Remembering Rene Delamar
November 21, 2019- Hagatna, Guam-
Guam Track and Field Association mourns the loss of throwing icon, Rene Delamar. Earlier this week, GTFA learned of the sudden passing of the Guam track and field legend. Rene is the current Guam National Record holder in the Shot Put with a distance of 14.63 meters and formerly held the Guam National Record in the Discus Throw.
Rene was a dominant figure in the region in both the Shot Put and Discus for nearly 20 years. As a high school athlete at George Washington High School, Rene held the Shot Put high school record before graduating in 1980. 14 years later, Rene was one of the few athletes still competing in the sport after high school.
At the 1994 Micronesian Games in Mangilao, Guam, Rene captured gold medals in both the Shot Put and Discus.
Three years later at the 1997 Mini South Pacific Games in American Samoa, Rene won Guam’s only medal in track and field at the games with a bronze medal finish in the Shot Put. During that event Rene broke the Guam National Record three times and surpassed New Caledonia’s Laurent Fatauli with his final throw of 14.50 meters, securing bronze.
At the 1998 Micronesian Games in Palau, Rene would settle for silver in the Shot Put with a throw of 14.26 meters. He was only 11cm behind CNMI’s Fa’aea Talalemotu’s Games record throw of 14.37 meters that still stands today. Rene would get revenge in the Discus later that meet with a Gold medal and Games Record throw of 40.64 meters. Rene’s record would only be bested by Guam’s Justin Andre in 2006 with Andre’s throw of 41.19 meters. Only Rene and Justin have thrown over 40 meters in the discus in the history of the Micronesian Games.
Rene would save the best for last at the 1999 South Pacific Games in Santa Rita, Guam. In the Discus, Rene shined in his final attempt with a throw of 43.88 meters, a Guam National Record at the time. Days later in the Shot Put, Rene struggled early in his first four throws, but came back and broke his Guam National record in his sixth and final attempt with a throw of 14.63 meters. Rene retired from competition at the end of the 1999 South Pacific Games but his legacy and records live on. Rest in Peace, Rene. You will be greatly missed.
