Early career

Romansky was born in Penns Grove, New Jersey

Penns Grove, New Jersey

Penns Grove is a Borough in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 4,886.Penns Grove was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 8, 1894, from portions of Upper Penns Neck Township Penns Grove is a...

. Although he began racewalking only in February 1967, he qualified and represented the United States in the 50 km racewalk at the 1968 Summer Olympics

1968 Summer Olympics

The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...

, finishing 26th in 5:38:03.4 while suffering from the flu in the high altitude of Mexico City

Mexico City

Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...

.

Romansky's personal best was 4:15:24, achieved in 1970, the year he ran the United States National Championship table, winning every distance between 10 km and 40 km (10K, 15K, 20K, 25K, 35K, 40K and the 2 Hour racewalk) That same year he finished 8th in the IAAF World Race Walking Cup

IAAF World Race Walking Cup

The IAAF World Race Walking Cup is a race walking event organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It has been held since 1961, and generally on a biennial basis. Women first entered the 1979 edition. It was formerly known as the Lugano Cup after the city that hosted the...

 in Escborn, West Germany

West Germany

West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....

. His time there was 1:30:46.2, just off his personal record of 1:29:50. He was intending to compete in the 1970 national championship 50K race, but went to the wrong location to race.

Later career

Romansky has continued to walk into the masters age divisions, setting numerous records. He holds current M60 American records on the track for 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters and 20,000 meters, as well as road records for 10K, 25K and 30K.

He was elected to the USATF Masters Hall of Fame

USATF Masters Hall of Fame

The USA Masters Hall of Fame is the Masters section of the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. It is intended to select worthy athletes from the various divisions of Masters athletics involved in the sports of track and field, road running and race walking...

in 2002, along with the Penns Grove High School Hall of Fame in 1998, the Delaware Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1999, the Shore Athletic Club Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Salem County All Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.

External links

• a collection of Romansky's pictures leading up to the 1968 Olympics