Drew Bell of Madison made the All Pan-American Masters team with his record-setting performance in five events, including a win in the 3000m Steeplechase.
Bell, 58, is head coach for the James Clemens High School cross-country and track-field teams. The Pan Am Masters Games, held July 12-21 in Cleveland, featured more than 9,000 athletes from 70 countries. Athletes competed in 29 sports categories with multiple events in each.
Bell finished among the top eight in five events, a record, earning All Pan-Am Masters honors. He ran five races in eight days. The Steeplechase win and Pan Am Masters team honors are just part of an ongoing journey Bell began four years ago.
Bell’s finishes included the gold medal for the 3000 Steeplechase, silver medal in the 800m event, fourth place in the half-marathon, and fifth place in the 1500m and 5000m events. Bell had not competed in Steeplechase since 1987 when he was in college.
He secretly worked on the event for a month before the Pan Am games. He won the race by 26 seconds, finishing in 14:51:83.
