Nassau Teacher, Track Official Receives USATF'S Highest Award

PORT WASHINGTON, NY — A retired Port Washington science teacher was honored by USA Track & Field (USATF) with their highest service award, the Robert Giegengack Award. USATF called David Katz "one of the most respected international technical officials in track and field, road racing and cross country."

Katz didn't know he was going to receive the top award, he told Patch. He was just told he was going to be honored in some way.

"I was quite overwhelmed," he said.

He's been involved in race management since the 1970s.

"It's been a fun ride."

Katz taught science at Port Washington Middle School for 36 years. He's now a race timing expert, USATF says, and this year served as Technical Manager at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon. He was Technical Director for the 2019 World Athletics Cross Country Championships, and will also direct 2024's championships.

The USATF gigs are all volunteer, he says: "We do it because we love the sport and the athletes."

"Katz is also one of the top road race course measurement experts in the world and was the International Road Course Measurer for the 2012, 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games," the USATF said.

Katz says he's been measuring races since 1975, "and fortunately I was noticed," he says.

He first measured an Olympic course at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

Katz runs his own race timing company called Finish Line Road Race Technicians that organizes road running races on Long Island.

"I have a science background, and that's the fun part," he said.

"I get to constantly think outside the box and find new ways to move the sport forward."

"Even though I'm an old guy," he joked, "I think young."