Daughter of Legendary Boxer Floyd Patterson to Run ING New York City Marathon
Posted October 17th, 2007 at 11:30 AM by Jamal Walker
Section: News & Results, Marathons
Jennifer Patterson-Jankowski, daughter of famed boxer Floyd Patterson, will run the ING New York City Marathon 2007, 24 years after her father finished the marathon in 1983.
Patterson began his boxing career at age 10 in upstate New York at a reform school. He went on to win the middleweight gold medal in Helsinki, Finland, at the 1952 Olympic Games. In 1956, Patterson became the youngest World Heavyweight Champion and the first Olympic gold medalist to win a World Heavyweight title. In June 1960, Patterson became the first boxer to regain the World Heavyweight Championship.
Before he lost his battle to prostate cancer on May 11, 2006, Patterson began putting together some preliminary efforts to establish a chapel for troubled youth in Highland, NY, 15 miles from his home. Patterson never had the opportunity to finish the chapel; however, before his death Patterson-Jankoswki promised she would finish the project in her lifetime.
Patterson-Jankowski will run the ING New York City Marathon in honor of her father, the man who inspired her to begin running after she saw him cross the finish line in New York in 1983.
Patterson-Jankowski, a mother of five, has attempted to run the Boston Marathon twice; however, both attempts were thwarted when she discovered she was pregnant.
Patterson-Jankowski said the 24th anniversary of her father’s running of the marathon will be a “very emotional” experience for her: “I feel pretty awesome and physically prepared for my own race.”
Patterson-Jankowski will carry a small memento of her father with her for the 26.2 miles, a pocket-sized version of her favorite picture of her dad.
Via and for more information: New York Road Runners
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Tags: boxer, boxing prostate cancer, celebrity marathon runner, floyd patterson, ING New York City Marathon, Jennifer Patterson Jankowski, memory, new york road runners, newyork2007, NYC Marathon, nyrr, pregnant
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[…] Posted by as Uncategorized Before he lost his battle to prostate cancer on May 11, 2006, Patterson began putting together some preliminary efforts to establish a chapel for troubled youth in Highland, NY, 15 miles from his home. …article continues at Jamal Walker brought to you by cancer.medtrials.info and medtrials.info […]
October 18th, 2007 at 7:14 amI don’t know what to say to you, but I do no that I am keeping you and your family in my prayer, and hoping God continue to bless, comfort and keep you safe in his arms. I can’t explain but Honorable Floyd Patterson from what I was told was my third cousin on my mother or father side. I was born in Shelby, N.C. and Grandmother was born in Georgia, We have patterson,Lattimore,and Sadler by last name a aunt in Washington DC whose 82 explain to me some of the ancestors. I’m 56 years old and would be greatly happy to hear from you by email and hoping you received this letter. Thank for taking the time out in reviewing this note. I tried to contact your family at work by email the date I read that Mr.Patterson was deceased. He does look just like my mother Gearldine Lattimore whose also decease and uncle bobby, whose also decease from Diabetes.
February 6th, 2008 at 2:48 pm