simone estelle schaller kirin
Track & Field
© US Olympic Committee
FOURTH PLACE - 80-METER HURDLES - LOS ANGELES 1932
ELIMINATED IN SEMI-FINALS - 80-METER HURDLES - BERLIN 1936
In the preliminary heats in Los Angeles, Schaller tied Didrickson, both setting a World Record in the 80-meter hurdles. She finished a controversial fourth place in a photo finish. She reportedly had begun hurdling only three months prior to the games and had suffered a serious knee injury a week prior to her event.
She won the national championship for the hurdles in 1933 and went on to compete again in the Berlin Olympics of 1936 on the same team as Jesse Owens. Once again she was eliminated after another disputed call in the semifinals. She had originally placed third in her heat, but the Italian team complained that their runner had actually finished third and Schaller was then officially placed fourth, meaning she did not qualify for the final.
ELIMINATED IN SEMI-FINALS - 80-METER HURDLES - BERLIN 1936
- Moved with her family to Monrovia from Connecticut at age 7
- Competed in volleyball, softball and basketball at Monrovia High School
- Won the hurdles at the 1933 U.S. championships.
In the preliminary heats in Los Angeles, Schaller tied Didrickson, both setting a World Record in the 80-meter hurdles. She finished a controversial fourth place in a photo finish. She reportedly had begun hurdling only three months prior to the games and had suffered a serious knee injury a week prior to her event.
She won the national championship for the hurdles in 1933 and went on to compete again in the Berlin Olympics of 1936 on the same team as Jesse Owens. Once again she was eliminated after another disputed call in the semifinals. She had originally placed third in her heat, but the Italian team complained that their runner had actually finished third and Schaller was then officially placed fourth, meaning she did not qualify for the final.
Schaller married in 1937 to Joseph Kirin, a minor-league baseball player in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League. She stopped competing in athletics, although she continued to play baseball, softball and tennis.
She worked as a manager of food service at Temple City High School for many years. Schaller died at home in Arcadia on October 20, 2016, at the age of 104, and was believed to be the oldest living former Olympic athlete.
She worked as a manager of food service at Temple City High School for many years. Schaller died at home in Arcadia on October 20, 2016, at the age of 104, and was believed to be the oldest living former Olympic athlete.