by RBR AdminWalt Murphy’s News and Results Service
This Day in Track & Field–March 25
1942–A Night in the Bronx—From Wally Donovan’s “A History of Indoor Track & Field”.
“The curtain came down on the 1942 indoor track season with one of the most smashingly successful indoor meets of all time.
The meet was for the benefit of the Navy Relief Society. It was conducted on an oil splattered banked board track, measuring 9 laps to the mile, primarily used for auto racing.
A crowd of more than 5000 jammed into the huge Coliseum in the Bronx to see the six All-Star events…they saw 6 world marks created.”
Roy Cochran got credit for two of those marks in one race, clocking 47.9 for 400-meters and 48.2 for 440-yards.
The same for John Borican, who ran 1:50.0 for 800-meters and 1:50.5 for 880-yards(breaking his own World Records). He was the 1941 U.S. Champion in the Decathlon!
A Georgetown quartet of Charley Fish, Charley Williams, Hugh James, and Hugh Short won the mile relay in 3:17.2, and Seton Hall won the 2-mile relay over a tough Fordham team in 7:33.9 (also faster than the outdoor record) with a lineup of Anthony Luciano, Frank Fletcher, Robert Ranier, and Chester Lipski.
No records were set in the mile and 2-mile, but the winning times were fast, with NYU senior Leslie MacMitchell winning the former in 4:07.8, just missing the World Record of 4:07.4 that he shared with Walter Mehl, and future Hall-of-Famer Greg Rice taking the longer race in 8:52.9, not far off his World Record of 8:51.1.
2nd in the mile was Gil Dodds, who would later set 3 World Records in the event. 3rd in 4:14.1 was Frank Dixon, a 5th-year student at St.Francis Prep H.S. (Queens,NY)
A member of the National Hall of Fame, Cochran would win gold medals in the 400 and 4×400 at the 1948 Olympics after serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
Cochran Rice MacMItchell Borican Dodds
1978—Maren Seidler raised her American Record in the Shot Put 4 times on this date in San Jose,CA:
58-02 (17.73/19 inches better than her previous mark of 56-7 [17.24])
58-04 ½ (17.79)
60-03 (18.36)
60-06 ½ (18.45)
Hall of Fame Bio (2000): https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/maren-seidler
World Cross Country Championships
1978–Glasgow, Scotland provided ideal x-country conditions for the World Championships–torrential rain, wind, and a difficult, muddy course! Providence College’s John Treacy, who was the bronze medalist in the Junior race in 1973 and 1974, won the Men’s title, while Guy Arbogast (5th) and Craig Virgin (6th) led the U.S. to the silver medals. The other American scorers were Greg Meyer (20th), Jeff Wells (29th), Bill Rodgers (44th), and Mike Roche (52nd). Treacy, who remained active in the sport as the Chief Executive of the Irish Sports Council (since retired), went on to represent Ireland at 4 Olympics (Silver medal-1984 Marathon). He had won the NCAA Indoor 3-mile title earlier in the month and would win his 2nd World Cross title in 1979 (see below).
In the Women’s race, Norway’s Grete Waitz destroyed a strong field as she won the first of her five World titles, and Julie Shea (4th), Jan Merrill (7th), Kathy Mills (11th), and Brenda Webb (15th) combined to give the U.S. the team silver medals.
Other Notable/U.S. Finishers
Senior Men(12.3km):2.Aleksandr Antipov (URS), 3.Karel Lismont (BEL), 8.Franco Fava (ITA), 11.Steve Jones (Wales), 14.Gerry Deegan (IRL), 50.Donal Walsh (IRL), 60.Neil Cusack (RL), 71.Ray Treacy (IRL), 72.Marc Hunter (USA), 73.Charles Vigil (USA), 99.Bobby Thomas (USA), 146.Chris McCubbins (CAN); DNF-Jos Hermens (NED), Carlos Lopes (POR), Fernando Mamede (POR); Team:1.France 151, 2.USA 156
Senior Women(4.728km):2. Natalia Mărăşescu (RUM), 3. Maricica Puică (RUM),12.Christine Benning (ENG), 19.Tatyana Kazankina (URS), 23.Cindy Bremser (USA), 26. Fiţa Lovin (RUM), 43.Wendy Smith-Sly (ENG); DNF-Gabriella Dorio (ITA); Team:1.Romania 30, 2.USA 37;
Junior Men(7.036km): 1.Mick Morton (ENG), 10.Rod Berry (USA), 19.Gelindo Bordin (ITA), 25.Paul Schultz (USA), 34.Said Aouita (MAR), 37.Kevin Byrne (USA), 38.Jeff Milliman (USA), 54.Tim O’Neill (USA), 55.Steve Ferri (USA); Team:1.England 53 , 2.Canada 53, 3.Spain 54;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1978_IAAF_World_Cross_Country_Championships
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md2RcloNBC0
1979–25,000 fans turned out at Green Park Racecourse in Limerick, Ireland, to watch their hero, John Treacy, despite falling late in the race, win his 2nd straight World X-Country Men’s title. Treacy slowed near the finish as a group of spectators jumped onto the course. ‘I was terrified they would knock me over or that so many would come onto the course that it would be impossible for the others to finish”, said Treacy, who needed a police escort to leave the course. Treacy looks back at that day and his career:
http://annadalestriders.co.uk/john-treacy-interview/
Grete Waitz, who had set a World Record while winning the first of her nine NY City Marathon titles the previous November. was also a repeat winner. The United States won the Women’s team title for the 2nd time as it got solid performances from Ellison Goodall (3rd), Jan Merrill (7th), Julie Shea (8th), and Margaret Groos (11th).
Jeff Nelson (Burbank,Ca), who would set a High School 2-mile record of 8:36.3 later in the year, finished 4th in the Men’s Junior race, just 2 seconds away from a bronze medal.
medals.
Other Notable/U.S. Finishers
Senior Men(12km):2.Bronislaw Malinowski (POL), 3.Aleksandr Antipov (URS), 7.Steve Jones (Wales), 13.Craig Virgin (USA), 21.Nick Rose (ENG), 27.Franco Fava (ITA), 41.Fernando Mamede (POR), 43.Gerry Deegan (IRL), 44.Dan Dillon (USA), 47.Donal Walsh (IRL), 49.Marc Hunter (USA), 64.Bill Donakowski (USA), 70.Eamonn Coghlan (IRL), 79.Ray Treacy (IRL), 81.Robbie Perkins (USA), 90.Greg Meyer (USA), 93.Gelindo Bordin (ITA), 101.Steve Flanagan (USA), 137.Bobby Thomas (USA), 152.José Abascal (ESP), 166.Thomas Wessinghage (GER), 172.Knut Kvalheim (NOR); Team:1.England 119, 2.Ireland 198;
Senior Women(5.04km):5.Svetlana Ulmasova (URS), 14.Anne Audain (NZL), 17.Paula Fudge (ENG), 19.Jennifer White (USA), 23.Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR), 36.Julie Brown (USA); DNF-Gabriella Dorio (ITA); Team:1.USA 29, 2.Soviet Union 48;
Junior Men(7.36km):1.Eddy de Pauw (BEL) 23:02, 2.Steve Binns (ENG) 23:09 3.Ildar Denikeyev (URS) 23:20, 4.Jeff Nelson (USA) 23:22, 12.Jim Hill (USA), 24.Herb Wills (USA), 27.Geoff Turnbull (ENG), 36.Steve Cram (ENG), 54.Paul Donovan (IRL), 66.John Gregorek (USA), 71.Mike Sheely (USA), 79.Alan Scharsu (USA); Team: Spain
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1979_IAAF_World_Cross_Country_Championships
Video(1978/1979): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md2RcloNBC0
1984–The World X-Country Championships came to the U.S. for the first time and were held at the Meadowlands Racetrack in New Jersey. The U.S. won the Women’s team title for the 2nd year in a row–Betty Jo Springs, a member of the 1983 winning team, led the way with her 9th-place finish, with Cathy Branta (10th), Sabrina Dornhoefer (16th) and Cathie Twomey (17th) completing the scoring. Romania’s Maricica Puică, the 1982 Champion, won her 2nd title as 5-time Champion Grete Waitz finished 3rd.
As he did in 1983, Pat Porter (33:34) set a fast pace in the Men’s race, while 37-year old Carlos Lopes (33:25), the 1976 Champion, eventually pulled away for his 2nd win, while Porter was passed by England’s Tim Hutchings (33:30) and Wales’ Steve Jones(33:32) in the final 100-meters. The U.S. won the silver medals for the 5th time in 7 years, as Porter’s 4th-place finish was backed up by Ed Eyestone (6th), Craig Virgin (17th), John Easker (28th), Jeff Drenth (41st) and Mark Stickley (65th).
The Men’s Junior race was won by Spain’s Pere Casacuberta, the last “non-African” to win the event.
NBC’s broadcast position was situated on the roof of the Grandstand at the racetrack. During a break in the action down below, announcer Frank Shorter, never one to pass up an opportunity for a workout, took a couple of laps around the perimeter of the roof! A security guard, clearly a fan, joined Shorter for part of the workout, saying, “I’m not going to pass up this opportunity”.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_IAAF_World_Cross_Country_Championships
https://vault.si.com/vault/1984/04/02/a-pair-of-wins-for-the-aged
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQuItHDOJDE
Other Notable/U.S. Finishers
Senior Men(12.086km):5.Wilson Waigwa (KEN), 10.Francesco Panetta (ITA), 11.Alberto Cova (ITA), 13.John Treacy (IRL),, 15.Martti Vainio (FIN), 16.Mohammed Kedir (ETH), 19.Paul Kipkoech (KEN), 21.Rob de Castella (AUS), 23.Fernando Mamede (POR), 62.Karel Lismont (BEL), 94.Dan Dillon (USA), 113.Steve Binns (ENG), 115.Domingo Tibiduiza (COL), 144.Troy Billings (USA); DNF-Gelindo Bordin (ITA); Team:1.Ethiopia 134, 2.USA 161
Senior Women(5km):1. Maricica Puică (RUM) 15:56, 2.Galina Zakharova (URS) 15:58, 3.Grete Waitz (NOR) 15:58, 4.Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) 16:04, 18.Lynn Williams (CAN), 20.Tina Krebs (DEN), 24.Rosa Mota (POR), 25.Brenda Webb (USA), 32.Nan Doak (USA); Team: 1.USA 52, 2.England 65;
Junior Men(8km):1.Pere Casacuberta (ESP), 12.Pat Piper (USA), 16.Simon Gutierrez (USA), 21.Ron Harris (USA), 23.Dan Foley (USA), 29.Dennis Cullinane (USA), 48.William Mangan (USA): Team:Ethiopia
1990–Running in her 5th World Cross Country Championships (2nd in 1986, 4th-1987,1988, 6th-1989), Hall of Famer Lynn Jennings, leading from the start, won the first of her three consecutive World titles on a picturesque course in the foothills of the French Alps (Aix-les-Bains). Said the winner, “The only way to win international cross-country races is to go out hard. Today my hard was harder than anyone else’s”. Princeton grad Jennings, who would win nine U.S. X-Country titles, wore a black ribbon on her left shoulder in memory of her grandfather, who died on the day she left for France.
Morocco’s Khalid Skah (34:21) won the Men’s race in a close finish over the Kenyan duo of Moses Tanui (34:21) and Julius Korir (34:22). Kenya’s John Ngugi, the 4-time defending champion, finished 20th after being among the leaders in the early stages of the race.
Jennings writes about how running saved her life in 2014
https://runblogger.com/2014/02/how-running-saved-the-life-of-an-olympian-lynn-jennings-story.html
Other Notable/U.S. Finishers
Senior Men(12.2km):5.William Mutwol (KEN), 7.Domingos Castro (POR), 9.Paul Kipkoech (KEN), 11.Salvatore Antibo (ITA), 15. Martín Fiz (FRA), 23.Ed Eyestone (USA), 37.Aaron Ramirez (USA), 38. Abel Antón (ESP), 59.Bob Kempainen (USA), 72.Frank O’Mara (IRL), 79.Bill Taylor (USA), 110.Terry Croyle (USA), 133.Bill Mangan (USA), 134.Dennis Leck (USA), 171.Mark Coogan (USA), 177.Craig Dickson (USA); Team:1.Kenya 42, 2.Ethiopia 96;
Senior Women(6km):2.Albertina Dias (POR), 3.Yelena Romanova (URS), 15.Derartu Tulu (ETH), 17.Annette Sergent (FRA), 21.Aurora Cunha (POR), 30.Angela Chalmers (CAN), 33.Sabrina Dornhoefer (USA), 34.Elaine van Blunk (USA), 44.Shelly Steely (USA), 52.Leah Pells (CAN), 103.Leanne Martin (USA), 117.Janet Smith (USA); Team:1.Soviet Union 37, 2.Ethiopia 75…5.USA 112;
Junior Men(8km):1.Kipyego Kororia (KEN) 22:13, 2.Richard Chelimo (KEN) 22:14, 3.Fita Bayissa (ETH) 22:24, 4.Ismael Kirui (KEN) 22:32, 6.Matthew Birir (KEN), 12.Salah Hissou (MAR), 13.Stefano Baldini (ITA), 19.Mark Carroll (IRL), 20.Mark Johansen (USA), 37.John Coyle (USA), 49.Jason Bunston (CAN), 74.Jeff Campbell (USA), 76.Paul Stoneham (USA), 93.Jason Mohr (USA), 104.Jamey Harris (USA): Team:1.Kenya 12, 2.Ethiopia 27
Junior Women(4.4km):1.Liu Shixiang (CHN) 14:19, 2.Yan Qinglan (CHN) 14:20, 12.Melody Fairchild (USA), 16.Tegla Loroupe (ETH), 72.Deena Drossin-Kastor (USA), 90.Becky Spies (USA), 96.Shelly Smathers (USA), 105.Amy Giblin (USA); Team:1.Kenya 20, 2.Japan 44;
HOF Bio (Jennings): https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/lynn-jennings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1990_IAAF_World_Cross_Country_Championships
1995—Paul Tergat (34:05) won the first of his 5 consecutive individual titles and Kenya swept the 4 team crowns at the World X-Country Championships in Durham, England. Following Tergat across the finish line were a trio of past and future World Champions on the track–Kenya’s Ismael Kirui (34:13), Morocco’s Salah Hissou (34:14), and Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrselassie (34:26).
Ethiopia’s Derartu Tulu (20:21) won the 1st of her 3 World Cross titles won the Women’s race (also won in 1997 and 2000), while Ireland’s Catherina McKiernan (20:29) won her 4th consecutive silver medal!
Joan Nesbit (6th) and Todd Williams (9th) were the top American finishers in the Senior races.
Other Notable/U.S. Finishers
Senior Men(12.02km):10. Martín Fiz (ESP), 14.Bob Kennedy (USA), 23. Domingos Castro (POR), 35. Hendrick Ramaala (RSA), 60.Brad Barquist (USA), 62.Jim Westphal (USA), 82.Dan Nelson (USA), 83.Eric Morrison (USA), 88.Keith Dowling (USA), 157.John Trautmann (USA); DNF-Reuben Reina (USA); Team: 1.Kenya 62, 2.Morocco 111
Senior Women(6.47km): 3.Sally Barsosio (KEN) 20:39, 5.Gete Wami (ETH), 9.Albertina Dias (POR), 10.Gabriela Szabo (RUM), 13.Olga Bondarenko (RUS), 14.Olga Appell (USA), 18.Paula Radcliffe (GBR), 37.Gwyn Hardesty-Coogan (USA), 39.Kathy Butler (CAN), 54.Katy McCandless (USA), 62.Liz Wilson (USA), 67.Carmen Troncoso (USA), 80.Carla Sacramento (POR); Team:1.Kenya 26, 2.Ethiopia 38;
Junior Men(8.47km):1.Assefa Mezegebu (ETH), 8.Mark Bett (KEN), 35.Tim Briggs (USA), 46.Matt Kerr (CAN), 49.Jason Rexing (USA), 64.Travis Landreth (USA), 113.Chris Severy (USA); Team:1.Kenya 23, 2.Ethiopia 25
Junior Women(4.47km):1.Annemarie Sandell (FIN), 19.Jessica Frye (USA), 25.Mary Cobb (USA), 32.Julia Stamps (USA), 37.Kortney Dunscombe (USA), 43.Sally Glynn (USA), 48.Heather Burroughs (USA); Team:1.Kenya 18, 2.Ethiopia 31;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1995_IAAF_World_Cross_Country_Championships
2001(24-25)–Due to an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease among British livestock in February, Dublin was forced to withdraw as host of the World X-Country Championships. With only 3 weeks to spare, the IAAF moved the event first to Brussels, but then, due to a lack of sufficient hotel rooms, had to switch to another Belgian city, Ostend.
Thanks to top-15 finishes from Bob Kennedy (12th), Meb Keflezighi (13th) and Abdi Abdirahman (15th), the U.S. won the bronze medals in the Men’s long race on the 2nd day (3-25) in cold, wet, windy, and muddy conditions. Nick Rogers (47th) was the final scorer, with backup provided by Greg Jimmerson (52nd) and Matt Downin (80th). After winning the silver medal in the Senior men’s short-race on the first day of competition (3-24), it was no surprise when young Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele won the Men’s Junior race.
Great Britain’s Paula Radcliffe won the Women’s Long race, becoming the first to win a Senior title after winning a Junior race (1992). The front-running Radcliffe (27:49), so often outkicked at the end of races, was passed by Ethiopia’s Gete Wami (27:52) with 250m left in the race, but was able to respond this time, quickly regaining the lead and pulling away for the win.
Wami got even the next day, beating Radcliffe to win the Women’s Short race (14:46:14:47).
The future of U.S. distance running got a boost as Dathan Ritzenhein won the bronze medal in the Men’s Junior race and Matt Tegenkamp finished 5th, with the Americans missing a team medal by just 3 points. “Ritz”’s medal was the first won by an American man since 1981, when Craig Virgin won gold and Keith Brantly the bronze in the Men’s Senior and Junior races, respectively.
Kenya’s Viola Kibiwott won the Women’s Junior race over a field that included future stars such as Kenya’s Vivian Cheruiyot (4th), Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba (5th), and Kenya’s Sally Kipyego (8th).
Other Notable/U.S. Finishers
Senior Men Long(12.3km/3-25):1.Mohammed Mourhit (BEL) 39:53, 2.Sergey Lebid (UKR) 40:03, 3.Charles Kamathi (KEN) 40:05, 5.Paul Kosgei (KEN), 25.Lee Troop (AUS), 32.Richard Limo (KEN), 41.Steve Moneghetti (AUS), 43.Domingos Castro (POR), 47.Nick Rogers (USA), 52.Greg Jimmerson (USA), 80.Matt Downin (USA); Team:1.Kenya 33, 2.France 72;
Senior Men Short(4.1km/3-24):1.Enock Koech (KEN) 12:40, 2.Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 12:42, 3.Benjamin Limo (KEN) 12:43, 4.Sammy Kipketer (KEN) 12:44, 8.Craig Mottram (AUS), 9.Brahim Boulami (MAR), 15.Brad Hauser (USA), 18.Tim Broe (USA), 19.Andy Downin (USA), 29.Kevin Sullivan (CAN), 39.Tony Cosey (USA), 41.Clint Wells (USA), 54.Gareth Turnbull (IRL), 57.Adrian Blincoe (NZL), 78.Matt Kerr (CAN), 85.Dan Browne (USA); Team:1.Kenya 13, 2.Morocco 48, 3.Ethiopia 51;
Senior Women Long(7.7km/3-24): 3.Lydia Cheromei (KEN), 12.Deena Drossin-Kastor (USA), 18.Sally Barsosio (KEN), 27.Jen Rhines (USA), 42.Clare Taylor (USA), 49.Kristin Chisum (USA), 53.Annette Peters (USA), 62.Courtney Babcock (CAN); Team:1.Kenya 18, 2.Ethiopia 70;
Senior Women Short(4.1km(3-25): 3.Edith Masai (KEN) 14:57, 5.Worknesh Kidane (ETH), 7.Carla Sacramento (POR), 38.Elva Dryer (USA), 46.Leah Pells (CAN), 47.Lisa Karnopp Nye (USA), 48.Sarah Schwald (USA), 55.Kristin Ihle (USA), 66.Collette Liss (USA), 69.Carmen Douma (CAN); DNF-Sonia O’Sullivan (IRL); Team:1.Ethiopia 26, 2.Kenya 32;
Junior Men(7.7km/3-25):1.Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 25:04, 2.Duncan Lebo (KEN) 25:37, 3.Dathan Ritzenhein (USA) 25:46, 5.Matt Tegenkamp (USA), 27.Ryan Hayden (CAN), 28.Nate Brannen (CAN), 30.Simon Bairu (CAN), 39.Ian Dobson (USA), 59.Mo Farah (GBR), 71.Fernando Cabada (USA); Team:1.Kenya 24, 2.Ethiopia 25;
Junior Women(5.9km/3-24):61.Victoria Chang (USA), 65.Alisha Williams (USA), 74.Emily Blakeslee (USA), 101.Michelle de la Vina (USA); Team: Ethiopia 16, 2.Kenya 20;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_IAAF_World_Cross_Country_Championships
Videos:
Senior Men Long:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es0CPitujIE
Senior Women Long(Finish): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9zsKEukhCg
World Cross-Past Winners (from 1973 to present)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Athletics_Cross_Country_Championships
2022—A Texas A&M quartet of Tierra Robinson-Jones, Laila Owens, Charokee Young, and Tai Wilson-Perteete won the Sprint Medley at the Texas Relays in 3:38.93, breaking the previous Collegiate Record of 3:39.04 that was set by another Aggie team in 2017. Runnerup Texas was also under the old record with their time of 3:38.95. The Longhorns’ Brooke Jaworski fell to the track as she vainly tried to pass A&M’s Wilson Perteete in the final strides.
Texas lineup: Julien Alfred, Rahsidat Adeleke, Kennedy Simon, Brooke Jaworski).
Born On This Day*
Sha’Carri Richardson 25 (2000) 2024 Olympic gold medalist—4×100, silver in the 100
2023 World Champion—100m, 4×100 (bronze-200)
2-time U.S. Champion—100m (2021 & 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials)
2023 marked a “rebirth” of sorts for Richardson, who had struggled to fulfill the great promise she first showed in
2019
An LSU freshman at the time, she was the 2019 NCAA Champion in the 100m—ran 10.75 to break the 30-
year old Collegiate Record of 10.89 that was set by another LSU sprinter, Dawn Sowell, in 1989. Finished 2nd in
the 200, setting a World Junior (Under-20) record of 22.17 (not ratified by World Athletics/IAAF). Anchored LSU
to a 2nd-place finish in the 4×100 relay.
Turned pro soon after…was touted as a potential medalist in the 100 at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, but
was only 8th at the U.S. Championships
Finished 1st in the 100-Meters at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials (after running a wind-aided 10.64 in her semi), but
tested positive for THC, a substance contained in marijuana. She only received a 1-month ban, but was stripped
of her win, meaning she was no longer eligible to compete at the Tokyo Olympics
There was world-wide attention in the buildup to the Prefontaine Classic in August, where Richardson would get a
chance to face the Jamaicans who swept the medals in the 100 in Tokyo. However, she was no match for them,
finishing last in the race.
PBs: 7.20i (2019),10.65 (2023/#2 All-Time U.S., =#5 World), 21.92 (2023, 2024); 2024 SB: 10.71
O.T. 100 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5jWmeCZzp4
Emotional embrace w/her grandmother: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v4mXsB-g20
Other Videos: ’23 WC NCAA 100 NCAA 200 ’24 OG 100
No Olympics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5DMgJ6TNOY
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sha%27Carri_Richardson
https://www.ustfccca.org/2019/12/featured/shacarri-richardson-wins-the-bowerman-in-2019
https://trackandfieldnews.com/shacarri-richardson-is-still-the-100s-youngun/
Stacy Dragila 54 (1971) Lots of “firsts” in her career. One of the pioneers in women’s pole vaulting was the first to win
the event at the World Indoor (1997) and Outdoor (1999) Championships, as well as at the Olympics (2000).
Repeated as the World Outdoor Champion in 2001. Was also the first American woman to clear 15-feet.
Former World & American Indoor and Outdoor Record holder
8-time U.S. Champion (‘97, ‘99-‘05); Also an 8-time U.S. Indoor Champion (‘96-‘01, ‘03-‘04)
Competed in two Olympics (2000-gold,2004-qual.) and five World Championships (‘99/gold, ‘01/gold, ‘03/=4th,
‘05/qual.). Also competed in five World Indoor Championships (’97-gold, ’99-8th, ’01-4th, ’03-qual., ’04-silver)
Won the gold medal at the Sydney Olympics in dramatic fashion in front of more than 112,000 spectators (See
NY Times link)…her win was part of what some have said was the greatest day in Olympic T&F history—among
the other highlights: with all of Australia watching, Cathy Freeman won the 400 in front of the home crowd,
Michael Johnson won his 2nd gold medal in the 400, and Haile Gebrselassie out-sprinted Paul Tergat to win the
10,000-meters.
PBs: 15-10 (4.83/2004/=#5 All-Time U.S.), 15-9 1/4i (4.81/2004/#5 A-T U.S.); 6999/Decathlon (1997)
Made the top-10 World Rankings 9 years in a row from 1997-2005 (#1-1999, 2000, 2001)
Inducted into the National Hall of Fame in 2014
Former heptathlete at Idaho State was encouraged by coach Dave Nielsen to try the Pole Vault in
1994…A former rodeo “goat-roper”
Founder of the Dragila Vault Company
HOF Bio(2014): https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/stacy-dragila
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stacy_Dragila
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/89121
T&F News Rankings: https://trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/rankings
OG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpcO2BIaG-k
OG Report: https://www.olympedia.org/results/65838
Highlights Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54DemXgdfTI
https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/stacy-dragila-110083 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/253107-womens-pole-vault-pioneer-stacy-dragila-retires
2000 OG-NY Times:
Stefka Kostadinova—Bulgaria 60 (1965) One of the greatest female high-jumpers in history
Gold medalist at the 1996 Olympics (silver-’88, 4th-’92), two World Championships (1987,1995), and 4 World
Indoor Championships (1987, 1989, 1993, 1997)
Set a World Record of 6-10 ¼ (2.09) at the 1987 World Championships in Rome (since broken). The year before,
she tied the WR of 6-9 ½ (2.07), then took sole possession at 6-10 (2.08)…former World Indoor
Record holder (6-9/2.06/1988)
Made the top-10 World Rankings 13 times from 1984-1997, missing out only in 1990 (#1 six times)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefka_Kostadinova
WR Progression: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_high_jump_world_record_progression
’96 OG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBPgR0xT1nM
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/65675
https://www.iaaf.org/athletes/bulgaria/stefka-kostadinova-60986
T&F News Rankings: https://trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/rankings
Jerome Carter 62 (1963) From Eastern Track (1983)/This Day in T&F
19-year old Jerome Carter had created a bit of a stir when he high-jumped a personal best of 7-4 (2.23) at the
Towson Relays on January 2, but he really got the sport’s attention when he cleared 7-7 (2.31) on this day
(Jan.16) at George Mason. It was cold in the Mason field house, so Carter was wearing two sweatsuits to keep
warm. He kept them on as he missed his first attempt at 6-8. Angry at himself for missing such an “easy”
height, he walked over to coach Alan Dean and said, “That’s it. Don’t worry about it, the world record is going
to come down tonight”! Brave talk for someone who had never cleared 7-feet before the season began, but
Carter would soon show that he wasn’t making an idle boast.
The 6-1, 160, Carter passed 6-10, then cleared 7-0 and 7-2 on his first jumps while still wearing the two sets of
sweats! He got serious at 7-4, taking off two tops and one pair of pants and cleared the bar easily to match his
- With the bar now at 7-7, Carter deigned to take off the second pair of pants and again cleared easily on his
first attempt. Observers said at the time that Carter had at least two inches to spare when he went over the bar.
“Then”, Dean said, “we decided, ‘What the heck, let’s go for the record’.” Carter had to wait around for a 1/2-
hour while officials searched for a steel tape to ensure a proper measurement. One was found and the bar was
set at 7-8 ¾ (2.35), 1/4-inch higher than Vladimir Yashchenko’s World Record.
Carter had been jumping with great confidence up to this point, but with the bar actually set at a world record
height, he admittedly tensed up and did not have a good effort in his three attempts. “He forgot
