This Day in Track & Field History, June 1, 2024, Emil Zatopek breaks 10,000m WR (1954), Drew Griffiths runs 3:57 at HOKA Festival of Miles (2024), by Walt Murphy News and Results

This Day in Track & Field-June 1

1917–BYU’s Clint Larson bettered the existing World Record in the High Jump with a leap of 6-7 7/8(2.025?) in Provo, Utah. Since it was an exhibition event, the mark was never ratified.

This Day in Track & Field–December 1, Ron Delaney wins Melbourne Olympic 1,500 meters (1956), Did you know that he almost did not attend? Read the story! by Walt Murphy

This Day in Track & Field/X-Country–November 28, Lee Calhoun wins 110 meter hurdles (1956), written by Walt Murphy

This Day in Track & Field/X-Country–November 27, Al Oerter wins his first Olympic discus title (1956), written by Walt Murphy

1935–Yale senior Keith Brown set a World Record of 14-5 1/8 (4.39m) in the Pole Vault at the IC4A Championships at Harvard. Brown had tied for 1^st at the 1933 and 1934 IC4A Championships.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Brown_(pole_vaulter)

WR Progression: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men%27s_pole_vault_world_record_progression

1954–Emil Zátopek set his 5^th (and final) World Record for 10,000-meters, running 28:54.2 in Brussels.

WR Progression: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10,000_metres_world_record_progression

29:35.4 Viljo Heino FIN August 25,1944

29:28.2 Emil Zátopek CZE June 11, 1949

29:27.2 Heino 1949 September 1, 1949

29:21.2 Zátopek October 22, 1949

29:02.6 Zátopek August 4, 1950

29:01.6 Zátopek November 1, 1953

28:54.2 Zátopek June 1, 1954

28:42.8 Sándor Iharos HUN July 15, 1956

2023–HOKA Festival of Miles–St. Louis, MO, June 1

For the first time in history, 4 high school boys broke 4 minutes for the Mile in the same race. The winner in 3:57.53 was Simeon Birnbaum (Rapid City Stevens, SD), and he was followed by Rocky Hansen (Christ School,NC-3:58.23), Tinoda Matsatsa (St.Andrew’s, MD-3:58.70), and Jackson Heidesch (Dowling, IA-3:59.08). They moved into the 4-8-9-11 positions on the All-Time list (At the time–See below).

Pre-race talk of a possible challenge to Alan Webb’s national record of 3:53.43 was a little too optimistic, but pacer extrodinaire Erik Sowinski did his best to ensure a fast race, taking the field through the first half mile in 1:58.0, with Connor Burns (Southern Boone County, MO) right behind in 1:58.2. Burns, who ran 3:58.83 in the Open Mile here in 2022, would fade to 7^th (4:03.25).

There are now 22 members of the prep sub-4 club, with 10 of those runners joining in the last 3 years!

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4exvXtcqzU

https://festival-of-miles.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?do=info&event_id=6471

https://trackandfieldnews.com/4-high-schoolers-break-4-in-same-race/

Boys Sub-4 Club (From T&F News)

(i-indoor, *-Junior)

3:53.43 Alan Webb (South Lakes, Reston, VA) 2001

3:55.3h Jim Ryun (East, Wichita, KS) 1965

3:56.24 Colin Sahlman (Newbury Park, CA) 2022

3:57.53 Simeon Birnbaum (Stevens, Rapid City, SD) 2023

3:57.66i Hobbs Kessler (Skyline, Ann Arbor, MI) 2021

3:57.72 Drew Griffith (Butler,PA) 2024