Oh yes, the USA will never cease to amaze us!
I believe that while we all know that more Countries are used to offering their "Hall of Fame" for sporting merit, no one, save our US friends, was aware that the USA Track and Field Federation also offers a "Hall of Fame" for their "Officials".
And the surprise, still great, was to see a friend of ours, who shared many years of his life with the world of walking, joining this elite group from the evening of December 6, 2020.
We are talking about Gary Westerfield.
Gary Westerfield has served our sport in almost every conceivable way.
He started out as an athlete (with a personal best of 4:21.05 dating back to 1971 when he finished third in the USA Track and Field Championships).
He was also a high school coach (Smithtown High School from 1975 to 1980 and from 1987 to 2000); a collegiate coach (SUNY Stony Brook 1980-1985); an IAAF international judge (now World Athletics); writer of teaching materials; administrator (Race Walk Chair for the Metropolitan Athletics Congress and Long Island Track and Field, as well as current president of LITF); and race organizer.
When race walking was part of the New York high school program, Westerfield was a magnet for talent. If you were on Long Island and were serious about race walking, you certainly sought out Westerfield.
From 1984 to 1988, Westerfield was also the coach of the Women's National Program and coordinator of the national team. As a coordinator, he sought to bring science to the world of walking.
In 1997 he was co-author of the book “Walk Like an Athlete” and has continued to write on the biomechanics of walking ever since.
In 2008 he crowned his career as a judge by participating in the Beijing Olympic Games.
Big congratulations, Gary.
Gary Westerfield (first from lest) after Beijing 2008 50km.