Senior track athlete dies of coronavirus complications

NORWALK, Conn. (AP) - Mary Roman, a world-class senior athlete who held numerous national age records in track and field, has died of complications from COVID-19, the mayor of Norwalk said. She was 83.

Roman, who also served for 20 years as Norwalk's city clerk, died Monday night at Norwalk Hospital, Mayor Harry Rilling said.

A childhood polio survivor, Roman began competing in senior track events in 1989 and won hundreds of medals, mostly in the throwing disciplines.

At various times, she held the American record in the shot put in the women's 65-69, 70-74 and 75-79 age groups.

She also was once the nation's top-ranked thrower and ranked eighth in the world in the weight throw in the 75-79 age group.

In 2016, she was named Connecticut Masters Games Athlete of the Year.

'œShe was a very, very unique person,'ť former Norwalk Mayor Richard Moccia told Hearst Connecticut Media. 'œI don't think I ever met a person who didn't like Mary Roman."

There have been 875 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Connecticut and 19 people have died.