Married: Will Claye & Queen Harrison
The two Olympians, triple jumper Claye, 27, & hurdler Harrison, 30, tied the knot on October 13. Claye famously proposed by jumping into the stands in Rio after winning silver.
Hired: Niels de Vos, 51
The former head of the British Federation will take over as the Executive Director of Oregon21, the organization that is planning the ’21 World Championships in Eugene. Kathy Herrmann, who has been filling the job on an interim basis since the July resignation of Vin Lananna, will remain on board as a consultant.
Died: Daeshon Gordon, 21
On October 21, in Natchitoches, Louisiana. The former LSU and Northwestern Louisiana hurdler won bronze in the ’15 Pan-Am Junior 100H for Jamaica after earlier placing 8th in the NCAA. She was on T&FN’s HS All-America team in ’14, representing Northeast High of Oakland Park, Florida.
Died: Dave Thoreson, 77
In October, in Lynchburg, Virginia. Decathlete earned four U.S. Rankings 1964–70, topped by a No. 2 in ’67. He also invented the 30-minute decathlon.
Died: Tex Winter, 96
On October 10, in Manhattan, Kansas. Best known as a Hall Of Fame basketball coach, in his collegiate days as Fred Winter he placed 3rd in the ’43 NCAA pole vault for Oregon State and tied for 4th in ’46 for USC. □
