple orchard, his ranch, and his two girls, both fencing national champions, in 2004.

"They'll probably be pushing fencing hard until the Olympics," he said.

Not that he'll give up his sport in the meantime. He still plans to run and swim every day, and usually ride one of his two horses.

Even at 69, when he's gasping for breath and can only complete one half of the run, he still enjoys it.

"It's a peculiar sport," he said. "It's a funny thing like opera. People get into it, and who knows why."

The women will begin their quest for a national championship at 8a.m. today at the Olympic Training Center shooting range. Admission to the public is free.

- Krista Latham can be reached at 636-0252 or at gtsports@gazette.com

MEN'S RESULTS

1. Eli Bremer (US)5,216 2. Chad Senior (US)5,156 3. Scott Christie (US)5,104 4. Nicolae Papuc (ROM)4,996 5. Jeremie Perry (US)4,904 6. Niul Manske (N/A)4,700 7. Roberto Acosta (MEX)4,664 8. Terris Tiller (US)4,452 9. Joshua Fox (CAN)4,388 10. Will Brady (US)3,956 11. Justin Messenger (US)3,056 12. Marek Stepien (POL)2,700 13. Bob Hurley (US)1,776

Scoring: Each participant receives a score for each event. In the final event, the run, athletes are handicapped according to their cumulative score, and whoever crosses the finish line first wins.

-CUTLINE- Photos by Bryan Oller/The Gazette - Eli Bremer of the United States, left, spars with Mexico's Roberto Acosta during the fencing portion of the pentathlon. Bremer finished second at the Training Center, but won overall.

-CUTLINE- Bob Hurley shakes hands with Eli Bremer following their fencing duel during the Colorado Open/U.S. Pentathlon National Championship on Saturday. The 69-year-old Hurley battled men half his age in five events: fencing, running, horse riding, shooting and swimming.