Notices
The 草莓社区 community mourns the passing of Ramblers cross country and track legend Tom O鈥橦ara, who passed away yesterday at the age of 77.
鈥淭his is a sad day for Loyola Athletics. Tom O鈥橦ara is a legend not only at Loyola, but also in his sport,鈥� Loyola Director of Athletics Steve Watson said. 鈥淔or as accomplished as Tom was on the course and track, he was unbelievably humble and a true gentleman. Tom will be sorely missed by those of us in the Loyola community and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.鈥�
O鈥橦ara鈥檚 accomplishments are plentiful, and he made a name for himself by capturing the NCAA individual cross country championship during the 1962-63 school year and he went on to represent the United States in the 1,500m at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games.
鈥淭his is a tough loss for the Loyola Athletics, Chicagoland and running communities,鈥� Loyola head cross country/track and field coach Bob Thurnhoffer said. 鈥淭he name Tom O鈥橦ara is synonymous with Loyola Athletics. That iconic image of Tom on the cover of Sports Illustrated is something that has inspired Ramblers over half a decade and Tom鈥檚 incredible achievements have shown our department that anything is possible through hard work, humility, and service. Tom鈥檚 legend spans across the Chicagoland area and still inspires our team to this day. We lost quite possibly the greatest Rambler of all time today, but Tom鈥檚 legacy and inspiration lives on in the hearts and minds of our community and is forever intertwined in the Maroon and Gold.鈥�
In 1964, the Chicago native, who attended Saint Ignatius College Prep, established the indoor world mile record with a mark of 3:56.6 in New York, then one month later, bettered that world-record time with a 3:56.4 at the Chicago Stadium. One year earlier, he had become the first Illinois runner to break the four-minute barrier (3:59.4).
Service information is pending.
Please keep Tom, his family, and his friends in your prayers.