Nadine O'Connor
{{short description|American track and field athlete}}
File:NadinePasadena10.jpg in 2010]]Nadine O'Connor (born March 5, 1942) is a retired mathematics teacher and a world record setting, hall of fame Masters Track and Field athlete. While she specializes in the pole vault, due to her athletic training, she also holds the World Masters Athletics world records in the 100 metres, 200 metres,{{cite web |url=http://world-masters-athletics.org/records/outdoor-women |title=Records Outdoor Women |publisher=World-masters-athletics.org |date=2009-08-29 |accessdate=2010-02-07 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527204702/http://world-masters-athletics.org/records/outdoor-women |archivedate=2010-05-27 }} the Indoor 60 metres and 200 metres.{{cite web |url=http://world-masters-athletics.org/records/indoor-women |title=Records Indoor Women |publisher=World-masters-athletics.org |date=2009-08-29 |accessdate=2010-02-07 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091205215046/http://www.world-masters-athletics.org/records/indoor-women |archivedate=2009-12-05 }} She also holds the American record in the long jump, 80 metre hurdles, 300 metre hurdles and pentathlon.{{cite web|url=http://www.usatf.org/statistics/records/view.asp?division=american&location=outdoor%20track%20%26%20field&age=masters&ageGroup=65-69&sport=TF |title=Statistics - Records |publisher=USATF |date=2009-12-17 |accessdate=2010-02-07}}
Pole vault
Coached by her partner, Olympian Bud Held, O'Connor continues to improve. Her current world record of 3.19 metres, set at age 67 in the W65 pole vault is so exceptional that it is superior to the record for athletes more than ten years her junior.{{cite web |url=http://world-masters-athletics.org/records/outdoor-women |title=Records Outdoor Women |publisher=World-masters-athletics.org |date=2009-08-29 |accessdate=2010-02-07 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527204702/http://world-masters-athletics.org/records/outdoor-women |archivedate=2010-05-27 }} In the women's rankings, she was at the time 76 cm (about {{frac|2|1|2}} feet) above the next best performer in her age group,{{Cite web|url=http://www.mastersathletics.net/fileadmin/html/Rankings/All_Time/polevaultwomen.htm|title = Pole Vault ALL-TIME Rankings}} a beamonesque margin. It would also rate her in the top 25 performers in the Men's division,{{cite web|last=Gasselsberger|first=Martin|url=http://www.mastersathletics.net/Pole-Vault-Men-All-Time-Masters-Athlet.463.0.html|title=Master Pole Vault All Time List |publisher=Masters Athletics |accessdate=2010-02-07}} a situation unheard of in any other event. Even O'Connor herself did not jump as high when she was setting records in those younger divisions. She has jumped higher than her world record, unofficially in her private practice facility{{cite web|author=|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbcub-nR7-U |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/rbcub-nR7-U |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|title=Nadine over 10' 6 |publisher=YouTube |date=2009-06-02 |accessdate=2010-02-07}}{{cbignore}} near San Diego.{{cite web|last=Witz |first=Billy |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2009-07-08-masters-track_N.htm |title=Couple show age is no barrier in track and field |publisher=Usatoday.Com |date=2009-07-09 |accessdate=2010-02-07}}
Decathlon
Her world record of 10,234 points in the emerging women's decathlon, which uses an age conversion scale for scoring, is the highest recorded score for any athlete, man or woman by almost 1200 points.{{cite web|last=Stone |first=Ken |url=http://www.masters-athlete.com/public/844.cfm |title=Masters track athlete of the decade? |publisher=Masters-athlete.com |date= |accessdate=2010-02-07}} The conversion factors have been changed in 2010 and again in 2023. With the latter her decathlon score becomes 8138 points, still high.
Recognition
She was elected into the USATF Masters Hall of Fame in 2007.{{cite web|last=Green|first=Norman|url=http://www.usatf.org/HallOfFame/Masters/ |title=USATF Masters Hall of Fame|publisher=USATF |date= |accessdate=2010-02-07}} She has been named USATF Female Masters Athlete of the year in 2005 and 2006{{cite web |url=http://www.usatf.org/statistics/awards/TF/MastersAthletesOfTheYear.asp |title=Awards - Masters Athletes of the Year |publisher=USATF |accessdate=2010-02-07 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091030072112/http://www.usatf.org/statistics/awards/TF/MastersAthletesOfTheYear.asp |archivedate=2009-10-30 }} and USATF Athlete of the Week, out of athletes of all divisions and genders, three times {{cite web|url=http://www.usatf.org/news/view.aspx?DUID=USATF_2006_08_08_14_21_42 |title=News |publisher=USATF |date= |accessdate=2010-02-07}}{{cite web|url=http://www.usatf.org/news/view.aspx?DUID=USATF_2007_03_27_13_38_05 |title=News |publisher=USATF |date=2007-03-27 |accessdate=2010-02-07}}{{cite web|url=http://www.usatf.org/news/view.aspx?DUID=USATF_2009_05_27_13_20_45 |title=News |publisher=USATF |date=2009-05-27 |accessdate=2010-02-07}}
References
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Category:American masters athletes
Category:World record holders in masters athletics
Category:American female pole vaulters
Category:American female decathletes
Category:Track and field athletes from California