Doreen Wilber
Encyclopedia
Doreen Viola Hansen Wilber (January 8, 1930 – October 19, 2008) was an American
archer
from Rutland, Iowa
.
in Munich
, Wilber won the gold medal
in the women's section of the first modern Olympic archery competition, aged 42. Along with John Williams
, Wilber led the U.S. to a sweep of archery gold medals in 1972.
In the first of two FITA rounds (in which an archer shoots 36 arrows at each of 4 distances), Wilber shot for 1198 points out of a possible 1440. This put her in fourth place at the end of the first half of competition. Her second round score of 1226 was the best score of any archer in either round and was enough to put her well above the competition as well as set a new world record.
In the 1969 Outdoor World Championships, Wilber placed 2nd. She was also a member of the 4th place U.S. team. She placed 2nd in the 1971 Outdoor World Championships and was a member of the 3rd place United States team.
She died of Alzheimer's disease
in Jefferson, Iowa
on October 19, 2008. Work is currently being performed in Jefferson to install a bronze statue in Doreen's honor. Work on the statue is expected to be complete in the Summer of 2011.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
archer
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
from Rutland, Iowa
Rutland, Iowa
Rutland is a city in Humboldt County, Iowa, United States. The population was 145 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rutland is located at on the West Fork Des Moines River....
.
Biography
At the 1972 Summer Olympics1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Wilber won the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in the women's section of the first modern Olympic archery competition, aged 42. Along with John Williams
John Williams (archer)
John Chester Williams is an archer from the United States, who was born in Cranesville, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Northwestern High School. After winning the 1971 world title, he won the gold medal in the men's individual achery competition at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany...
, Wilber led the U.S. to a sweep of archery gold medals in 1972.
In the first of two FITA rounds (in which an archer shoots 36 arrows at each of 4 distances), Wilber shot for 1198 points out of a possible 1440. This put her in fourth place at the end of the first half of competition. Her second round score of 1226 was the best score of any archer in either round and was enough to put her well above the competition as well as set a new world record.
In the 1969 Outdoor World Championships, Wilber placed 2nd. She was also a member of the 4th place U.S. team. She placed 2nd in the 1971 Outdoor World Championships and was a member of the 3rd place United States team.
She died of Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
in Jefferson, Iowa
Jefferson, Iowa
Jefferson is a city in Greene County, Iowa, United States, along the North Raccoon River. The population was 4,626 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Greene County. It is the home of the Mahanay Memorial Bell Tower, tall, located on the town square, and visible for miles. The tower is...
on October 19, 2008. Work is currently being performed in Jefferson to install a bronze statue in Doreen's honor. Work on the statue is expected to be complete in the Summer of 2011.