Posted: May 27, 2005

Athletics: USATF News & Notes, Volume 6, Number 40

Olympians to speak to schoolchildren in Austin

Olympic gold medalists Sanya Richards and Jon Drummond will be joined by fellow gold medalists and National Track & Field Hall of Famers Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Michael Conley on June 1 as part of USA Track & Field's "Be A Champion" program.

The quartet will speak at St. Stephen's Episcopal School in Austin, Texas, as guests of the Austin Athletic Foundation. They will address healthy lifestyles, keeping active, and living with integrity. They also will answer questions from the students and lead them in reciting the "Be A Champion" pledge.

Drummond is a 2000 Olympic gold medalist in the 4x100m relay and was a silver medalist in the event in 1996. He is a three-time world champion in the event. At just 20 years of age, Richards already is a 2004 Olympic and 2003 World Championships gold medalist in the women's 4x400m relay. She was an Olympic finalist in the 400m and is the 2003 NCAA and USA champion in the event. Both Drummond (Texas Christian) and Richards (University of Texas) attended college in Texas, and Richards currently resides in Austin.

Joyner-Kersee and Conley were inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame last December. Joyner-Kersee is considered by many to be the greatest female all-around athlete in history. Her achievements include three Olympic gold medals, four world outdoor championships gold medals, and the still-standing world record of 7,291 points in the women's heptathlon. Conley was ranked top ten in the world an amazing ten times in the long jump and 14 times in the triple jump. A two-time Olympic triple jump medalist (silver in 1984, gold in 1992), he was the world outdoor triple jump champion in 1993.

A major initiative by USA Track & Field and the American College of Sports Medicine, "Be A Champion" facilitates direct interaction between Olympic medalists and middle-school aged children around the country, in order to positively impact their lifestyles and decision-making.

For more information on the June 1 school visit, contact Susie Hayes of the Austin Athletic Foundation: 512-250-2470

For more information on Be A Champion, visit USATF.org.

Stork Report

2004 Olympic hammer thrower, Anna Mahon gave birth to Grace Neala Mahon on Wednesday, May 18 at 9:06 p.m. in Connecticut.

Grace is named after Mahon's friend, 2004 long jump Olympian Grace Upshaw. The middle name Neala is Celtic in origin and means warrior/champion.

William J. Reid, travel exec, honored track official dies

William J. Reid died Tuesday, May 24 in the in Rahway, New Jersey. He was 91.

Reid was a track official and chief clerk for the New Jersey Track and Field Association for 63 years. Many events he officiated included the Penn Relays and the Millrose Games and just about every major meet in the metropolitan New York area, as well as countless high school competitions.

In addition, he was a track official at the 1984 Olympics Games in Los Angeles.

Mr. Reid was inducted in the Hudson County Hall of Fame for Officiating in 1977, the Hudson County Track Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1997 and the St. Aloysius High School Hall of Fame in Jersey City, as a miler.

He was a quiet, unassuming person who went about his duties with great efficiency, working well more than 100 meets a year from the mid-30s through the 90s.

He competed at St. Aloysius High School ('31) in Jersey City, New Jersey and following Newark Prep, a post-graduate school, which traveled the east coast in the early 30s under the tutelage of legendary coach Harry Coates.

Bill also served the sport in his professional life. He was in charge of arranging group flights for Eastern Airlines and, in that capacity, regularly scheduled college and club groups for travel to major meets throughout the country.

Born in Buffalo, N.Y., he lived in Jersey City and Linden before moving to Rahway in 1989. Surviving are a son, William; a daughter, Patricia; a sister, Florence Curran and two grandchildren.

USTCA announces Athletes and Coaches of the Year for D-I

The United States Track Coaches Association announced the Mondo Outdoor District Athletes and Coaches of the Year for NCAA Division I.

The Athlete and Coach of the Year awards are sponsored by Mondo, USA, the world's largest supplier of track & field surfaces. Mondo is an official supplier to USA Track & Field.

For a complete list of award winners, visit USATF.org.