TRACK AND FIELD: Port Angeles’ Sheedy claims virtual world decathlon title

Published 1:30 am Thursday, August 6, 2020

PORT ANGELES — Longtime Port Angeles track and field coach Bob Sheedy recently reached the top of the virtual podium, winning the decathlon in 75-to-79 age bracket of the World Masters Track and Field Competition, a virtual event held between July 18 and Aug. 4.

The event took the place of the 2020 Toronto World Masters Athletic Championships, which was canceled due to the pandemic.

Sheedy totaled 4,606 total points in the 10-entry event, outpointing the nearest competitor by almost 1,300 points.

He competed in the 100-meter dash, the long jump, the shot put, high jump and the 400 run on the first day of competition and participated in the 80 hurdles, the discus, the pole vault, the 1,500 and the javelin on day two.

Sheedy used the Port Angeles High School track for most of the events, but pole vaulted at Chuck Milliman’s pole vault pit in his back yard.

Each athlete recruited friends to mark and time each event, and Milliman measured Sheedy’s pole vault mark.

Sheedy’s best finishes came in the 80 hurdles and long jump in which he finished second.

Sheedy coached the Roughrider track team for 46 years before retiring in 2018.

He was inducted into the Washington State Track and Field Coaches Hall of Fame in January and will be enshrined in the Port Angeles Roughrider Hall of Fame at some point in the post-pandemic future.