It’s Veterans Day Parade at the Scott Invitational

It looked like old timers day at the Steve Scott Track and Field Invitational Saturday at UC Irvine.

OK, not so old, thirty-something. And these former Olympians showed the rest of the field that age is just a number.

Ruth Wysocki, 39, recorded the best time in the world this year in the women’s 800 meters, finishing in 2 minutes 0.2 seconds. Wysocki’s time tops that of Toni Hodgkinson of New Zealand, who posted a 2:00.71 in February.

“I’m really happy with that time,” Wysocki said. “I really thought I could run close to two [2:00]. Renee [Ross] took it out so nice, it gave me someone to follow. If she could have hung on a little farther, I think I could have run an even faster time.”

Wysocki, a former Olympian, already has qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 1,500. She was running the 800 for more practice and to see where she is at in her training.

“I don’t feel like I competed like I could at Mt. SAC,” Wysocki said. “I realized its time to get back up on the horse.”

The crowd favorite, Steve Scott, competed in his first race since 1993. The fact he is competing at all is amazing to most, but Scott was disappointed with his third-place finish in the men’s 1,500.

Scott, who overcame a bout with testicular cancer, finished in 3:51.69, behind winner Francis O’Neil (3:48.75) and Wes Ashford (3:50.46), who was second.

“I’m not really happy with my time,” Scott said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve raced on a track. But this is where I am. When I was younger, I could get through the negative niggles. When you get old the little problems challenge you more.”

Scott, who turns 40 today, hopes to make it to Atlanta. An Olympic appearance in 1996 would be his third, after competing in 1984 and finishing fifth in 1988.

Al Joyner, gold medalist in the triple jump in 1984, also returned to competition, but unfortunately for Joyner, 36, he never competed in the triple jump.

Joyner, a Mission Viejo resident, arrived at the stadium at 9:30 a.m. and competed in the long jump to practice his approach, but backed out of the triple jump when it began over an hour late at 4:30 p.m.

Had Joyner waited around another hour to compete, he would have faced eventual winner Von Ware of Sheffield Elite, who qualified for the Trials with a jump of 54-4 1/2.

Other meet highlights:

* Steve Michels of Brethren Christian won the men’s open division in the pole vault, clearing 16-0 3/4. Michels holds the county’s best mark this season (16-2).

* Skye Green of UC Irvine finished third in the 400 hurdles with a personal-best time of 58.99.

* Polly Plummer, formerly of UC Irvine and University High, finished in second in the 1,500, with a time of 4:22.24. Plummer still holds county records in the 1,600, 1,500 and 3,000.

* Lori Svoboda, who attended El Dorado High, won the women’s high jump (5-8).