Paula Dickson-Taylor Honored by Freeholders for Athletic Skills

The Essex County Freeholders recently honored West Orange resident for her performance this past summer as a competitive senior runner. 

Taylor, who was honored during the board’s Oct. 5 meeting, competed at both the 2011 Summer National Senior Games, the world’s largest multi-sport event for men and women athletes 50 and older, and the 2011 World Masters Athletics Championships for men and women 35 and older. 

In June’s Summer National Senior Games in Houston, Texas, Taylor, 58, won gold medals in both the 400-meter dash and set a new record in the 800-meter run in the women 55-59 group, breaking the old record by six seconds. 

In July she competed in the World Masters Athletics Championships in Sacramento, Calif. and she anchored both the 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relay teams, with the 4x100-meter team finishing in second place and 4x400-meter to second-place and third-place finishes, respectively. 

The board’s commendation was co-sponsored by Freeholder At-Large Rufus I. Johnson of Newark and District 4 Freeholder Leonard M. Luciano of West Caldwell. 

During their laudatory remarks, they marveled at Dickson-Taylor’s amazing summer of competition and said, “…through her outstanding accomplishments, she has clearly demonstrated that determination, hard work and true athletic ability can transcend the date on a birth certificate on a grand scale.” 

Taylor is currently ranked by USA Track & Field as the United States number one ranked 400 Meter and number 2 ranked 800 Meter runner in her age group, as well as the number 3 runner in the world for both events. 

She first became interested in running while growing up in East Orange, where she joined a recreation team while in eighth grade and began competitive track at age 38.