Hubert Schlafly, American engineer, co-inventor of the TelePrompter died he was , 91.

Hubert Joseph "Hub" Schlafly Jr.  was an American electrical engineer who co-invented the teleprompter died he was , 91. Schlafly is also credited with spearheading the movement towards satellite television within the industry.

(August 14, 1919 – April 20, 2011)

Schlafly was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on August 14, 1919. He often moved as a child as his father moved around as a wildcatter. He graduated from St. Louis University High School and later earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Notre Dame in 1941.^[2]
During the 1950s, Schlafly invented the teleprompter, which scrolls text to on-camera talent, in order to help a soap opera actor who could not remember his lines. Schlafly unveiled the teleprompter on the set of the CBS soap opera, The First Hundred Years, in 1950.^[1]
Schlafly and Irving B. Kahn also co-founded the TelePrompTer Corporation, which grew to become the largest cable television provider in the United States by 1973. They later sold the company to Westinghouse.^[1]
In addition to the teleprompter, Schlafly is also credited with helping to promote the broadcasting of television signals via a satellite feed. Schlafly and Sidney Topol, who worked for Scientific Atlanta, jointly constructed a portable satellite receiver to obtain satellite signals for specifically for television. He first demonstrated the satellite television technology in 1973, when Speaker of the House Carl Albert was able to speak at a cable television convention in Anaheim, California, from his congressional office in Washington D.C. Schlafly later called the Albert speech via a satellite feed as his greatest contribution to the cable industry.^[1]
In a 1956 article in Amazing Stories Magazine he predicted for the turn of the century:
Systematic information storage will be in a form instantly available for response to remote inquiries. The refinements of solid state electronics will permit devices of considerable complication to be packaged in amazingly small volumes having low power requirements and exhibiting great resistance to mechanical damage. Communications, both personal and group communications will be highly refined without the encumbrance of any wires to or between terminal devices."^[3]
In 2008, Schlafly was inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame. His speech at the induction ceremony marked the first time that Schlafly used the teleprompter, which he had invented approximately fifty years before.^[1][2] Schlafly was also honored with two Emmy Awards for his contributions to cable television technology.^[1]
Schlafly died at a hospital in Stamford, Connecticut, on April 20, 2011, at the age of 91.^[1] His wife, Leona Martin Schlafly, predeceased him in 2003 after fifty-nine years of marriage.^[2]

 

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Anne Blonstein, British poet died he was , 52.

Anne Blonstein  was a British poet and translator died he was , 52.. She lived in Basel, Switzerland, where she worked as a freelance translator and editor. She was the author of six full-length collections, the blue pearl, worked on screen, memory's morning, the butterflies and the burnings, correspondence with nobody and to be continued.
Blonstein was known for her poetic sequences that work with notarikon — originally a rabbinic and kabbalistic method used to interpret the Hebrew Scriptures. She redeployed and elaborated it as a contemporary poetic procedure, engaging with diverse languages and texts, both ancient and modern.

(1958 - 2011)

Early life

The greatgranddaughter of Jewish immigrants to Britain at the turn of the 20th century, Anne Blonstein was born and raised in the Home Counties — first Hertfordshire, then moving with her family to Surrey when she was 11.^[1] Before leaving Britain in 1983, she spent six years in Cambridge, where she took a degree in Natural Sciences followed by a PhD in genetics and plant breeding.^[1]

Career

Blonstein lived in Basel, Switzerland, where she earned a living as a freelance translator and editor.
"[Blonstein's] terse, unusual images are the outcome of an English language that, mated to the other idioms she lives with — German, French, and Hebrew — shapes the transnational world of a language nomad. … In her most recent work, Hebrew … has become the place to which she ties her English and the other languages she uses in her life through graphic/visual and semantic associations. … For Blonstein languages, with their varieties and differences, have become the endangered species of our globalized world." -- Marina Camboni in Contemporary Women's Writing, Oxford University Press^[2]
Blonstein also collaborated on projects with other artists, including the ceramist Pat King, and the Swiss composers Mela Meierhans and Margrit Schenker. A recording of "Prelude and Echo," Meierhans' setting of five poems from the blue pearl performed by the jazz ensemble Quartet Noir, is available on CD.
Her work has appeared in, among others, Denver Quarterly, Descant, Dusie, How2, Indiana Review and Notre Dame Review.

Death

Blonstein died in 2011, after a long illness.

Bibliography

• sand.soda.lime, Broken Boulder Press, 2002
• the blue pearl, Salt Publishing, 2003, ISBN 187685765X
• worked on screen, Poetry Salzburg, 2005, ISBN 3901993185
• from eternity to personal pronoun, Gribble Press, 2005
• that those lips had language, Plan B Press, 2005, ISBN 0972831258
• thou shalt not kill, Dusie Wee Chap, 2007
• hairpin loop: poems, Bright Hill Press, 2007, ISBN 1892471442
• memory's morning, Shearsman Books, 2008, ISBN 1905700768
• correspondence with nobody, Ellectrique Press, 2008, ISBN 9783033016859
• the butterflies and the burnings, Dusie Press, 2009, ISBN 9780615185798

 

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Lynn Chandnois, American football player (Pittsburgh Steelers) died he was , 86.

Lynn Chandnois  was a former standout professional American football player who earned All-American honors for the Michigan State Spartans in 1949, the NFL Player Of The Year award for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1952 and twice made it to the Pro Bowl died he was , 86..

(February 24, 1923 – April 19, 2011)

After both his parents died, Lynn, who was born in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, moved to Flint to live with an aunt and go to school.
At Flint Central High he earned All-State honors in both basketball and football. After graduating in 1944, he joined the United States Naval Air Corps and served for two years.
Chandnois a 6 ft. 2 in. 195 lb half back, defensive back and kick returner attended Michigan State University and was a four-year football standout for the Spartans and also played basketball for one year. He ranks first in career pass interceptions (20) and interception return yardage (384) and was the team’s MVP in 1948 and an All-American in 1949. He was the State of Michigan’s Outstanding Amateur Athlete in 1950.
He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1st round (8th overall) of the 1950 NFL Draft. He played in 8 NFL seasons with the Steelers from 1950-1957.
Lynn died on April 19, 2011 in Flint, Michigan. He is survived by his wife Paulette, daughters Lynda Harris of Grand Blanc, MI and Suzanne Arnold of Prescott, AZ.
Only Gale Sayers has a higher lifetime NFL Kick Off Return Average.^[2]

 

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Serge Nubret, French bodybuilder and actor (Pumping Iron) died he was , 72.

Serge Nubret  was a French professional bodybuilder, bodybuilding federation leader, movie actor and author died he was , 72.. Serge was awarded many bodybuilding titles, including Mr. Europe (1966), Mr. Universe (1976) and WBBG Pro. Mr. World (1977). Serge Nubret's nicknames were "The Black Panther" and "The Nubret Lion."

(October 6, 1938 – April 19, 2011)

Biography

Serge Nubret spent his first years in Anse-Bertrand, Guadeloupe, in a community of 7,000 people. He moved with his parents to the Paris, France area in 1950, settling in the community of Joinville-le-Pont, and completing his secondary studies before choosing a business program.
During his adolescence and young adulthood, he quickly became aware of his exceptional potential for athletics and recalls this reflection in his book I Am…Me and God; in his own words, dedicating himself to bodybuilding was to become his "reason for being." He explains in his book his destiny of a fixed champion assigned to him by God ["I Am"]. He returned in Guadeloupe in 1958 in order to escape the draft for the Algerian War. It was during this period of his life he discovered bodybuilding, which he practiced simultaneously while pursuing business accounting. Bodybuilding was not encouraged by his father at the time who was concerned that it did not have as much potential for financial income as an accounting career.
Three months after entering the world of bodybuilding, Serge won the title of Mr. Guadeloupe, which he won again the following year. He was sent in 1960 to Montreal to show the flag of Guadeloupe in support for his country at the time of the World Championship organized by the International Federation of Bodybuilders. It was there Nubret was named "Most Muscular Man of the World." Returning next to Paris without going to Guadeloupe, he was contacted by the Films Ariane for a role alongside Giuliano Gemma in a Duccio Tessari Italian péplum film called "The Titans" which was released in 1961 and was prelude to a rich career of 25 films.
Nubret is best known in the bodybuilding documentary Pumping Iron where he competed as a last-minute entry against (eventual seven time winner) Arnold Schwarzenegger for the title of Mr. Olympia in 1975. While he looked fantastic, Serge finished second in the Tall Man category to Schwarzenegger, while Lou Ferrigno finished third. He was known for his excellent chest development, which would scare off fellow contestants.
The documentary film Pumping Iron, alongside Lou Ferrigno and Arnold Schwarzenegger, follows the events occurring before the Mr. Olympia 1975—the preparation for the competition as well as its final phase. For contract reasons, his part is comparatively brief; and, apparently, certain scenes containing him could not be put in the movie. These episodes are discussed further in his book, I am…Me and God.
In the 1980s, Serge appeared regularly in 60 episodes of the television series Breakfast Included, with Pierre Mondy and Marie-Christine Barrault, in which he played a role that mirrored his real life as a bodybuilder/gym owner in Paris.
During the 1970s, Nubret finished third in the 1973 Mr. Olympia and second in 1975. Vice President of the IFBB Europe from 1970-1975, Nubret then founded the WABBA in 1976. He competed until 1984, when he won his last title of WABBA Champion of the World. In Gravelines in 2003, Nubret guest-posed at the WABBA World Championship at the impressive age of 65.
In 2006, 68-year-old Serge Nubret penned the book I am…Me and God in collaboration with Louis-Xavier Babin-Lachaud. The book is not only autobiographical in nature, but it also includes his personal reflections on his Christian faith and mysticism. Through his life narrative, it adopts a definite position on the role of God in this world, on the conflict between destiny and free will, and on the illusion of this world. The book indicates the will to succeed and to follow the way traced by God, love of the author's "reason for being"..

Illness and Death

A second work is a 400+ page autobiography entitled Seventy Years Young. At the time of release (April 2009), it was learned that Serge Nubret suffered a stroke in Paris, France. There are conspiracies circling around the internet, which have been supported by Serge's old friends, that he was poisoned by his own children in an attempt to take his money.
In March of 2009, Nubret fell into a coma, and remained in a persistent vegetative state until his death on 19 April 2011 of natural causes at the age of 72.

List of Bodybuilding Awards

• 1958: Mr. Guadeloupe
• 1960: IFBB World Most Muscular Man
• 1970: NABBA Mister Universe 2nd
• 1970: IFBB Mr. Europe (Tall)
• 1972: IFBB Mr. Olympia (3rd place)
• 1973: IFBB Mr. Olympia (2nd)
• 1974: IFBB Mr. Olympia (Heavy Weight, 3rd place)
• 1975: IFBB Mr. Olympia (Heavy Weight, 2nd) (Ben Weider, the president of IFBB, told Nubret that he could not compete because he was apparently "overweight", according to Nubret himself on the bodybuilding forums on bodyspace.com. This was 12 days before the IFBB Mr. Olympia event and for those 12 days, Nubret did not train and instead dieted and lost weight to be qualified for the IFBB event. He had lost 12 pounds in that period of time.) Ben Weider's account of this in the book Brothers in Iron gives the reason for Serge Nubret first being disqualified for the competition due to being in pornographic films. And in doing so had shamed the IFBB.^{[citation needed]}
• 1976: Pro NABBA Mr. Universe
• 1976: WBBG Mr. World (2nd)
• 1977: WBBG Mr. World
• 1977: WBBG Mr. Olympus
• 1981: Pro WABBA World Championships
• 1982: Pro WABBA World Championships

Filmography

• My Son the Hero/Arrivano i titani (1962)
• The Red Berets/Sette baschi rossi (1969)
• Le condé, (a.k.a. The Cop) (1970)
• Caesar and Rosalie, co-starring Yves Montand (1972)
• Pumping Iron, (1977)
• The Professional, co-starring Jean-Paul Belmondo (1981)

 

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Elisabeth Sladen, British actress (Doctor Who, The Sarah Jane Adventures), died from cancer he was , 65.

Elisabeth Claira Heath Sladen was an English actress best known for her role as Sarah Jane Smith in the British television series Doctor Who died from cancer he was , 65. She was a regular cast member from 1973 to 1976, alongside both Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, and reprised the role many times in subsequent decades, both on Doctor Who and its spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures.


(1 February 1946 – 19 April 2011)

Early life

Sladen was the only child of Tom Sladen, who fought in World War I and served in the Home Guard during World War II.^{[citation needed]} Her mother Gladys's maiden name was Trainor,^[3] which is a Northern Irish name commonly seen in Liverpool.^{[citation needed]}
Sladen developed an interest in performing at an early age, beginning dance lessons when she was five, and dancing in one production with the Royal Ballet. She was a primary school contemporary of future politician Edwina Currie (née Cohen), appearing in at least one school production with her. Sladen went on to the grammar school, Aigburth Vale High School for Girls.^[6]

Career

 Early career

After attending the Elliott Clarke drama school^[6] for two years, Sladen began work at the Liverpool Playhouse repertory company as an assistant stage manager. Her first stage appearance was as a corpse. However, she was scolded for giggling on stage, thanks to a young actor, Brian Miller, whispering the words, "Respiration nil, Aston Villa two" in her ear while he was playing a doctor. Sladen was so good as an assistant stage manager that she did not get many acting roles, a problem she solved by deliberately making mistakes on several occasions.^[7] This got her told off again, but she started to get more on-stage roles.
Sladen made her first, uncredited, screen appearance in 1965 in the film Ferry Cross the Mersey as an extra.
Sladen eventually moved into weekly repertory work, travelling around to various locations in England. Sladen and Miller, now married, moved to Manchester, spending three years there. She appeared in numerous roles, most notably as Desdemona in Othello, her first appearance as a leading lady. She also got the odd part on Leeds Radio and Granada Television, eventually appearing as a barmaid in 1970 in six episodes of the long-running soap opera Coronation Street. In 1971, Sladen was in a two part story of Z-Cars. Then, in 1972, she was appearing in a play that moved down to London, and they had to move along with it. Her first television role in London was as a terrorist in an episode of Doomwatch. This was followed by guest roles in Z-Cars (again),^[8] Public Eye, Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em and Special Branch.

 Sarah Jane Smith

In 1973, Doctor Who actress Katy Manning, who was playing the Third Doctor's assistant Jo Grant opposite Jon Pertwee, was leaving the series. Producer Barry Letts was growing increasingly desperate in his search for a replacement, when Z-Cars producer Ron Craddock gave Sladen an enthusiastic recommendation. Sladen arrived at the audition not knowing it was for the new companion role, and was amazed at Letts's thoroughness. She was introduced to Pertwee, whom she found intimidating at the time. As she chatted with Letts and Pertwee, each time she turned to look at one of them the other would signal a thumbs-up.^[9] She was offered and accepted the part of investigative journalist Sarah Jane Smith.
Her debut story was The Time Warrior. She stayed on Doctor Who for three-and-a-half seasons, alongside Pertwee as the Third Doctor and Tom Baker as the Fourth, receiving both popular and critical acclaim for her role as Sarah Jane. When she left the series, in the 1976 serial The Hand of Fear, it made front page news,^{[citation needed]} where previously only a change of Doctors had received such attention. In October, 2009, Sladen paid tribute to her boss and friend, Barry Letts, after he died. She said Letts was her closest friend on Doctor Who.
Sladen returned to the character of Sarah Jane Smith on numerous occasions. In 1981, new Doctor Who producer John Nathan-Turner asked her to return to the series to ease the transition between Tom Baker and new Doctor Peter Davison. She declined but accepted his second offer of doing a pilot for a spin-off series called K-9 and Company, co-starring K-9, the popular robot dog from Doctor Who. However, the pilot was not picked up for a series. Two years later Sladen appeared in the 20th anniversary special The Five Doctors.
She reprised the role in the 1993 Children in Need special Dimensions in Time, and in the 1995 independently produced video Downtime alongside former co-star Nicholas Courtney as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and Deborah Watling as Victoria Waterfield. This was her last on-screen appearance as Sarah Jane Smith for some time.
Sladen played Sarah Jane in several audio plays. Two of them were produced for BBC Radio, The Paradise of Death (Radio 5, 1993), and The Ghosts of N-Space (Radio 2, 1996), together with Jon Pertwee and Nicholas Courtney. Big Finish Productions has also produced two series of Sarah Jane Smith audio adventures set in the present day, released in 2002 and 2006. Miller appeared in the story Ghost Town. Her daughter Sadie has also appeared in the audios.
In later years, Sladen had also participated re-visiting a few classic Doctor Who serials on DVD in doing audio commentaries and interviews (in the stories she starred in), but as of 2008 she stated in an interview that she was no longer doing them due to "contractual reasons with 2entertain".^[10]
Following the successful revival of Doctor Who in 2005, Sladen guest starred as Sarah Jane in "School Reunion", an episode of the 2006 series, along with John Leeson, who returned as the voice of the robot dog K-9, and David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor. Sladen was ever faithful to the character and worked a lot of the characterisation herself, in the lead-up to the broadcast of "School Reunion" she was quoted in The Daily Mirror as saying: "Sarah Jane used to be a bit of a cardboard cut-out. Each week it used to be, 'Yes Doctor, no Doctor', and you had to flesh your character out in your mind — because if you didn't, no one else would." She also spoke favourably of the characterisation in the new series.^[11]
Following her successful appearance in the series, Sladen later starred in The Sarah Jane Adventures, a Doctor Who spin-off focusing on Sarah Jane, produced by BBC Wales for CBBC and created by Russell T Davies. A 60-minute special aired on New Year's Day 2007, with a 10-episode series commencing broadcast in September 2007, and a second 12-episode series was broadcast in late 2008. The third series was broadcast in Autumn 2009, and again achieved audience ratings well in excess of the usual average figures for the time slot (sometimes even double). A fourth season aired in October 2010.The programme won a prestigious Royal Television Society 2010 award for Best Children's Drama.^[12]
Sladen also read original audio stories on CD for The Sarah Jane Adventures,^[8] which were released in November 2007: The Glittering Storm and The Thirteenth Stone. This was the first time that BBC Audiobooks had commissioned new content for exclusive release on audio.^[13] Further pairs of audio stories were released every year until 2010, all read again by Sladen.^[13]
Sladen appeared in the final two episodes of Doctor Who’s 2008 series (season 4) finale "The Stolen Earth" and "Journey's End" and was credited in the title sequence of both episodes.^[14] Her final appearance in Doctor Who was a cameo in the concluding part of "The End of Time", Tennant's last episode as the Doctor.^[15]
Just before her death, Sladen had also been interested in being involved in the Doctor Who Fourth Doctor Big Finish series.^[16]
Sladen won two Cult TV Awards, in 1997 for Hall Of Fame Actress^[17], and 2006 for Best Guest Appearance^[18] (Doctor Who:School Reunion)

Other work

Whilst Sladen was in Doctor Who, she attended various public events to publicise the programme. Following her departure, Sladen largely stopped attending British events because she thought it would be bad manners to the new companions.^[19] However she attended events & conventions in the United States, where her episodes were still being shown.
After Doctor Who, Sladen returned to Liverpool with her husband and performed in a series of plays. This included a two-hander with Miller in Mooney and his Caravans. Notable appearances following that include a two-year stint as a presenter for the children's programme Stepping Stones, a lead role with Miller playing her husband in ITV drama Send In The Girls, a BBC Play For Today, a role as a stand-up comic's spouse in Take My Wife, and a small part in the movie Silver Dream Racer as a bank secretary in 1980, only her second film appearance.
In 1981, former Doctor Who producer Barry Letts cast her as the female lead in the BBC Classics production of Gulliver in Lilliput. The character of Lady Flimnap was written for Sladen, and she said it was her favourite role.
She continued to appear in various television adverts and in another Letts production, Alice in Wonderland (playing the Dormouse).
After the birth of her daughter Sadie Miller in 1985, Sladen went into semi-retirement, placing her family first, but finding time for the occasional television appearance.^[20]
In 1991, she starred as Alexa opposite Colin Baker in The Stranger audio adventure The Last Mission for BBV Audio. Sladen also appeared in a Bernice Summerfield audio drama, Kate Orman's Walking to Babylon.
Following the audio production of The Paradise of Death in 1993, Sladen restarted her regular public appearances in the United Kingdom.
In 1995, she played Dr Pat Hewland in 4 episodes of Peak Practice. In 1996, she played Sophie in Faith in the Future, and appeared in 15 episodes of the BBC schools programme Numbertime, which was repeated annually for around ten years. This was her last television acting appearance until the 2006 Doctor Who episode "School Reunion".
In 2008–09, Sladen appeared in a panto production of Peter Pan at the Theatre Royal Windsor, playing Mrs. Darling and a beautiful mermaid.^[21]
Sladen's last fan event was at the British Film Institute on 12 Oct 2010, where there was a special showing of The Death Of The Doctor, followed by a Q&A session.
Sladen's last public appearance was at the EA British Academy Children's Awards on 28 Nov 2010.

Personal life

Sladen married actor Brian Miller in 1968 in Liverpool;^[22]
As a child, her daughter, Sadie, appeared alongside Sladen in the 1996 documentary, Thirty Years in the TARDIS, wearing a replica of the Andy Pandy overalls Sladen wore in The Hand of Fear.

Death

Sladen died early on 19 April 2011,^[23] after having cancer for several months.^[24][25][26] Sladen's death was reported on the BBC 1 Ten O'Clock News, and made the front page of the Daily Mirror, The Sun and the Liverpool Echo. The first episode of series six of the revived version of Doctor Who, "The Impossible Astronaut", aired on the Saturday following Sladen's death. The episode opened with a screen announcing that it was dedicated to the memory of Elisabeth Sladen. Straight after Doctor Who, a special tribute called My Sarah Jane: A Tribute to Elisabeth Sladen was aired on CBBC.^[25] The Hand Of Fear was shown on BBC Four as a tribute. At the BAFTAs, in the clips of people who had passed away in the previous year, Sladen was the final person to be shown.

 

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Grete Waitz, Norwegian marathon runner, died from cancer she was , 57.

Grete Waitz  was a Norwegian marathon runner, who won nine New York City Marathons between 1978 and 1988, more than any other runner in history died from cancer she was , 57.. She also won a silver medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and a gold medal at the 1983 World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki, Finland.

(1 October 1953 – 19 April 2011)

Background

Born Grete Andersen in Oslo, Norway,^[1] Waitz was a talented young runner, but had difficulty in getting her parents to take her potential profession seriously. This was a time when female athletes were not given the necessary support and funding needed to compete at the top level. However, Waitz ran at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich in the 1500 metres, and to support her athletic career she studied at a teachers college.

Career

In her teen years, Waitz won national junior titles in Norway in the 400 and 800 meters. At age 17 she set the European junior record for 1500 m with a time of 4:17, and won a bronze medal at the European Championships in this event in 1974. In 1975 Waitz broke the 3000 metres world record, running 8:46.6 in Oslo. In Oslo a year later she lowered this record with an 8:45.4 effort, then in 1977 she won a gold medal at this distance at the inaugural IAAF World Cup in Athletics meet in Düsseldorf with a personal best time of 8:31.75. Her 4:00.55 career best in the 1500 m, set in Prague on 1978, still stands as the Norwegian national record. Her last race was a victory at 5000 metres in Oslo in June 1982 in which her 15:08.80 was the second best in history, falling only a half second short of the world record set three weeks earlier by Mary Slaney.
It was in 1978 that her association with the New York City Marathon began; she was invited to run there by race co-founder and director Fred Lebow, and in her first appearance she not only won but took a full two minutes off the women's world record. She went on to win the race nine times and broke the world record three years in a row. In all, she lowered the women's world record by an astonishing nine minutes, taking the standard from Christa Vahlensieck's 2:34:47 down to 2:32:30 in 1978, 2:27:33 in 1979, 2:25:41 in 1980, and finally to 2:25:29, which she ran at London in 1983. Besides her marathon victories in New York and the 1983 World Championships in Helsinki, Waitz also won the London Marathon in 1983 and 1986 (the latter in a personal best of 2:24:54), as well as the Stockholm Marathon in 1988 at 2:28:24 (which as of 2011 is still the Stockholm course record for women).^{[citation needed]}
Waitz enjoyed much success on the road at non-marathon distances as well, including a win at the Falmouth Road Race in 1980, four victories at the prestigious 10-km Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, five wins at the L'eggs Mini-Marathon in New York, and world road records at 8 km (25:03), twice in the 10-km (31:16 in 1979, then later to 30:59), 15-km (48:01), and 10-mile distances. She further demonstrated her versatility by successfully competing in cross country, earning two bronze medals (1982, 1984) at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships and winning the gold medal five times, (1978-1981 and 1983), tying her with Doris Brown Heritage for most wins in the history of women's International/World Cross Country Championships.^{[citation needed]}
The only significant award she did not win in her storied career was an Olympic victory. As an up-and-coming 19-year-old in Munich and then a 23-year-old running the 1500 m in Montreal (the longest event allowed for women in the Olympics up until 1984), she competed, but did not medal, in an event that was far short of her specialty. In 1980, Norway was one of the countries that decided to boycott the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. At the 1984 Summer Olympics, she was beaten in the marathon by Joan Benoit, placing second to take the silver medal. In the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea, a bad knee forced her to drop out of the women's marathon just after passing the 18-mile mark. She won a gold medal and attained the title of world champion, however, when she won the marathon at the 1983 World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki.^[1]
Waitz completed her last marathon on 1 November 1992 with her friend Fred Lebow. In celebration of Lebow's 60th birthday, after he was diagnosed with brain cancer in early 1990, they both completed the New York City Marathon with a time of 5:32:35.^[2]

Personal bests

• 1500 metres - 4:00.55 - Prague - 03/09/1978
• One mile - 4:26.90 - Gateshead - 09/07/1978
• 3000 metres - 8:31.75 - Oslo (Bislett) - 17/07/1979
• 15 kilometres - 47:52 - Tampa, FL - 11/02/1984
• Marathon - 2:24:54 - London - 20/04/1986^[3]

After retirement

Although not competing at the top level, Waitz still ran in and organised corporate races in which she aimed to give advice and information on distance running and health. She also did charity work, particularly for the CARE International and the International Special Olympics. In June 2005 it was publicly known that she was undergoing treatment for cancer. She also coached Liz McColgan. For more than 25 years, Waitz served as the ambassador for the worldwide JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge Series, promoting health and wellness to full-time workers. She provided regular training and motivational tips.^[4] Waitz was also a spokesperson for Avon Products. ^[5]
In August 2009 it was revealed that Waitz had initiated a co-operation between her old main sponsor, Adidas, and the cancer care foundation she started in 2007 - "Aktiv mot kreft". The co-operation would mean that the cancer care foundation would get 5% of the proceeds from Adidas' sale of their Grete Waitz and Modern Classics collections. This could be as much as NOK 500 million per year, which would go to the establishment of hospital physical training centres and investment in PET-scanners.^[6]

Death

Waitz died of cancer on 19 April 2011, aged 57.^[7] Waitz was survived by her husband Jack, and her brothers Jan and Arild.^[8] The Norwegian government later announced she would be buried with government honour at state expense, the sixth woman in Norwegian history to be given this honor.^[9]

Legacy

Waitz is widely acknowledged as helping to promote marathon and long-distance running for women. In Norway she is a sporting legend, with an annual race named after her in her honor. The New York Road Runners club annually sponsors "Grete's Great Gallop," a half-marathon, in her honor.
There is a statue of her in the Norway pavilion in EPCOT at the Walt Disney World Resort.
There is also a statue of her outside the Bislett Stadium in Oslo, and she has been featured on a set of stamps.
On 23 November 2008 Waitz was appointed a Knight 1st Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, bestowed by King Harald V of Norway in recognition of her being an important role model.^[10] Waitz received the St. Olav Medal in 1981 and St. Hallvard's Medal in 1989.

Achievements

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing  Norway
1978	New York City Marathon	New York City, USA	1st	Marathon	2:32:30
1979	New York City Marathon	New York City, USA	1st	Marathon	2:27:33
1980	New York City Marathon	New York City, USA	1st	Marathon	2:25:41
1982	New York City Marathon	New York City, USA	1st	Marathon	2:27:14
1983	London Marathon	London, United Kingdom	1st	Marathon	2:25:29
	World Championships	Helsinki, Finland	1st	Marathon	2:28:08
	New York City Marathon	New York City, USA	1st	Marathon	2:27:00
1984	Summer Olympics	Los Angeles, USA	2nd	Marathon	2:26:18
	New York City Marathon	New York City, USA	1st	Marathon	2:29:30
1985	New York City Marathon	New York City, USA	1st	Marathon	2:28:34
1986	London Marathon	London, United Kingdom	1st	Marathon	2:24:54
	New York City Marathon	New York City, USA	1st	Marathon	2:28:06
1988	Stockholm Marathon	Stockholm, Sweden	1st	Marathon	2:28:24
	Summer Olympics	Seoul, South Korea	--	Marathon	DNF
	New York City Marathon	New York City, USA	1st	Marathon	2:28:07

 

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