Posted: May 11, 2005

Athletics: News & Notes, Volume 6, Number 35

Olympian Edward F. Sheehan, Jr., dies

A two-time Olympic marathon trials qualifier and the former head coach at the Boston Athletic Association, Edward F. Sheehan, Jr., died on Friday, May 6. He was 47.

Sheehan twice qualified for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (1980 and 1984). Besides his two Top 15 performances at the 1980 and 1982 Boston Marathons, Sheehan had a personal best of 2:13:46 (1982 Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville, Alabama), and he had 10 sub-2:20:00 marathons to his credit. He was a two-time runner-up in the USA Track & Field - New England Road Race Grand Prix Series (1992 and 1993).

He attended Boston College High School, and received his B.A. in philosophy from Harvard University in 1979. He stayed at Harvard, earning an M.S. in Psychology in 1981, before beginning work towards his Ph.D. in psychology (also at Harvard).

Sheehan enjoyed a strong career as a collegiate athlete at Harvard, where he was a two-time All-Ivy League Selection in cross-country; a four-time All-Ivy League Selection in track and the former school record holder at 5,000 and 10,000 meters. He also earned three All-IC4A distinctions. He was a four-time NCAA Division I Qualifier (twice in track and twice in cross country).

Sheehan began competing for the Boston Athletic Association in 1979, and he continued his affiliation with the club in the 1980s and 1990s. He left the club for a few years but continued with other start-up teams, including the rival Boston Running Club for whom he also worked. He re-joined the B.A.A. in 1994.

A resident of Silver Springs, Maryland, Sheehan is survived by his wife Naoko Ishibe-Sheehan.

Pollinger sets American junior record

2004 USA junior champion Zach Pollinger set a new American junior record over the weekend at the 2005 Pan American Cup of Race Walking in Lima, Peru.

Pollinger finished 8th in the Junior Men's 10 km event, finishing the race in 44 minutes, 47 seconds. His 5 km split of 22:14 bettered the previous American record at that distance. Other U.S. competitors in that Junior Men's race included Jared Swehosky (19th-46:45) and Christopher Diaz (20th-47:33). Mexico won the team competition with Team USA finishing as the runner-up.

As reported in Monday's edition of News & Notes, Maria Michta of Nesconset, N.Y., set a new junior record in winning the silver medal in the Junior Women's 10 km competition with her finish in 48 minutes, 3 seconds. It was her second U.S. record at that distance in the last month, breaking her previous time of 48:15 set on April 3 in Hauppauge, N.Y. Her 5 km split of 23:44 in Lima also qualifies as a new American record at that distance. Additional U.S. competitors in the Junior Women's race included Katy Hayes (17th-53:09) and Lauren Forgues (22nd-57:43). The U.S. squad placed fourth in the team competition.

Tim Seaman led the U.S. men's 20 km team by finishing tenth in the individual competition in 1:27:18. Other U.S. finishers included John Nunn (17th-1:27:18) and Theron Kissinger (25th-1:29:44). The U.S. placed fifth in the team competition.

In men's 50 km action, Philip Dunn placed eighth in 4:18:32 to lead the U.S. contingent. Ray Sharp placed 12th in 4:38:53, with Ed Parrot 13th in 4:45:02. The U.S. placed second in the team competition behind Mexico.

2005 USA Indoor champion Amber Antonia led the charge for the U.S. women 20 km squad in Lima with her eighth-place finish in 1:38:42. Bobbi Joe Chapman finished 10th (1:39:47) for Team USA, which did not have a placing in the team standings.

Gault posts U.S. masters record

Former NFL wide receiver Willie Gault set a new American masters record in the 100 meters Saturday at the Occidental Invitational near Los Angeles.

Gault, 44, finished the race in 10.73 seconds, bettering the previous record of 10.87 by 1972 Olympian Eddie Hart set in 1989.