one 4 the ladies - video of 1984 womens marathon US Olympic trials

A chronic liar self-identifies with the Republicans. Who knew??

I've never seen anyone, even a woman, so full of sh!t!!!!!!!

Barry Hess looks like Monty Burns's brother.

Canada76 wrote:

This Petronella video is so bad it is worth watching for a laugh. I really enjoyed her stilted delivery as she attempted to read from cue cards - you could clearly hear and see the person with the cards. Included in this gem is yet another claim that she had to put her dream of Olympic Gold aside because of the 1980 boycott.

http://hessforgovernor.com/campaign/node/165

Not only would her 2:54 marathon not have "won a gold medal", as she claims, it wouldn't have even qualified her for the 1984 Olympic Trials; the qualifying time was, I believe, 2:51:something.

What a loon.

bump

CaptainTrack wrote:

bump

Why do you continue to bump this thread?

I suspect the reason CaptainTrack is bumping this thread is because he or she believes that Petronella's stated qualifications must be seriously scrutinized. She is selling books (and attempting to raise money through other means) claiming that she was a world-class runner who was denied her Olympic dream in 1980 because of the boycott. She also claims that she was Joan Benoit's coach. In a video on Youtube she claims that Benoit's victory in L.A. was "their" accomplishment. There are a number of significant issues with her story. It is time for Petronella to back up her claims with some verifiable facts.

Ms. Petronella:

1) What was your P.R. in the marathon?

2) Where and when did you run your marathon P.R.?

3) What were your second and third best times in the marathon? Where and when did you run these races?

4) Did you ever compete in a National Track Championship? If yes, where and when?

5) What are your track P.R.'s for the 1500, 5000 and 10,000? Where and when did you run these times?

6) What proof is there that you were Joan Benoit's coach? If asked about your claim, do you know what Joan would say? Do you know what Bob Sevene would say?

7) What is the factual foundation for your claim that you were a world-class runner?

8) What is the factual foundation for the claim that you were a favorite to win the 1980 Olympic Marathon?

9) How could your dream to run the Olympic marathon for the U.S.A. in 1980 be crushed by the boycott given the fact that the first time women were permitted to run the marathon in the Olympics was 1984?

10) Given your claim to fame is that you were once a world-class runner, how is it that none of my track or road running friends from the 1970's or 80's have ever heard of you?

11) Keeping in mind that some of us still have our Track and Field News and Runners' World magazines from the 1970's and 1980's (I knew there had to be a good reason not to throw them out), would you please point to all of the stories or reported races results where you are mentioned?

12) Putting aside the problem mentioned above at number (9), given the fact that (as far as I can tell) your best marathon time was 2:57, how could you possibly describe yourself as a world-class runner, since with that time you would have not have even come close to qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1984 (qualifying time was 2:51)?

13) If your P.R. was 2:57, given the fact that the world record for the marathon in 1980 was 2:25 and the American Record was 2:29, how can you claim to have been a world-class runner or an Olympic favorite in 1980 (even if there was no Olympic marathon for women in 1980? Do you seriously think it is reasonable to describe somone who has a P.R. 32 minutes slower than the W.R. as world-class?

14) Did you attend university. If yes, did you run track or cross-country for your school. If yes, when?

15) Would you please provide us with the name of your coach (or coaches) from the 1970s and 80s? Would you please provide us with the names of anyone known in the sport (who is still alive) who will back up your claim that you were a world-class runner?

16) Would you please provide us with a list of all the marathons you won (with the year of your victory)?

I look forward to your reply.

Thank you.

Ms P.responded to a thread( pulled by the mods) I started a while ago.

She gave these times

16:12-5K National Diet Pepsi

35:30-10K National Diet Pepsi

1:13-New Haven 20k

No dates for these PR's were given.

You can see she did finish 5th in the Diet Pepsi 10k in 1978 as referenced in the above earlier Letsrun thread.

She mentioned she was coached for 9 months by Dorothy Hamils Olympic coach in Denver(Carlo Fassi??)

I do know she did finish Boston '78 in 2:57 (18th place) Gayle Barron won in 2:45.

I remember her as a talented local runner able to break into the top 10 in some as of the larger races - like the NY Pepsi Challenge 10k. I don't remeber there ever being a Pepsi 5k.

She would win local races on Long Island - I think she was based out of Manhasset and did some work with the legendary Aldo Scandura (how's that for a name from the past).

She always appeared to me as trying too hard to promote herself. Always being just on the outside of the big time runners. A nice kid with good intentions always reaching for the stars. Unfortunately she had a highly inflated ego and was convinced she was much better then she actually was.

Sorry to see that she put some of this stuff in print.

Thanks Wineturtle. None of these times were "world-class" in 1978. Of course, and more importantly, there is every reason to be suspicious about these times and her other claims until we can verify them.

Hi Canada 76!

You have some interesting questions for Ms. Petronella. Over on dyestat, there were similar questions for her, too. I think she is registered over there to post, though she has not, as of now.

Perhaps she'll call you. :)

I frankly didn't remember her when she called me...the name rang a little bell, but I couldn't put anything next to it nor could I put a face with her name...so I really don't know her.

If I did I perhaps could help you out some.

Thank the gods Wineturtle has returned..now we can get down to business here......

Thanks for the reply Patti.

I have always strongly believed that if there had been a marathon for women in the 1980 Olympics (and the U.S. had not boycotted the Games) you would have won either a gold or silver medal.

Good luck with your running.

Canada76.

One week and still no answers from Ms. Petronella. Does anyone else think that she is the type of person who would Google her name every day? In other words, does anyone really believe that she hasn't read this thread?

Ms. Petronella, if your amazing claims about your running career are accurate it would be so easy to prove.

In the video clip in which you endorse the Republican candidate you say that honesty is very important. Please demonstrate that you mean what you say.

I will wait for your reply.

Thank you.

Yeah, I'm sure she'd feel SO threatened by a witch hunt on a message board on a backwater website.

It is spelled Athlettes and I guess he was trying to say Athladies?

Remember... for some people there is no such thing as bad attention. I suspect that if Ms. Petronella has read this site, she is getting some sense of satisfaction from it. If it wasn't for the original posting, I may have never heard of this woman. If this thread had died a while ago, I would have long forgotten about her (which, IMO, is the last thing this nut wants).

I may be mistaken, but I have never heard of Joan Benoit demanding a retraction or explanation from this loon. I suggest we do the same, and pretend like this person doesn't even exist. I'm almost certain that's what Ms. Petronella

DOESN'T want us to do.

I don't know nothing about athlettes or athladies, but I do know I don't like athholes. Petronella thounds like a huge athhole--Thamuelson could rip her a new one, but Joan theems to dignified for that nonthenthe.

So..we ignore those who profit off of the fruits of others' honest labor??