Kate "the great" Schmidt, a native of California and a graduate of UCLA, is a former World Record Holder in the javelin throw. She was a two-time Olympian, both times winning a Bronze Medal. She also made the USA Olympic team in 1980, but the team did not get to compete due to the 1980 Summer Olympics boycott ordered by then President Jimmy Carter. She narrowly missed making a fourth Olympic team in her home town by finishing 4th place in the 1984 Olympic Trials. From 1972-77, she tallied seven national titles. Schmidt set a new world record of 227' 5" in F�rth, Germany. Her throw was almost 30 feet longer than the previous American record of 198'8". Kate holds twelve of the top 20 spots of the farthest throws ever by an American. She held the American record until the women's javelin throw#Javelin redesignsjavelin was redesigned in 1999, resetting the records. Kate is a member of the USATF National Track and Field Hall of Fame, the National Throws Coaches Hall of Fame, the CSULB Hall of Fame, the LBCC HAll of Fame, and the Woodrow Wilson High School Hall of Fame. 

December 29th, 1953 in Long Beach (Age 70)