Tony DaPonte first burst onto the local running scene when he won a freshman intramural cross country race while at Providence College.

When the Warren Summer Festival was initiated in 1964, he served as the co-chairman of the AAU road race that received national attention, including a multi-page story in Sports Illustrated.  He continued as road race co-chairman for more than twenty years.  In 1991 he slowed down just a bit and became a committee member for the Substance Abuse 5K run, a position that he continues to hold.

As a runner, Tony’s accomplishments are legendary.  Between 1964 and 1970, he was the first Warrenite to finish the AAU race six times. And four decades later he was the first finisher in the Substance Abuse 5K 60-69 (2001) and 70-79 (2006) categories.

He first competed in the Ocean State Senior Olympics in 1980 and since then has captured gold, silver, and bronze medals in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, and 800 meters.

Since 2000 Tony has also earned gold, silver, and bronze medals at the USA Eastern Track and Field Championships, while competing in the same four events of 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, and 800 meters.

At the National Masters Championships he won an 800 meters bronze medal in 2001’s 65-69 age group, missing All American honors by only two seconds.  And then, not satisfied with this effort, he came back five years later and competing in the 70-74 age group, was the 2006 All American 800 meters silver medalist.  In this latter event, his time of three minutes flat topped the All American standard by a healthy six seconds.

Tony was Our Lady of Fatima’s cross country coach in 2001-2002 and since 2002 has served as the Kickemuit Middle School’s boys and girls outdoor track coach.  In 2006 the boys finished the state tournament in third place.

His coaching career first began at the inception of the Warren Schoolboy Soccer League, where he coached in the league’s first two seasons.

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