Edward J. Gawinski
Ray Wrede Lifetime Achievement Award
After Ed retired from the All American Engineering Co. in 1990 he started walking in local 5K races. He felt that he could learn how to walk faster. He joined the Philadelphia Master Track and Field Association and at one of their meets he met Jeff Savage, who was one of the first true race walkers that he had seen. Ed asked Jeff if he would teach him and others how to race walk. Jeff became their coach and soon they formed the Philadelphia Area Striders Team. The local group trained four or five times a week around Wilmington. Then Ed read in a local newspaper that Delaware Senior Olympics did not have race walking in their program so he called DSO and they invited him to attend a meeting. At that meeting Ed became the Race walking Coordinator and held that position until February of 2015. Ed has competed in three National Senior Game competitions. In 1993 in Baton Rouge he won the gold in the 1500 meter competition and also a gold in the 5K. In 1975 in San Antonio he won the gold in the 1500 meters and a gold in the 5K and in 1997 in Tucson he again won the gold in the 1500 meters. At the USA Track and Field Eastern Regionals 50 K (that’s 31 miles) Race walking Championships on Nov. 10, 2002 at Hauppauge New York, Ed set a national record in the 75-79 age group by finishing in 7 hours, 7 minutes and 22 secs surpassing the mark of 7 hours 50 minutes and 15 secs. Set in Nov. of 1986. This led him to be recognized as US Track and Field Athlete of the week. In 2002 he was named USA Masters Track and Field Racewalker of the year in the 75-79 age group. Ed has also completed the Marine Corps Marathon twice in 2000 and 2003. In 2003 he was awarded the Mid Atlantic USA T&F Outstanding Athlete Award in Men’s Race walking. Ed has also served three terms on the DSO Board of Directors. For his dedicated service to DSO as Board Member and Sports Coordinator for more than 25 years and for his success as a competitive athlete DSO recognizes Edward Gawinski with its 2016 Ray Wrede Lifetime Achievement Award.
Share this