Mary L. Bowermaster (July 26, 1917 – March 4, 2011) was a nurse's aide for schools inButler County, Ohio,[1] until abreast cancer diagnosis in 1979. After amastectomy and successfully battling the disease,[2] she began a second career inmasters athletics.
Bowermaster, who was born inWellsville, Ohio, is the currentAmerican record holder in the W80long jump andshot put,[3] and has pending marks that are superior to the listed record in the W80 and W85100 metres. She also holds the current W80 American Indoor records in the 60 metres, long jump and shot put.[4]
As part of her recovery from the operation, she began exercising. The following year, she competed in her firstSenior Olympics. Five years later she set the W65 world record in the high jump at the (WAVA)World Masters Athletics Championships inMelbourne, Australia. A regular competitor at various championship meets, she has set numerous other records as she has progressed through the age divisions. Her story has been covered byMike Wallace on60 Minutes, plus48 Hours,Charles Kuralt,ESPN andCNN.[1][2]
After I had my mastectomy, I was just down and out and didn’t know what to do with my life. [Competing] opened up a whole new world to me. The window just opened up.
She carried theOlympic Torch for the2002 Winter Olympics as it passed throughCovington, Kentucky. She is a member of the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame, the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame, the Ohio Senior Olympics Hall of Fame, the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame, and theUSATF Masters Hall of Fame. She was the Greater Cincinnati Women Sports Association Senior Sports Woman of the Year in 1997, and theUSATF Masters Track and Field Athlete of the Year five times.[1]