Tuesday, April 28, 1998
By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
Bob Voege dominates in swimming, track and field,
even after two heart attacks. He has received a
national honor from Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
Slowing down
not an option for
ageless Voege
Two heart attacks can't
By Dave Reardon
keep him from excelling
in athletics, and life
Special to the Star-BulletinWhat's your definition of a hero?
An FBI agent who caught Mafia and Ku Klux Klan guys?
A school teacher who teaches young children values?
An inspirational athlete who coaches and dominates his age group in swimming and track and field -- after two heart attacks?
Bob Voege, 71, of Hawaii Kai, is all the above.
Last weekend, Voege was honored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield. He's among five winners nationally in a competition that drew 1,500 nominations.
Tomorrow night on KHET-TV (9 p.m.), "Ageless Heroes," an hour-long show, honors the continuing achievements of America's mature set, including Penn State football coach Joe Paterno.
Voege isn't famous like Paterno, but he did play college football at Colgate (after growing up in New York and serving in World War II). That's when he wasn't running track, swimming or playing lacrosse.
By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
Bob Voege enjoys some air time in the long jump.
"My speed made up for my lack of talent in just about anything," Voege says.After joining the FBI, he trained fellow agents in judo and made it to the '64 Olympic trials. In the '70s, Voege helped develop the first SWAT teams.
Voege had his first heart attack in 1977 while swimming alone. Somehow he made it to a doctor. Shortly after bypass surgery, he was swimming and running again.
Voege and his wife, Fran, moved to Hawaii in 1984. He's competed in every Aloha State Games since they started in 1990.
He's also a substitute teacher in Oahu elementary schools.
"I like the first- and second-graders," Voege said. "They don't look for angles. You tell them the rules and they do it."
In 1993, Voege had another heart attack while swimming, this time in a race. But since then he's won several state senior titles in swimming and the decathlon. He has placed in the top 10 nationally in four events.
Five, if you count sense of humor.
"If I die in the long jump, the guys know to cover me over with dirt so the next guy can jump unimpeded," Voege said. "I wouldn't mind dying while I was teaching, but that would scare the little kids."
HMSA Island Scene
companion story
