The win was McBarnettes 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 71 (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.