Appointed: Jakob Larsen, 50
By the IAAF as its new Director Of Competition & Events. Larsen spent the last 12 years as the CEO of Danish Athletics and led the organizing committee for the World XC last year in Aarhus.
Died: Teresa Machado, 50
On February 28, of cancer. The Portuguese discus thrower was No. 7 in the World Rankings in ’97 after she finished 6th in the World Championships. Her PR of 214-7 (65.40) came in ’98 and still stands as the NR.
Died: Orlando McDaniel, 59
On March 27, in Dallas, of COVID-19. The ’80 NCAA 110H runner-up for LSU, McDaniel ranked No. 8 in the U.S. that year. He later founded the North Texas Cheetahs TC and coached a number of notables including triple jumper Jasmine Moore.
Died: Phil Olsen, 63
On March 15, in Nanaimo, British Columbia; of a heart attack. A 4-time javelin All-America at Tennessee, he won the ’76 NCAA and made the Olympic final for Canada the same year.
Died: Tatiana Prorochenko, 67
On March 11; of cancer, in Kyyiv, Ukraine. The versatile sprinter ran the leadoff on Soviet gold medal relays in both the ’76 and ’80 Games. In ’76 she led off the gold medal 4×1, and four years later the 4×4. World-Ranked No. 10 in the 200 in ’76.
Died: Bill Roe, 69
On February 29, in Victoria, British Columbia; of a heart attack. USATF’s president 2000–08, he also briefly served as USATF’s interim CEO. Under his watch, three USATF club championships were created and he revamped Hall Of Fame procedures. The longtime coach of the distance program at Western Washington, he also served as a volunteer and official for many years. The founder of Club Northwest, he started a longstanding series of summer all-comers meets in the Pacific Northwest.
“Bill Roe was a dedicated loyal advocate for and an integral part of our sport,” said USATF CEO Max Siegel. “His knowledge and kindness will be missed by everyone he knew in his nearly 50 years of service. Bill Roe is irreplaceable.”
Died: Robert Shavlakadze, 86
In Tbilisi, Georgia, on March 4. Jumping for the Soviet Union, he won the ’60 Olympic gold in the high jump. That year he World Ranked No. 3, the highest of his five appearances.
Died: Braian Toledo, 26
On February 27, near Maroz Paz, Argentina; in a motorcycle accident. Holder of the World Youth Record in the javelin, he was a ’16 Olympic finalist.
Died: John Tushaus, 75
On December 23, in Rochester, Minnesota. The ’65 NCAA champion in the javelin for Arizona, he Ranked No. 7 in the World in ’66, and was the No. 1 U.S. thrower that year. He set an American Record in May ’66 with his 284-0 (86.58).
Died: Dana Zátopková, 97
On March 13, in Prague, Czech Republic. The ’52 Olympic javelin champion for Czechoslovakia, Zátopková also won the silver in ’60 and finished 4th in ’56 and 7th in ’48. When she broke the World Record in ’58 at age 35 she was at the time the event’s old WR-setter ever. She was twice World Ranked No. 1, in ’57 & ’58. She was married to distance legend Emil Zátopek. ◻︎