by RBR AdminWalt Murphy’s News and Results Service (wmurphy25@aol.com), used with permission.
This Day in Track & Field–May 26
1899–Penn’s Alvin Kraenzlein, who had transferred from Wisconsin after the 1897 season, set World Records of 24-4 ¼ (7.42) and 24-4 ½ (7.43) in the Long Jump at the IC4A Championships at Manhattan Field in NY City.
Known as the “father of the modern hurdling technique”, Kraenzlein won three IC4A titles in the 120y-Hurdles (1898-1900). He would win 4 individual gold medals at the 1900 Olympics-60m, 110-hurdles, 200-Hurdles, Long Jump. He’s a charter member of the National Hall of Fame.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_Kraenzlein
1912-Abel Kiviat ran 3:59-1/5 at Celtic Park on NY’s Long Island to set a World Record for 1500-Meters. 2nd in the race was Mel Sheppard (4:01.2-estimated), the 1908 Olympic champion at 800 and 1500-Meters.
Sheppard, the last American to win the Olympic 1500 before Matthew Centrowitz won in 2016, would win the silver medal in the 800 at the Stockholm Olympics later in the year, while Kiviat won silver in the 1500.
Both men are members of the National Hall of Fame.
1925–Paavo Nurmi closes out his 55-race tour of the U.S.–loses to Allan Helffrich in a 1/2-mile race in Yankee Stadium. Helffrich would win his 3rd U.S. 880y title later in the year and was a gold medalist in the 4×400 relay at the 1924 Olympics.
From Time Magazine: “Two days later. Nurmi eluded a group of giggling women who desired to osculate his drawn cheek, waved farewell to a swarming pier-load of yelling Finnish-Americans, had his last pictures taken by U. S. cameramen, departed for Finland. On the same day, in answer to those scandal mongers who have averred that he padded his expense account, a list of his expenditures was published. He, who had been offered a professional contract of $3,000 a week, $60,000 by advertisers who wanted his endorsement, lived for six months on $1,190.”
1951-Seton Hall’s Andy Stanfield ran 20.6 at the IC4A Championships at Franklin Field in Philadelphia to set the first IAAF-ratified World Record for 220-yards on a turn.
The New Jersey native won a total of 8 IC4A sprint titles (Indoor 60y/1949-1951, 100y/1949-51, 220y/1949,1951) and went on to win Olympic gold in the 200 and 4×100 in 1952 and silver in the 200 in 1956.
1956-Jim Lea ran 45.8 for 440-yards at the California Relays in Modesto to break Herb McKenley’s 9-year old World Record of 46.0. (The record for 400-meters at the time was Lou Jones’ 45.4)
1978–Penn State sophomore Kathy Mills set a World Record* of 15:35.5 for 5000-meters at the AIAW Championships (the original women’s collegiate championships) in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mills followed up with a win in the 3000 the following day (9:08.1).(*-The IAAF didn’t recognize World Records in the 5000 until September, 1981).
USC’s Patty Van Wolvelaere won the 100-meter hurdles in 13.14 to break her own American and Collegiate Records.
UCLA junior Evelyn Ashford won the 200 (22.91) on the final day (5-27), but was soundly beaten by 5-foot tall Leleith Hodges of Texas Women’s University in the 100 (11.18-11.42)
Photos: http://psutafalumnigolf.blogspot.com/2013/07/lets-celebrate-world-record-by-one-of.html
1979-Texas Women University’s Louise Ritter added a 1/2-inch to her American Record in the High Jump by clearing 6-3 ½ (1.92) at the AIAW Championships in East Lansing, MI. Ritter would win the gold medal at the 1988 Olympics.
Other winners at the meet included Cal-State Northridge’s Valerie Brisco (200), who would win three gold medals at the 1984 Olympics (200,400,4×400) and Ohio State’s Stephanie Hightower (100m-hurdles), the former President of USATF.
1980—West Germany’s Dietmar Mögenburg, only 18 at the time, equaled Jacek Wszoła’s day-old World Record in the High Jump by clearing 7-8 ½ (2.35) in Rehlingen, Germany. Mögenburg, who would win the gold medal at the 1984 Olympics, is still =#4 on the All-Time World Junior List (indoors/outdoors).
https://trackandfieldnews.com/tfn-lists/world-junior-all-time-list-men/
1984—Making the U.S. Olympic team at the Men’s Marathon Trials in Buffalo,NY, were Pete Pfitzinger (2:11:43), Alberto Salazar (2:11:44), and John Tuttle (2:11:50).
Other notable finishers: 4.Dave Gordon (2:11:59)…6.Tony Sandoval (2:12:41), 7.Greg Meyer (2:13:29), 8.Bill Rodgers (2:13:30)…11.Duncan MacDonald (2:16:56).
1984–Ukraine’s 20-year old Sergey Bubka, who had been a surprise winner at the inaugural World Championships the year before in Helsinki, set the first of his 17 outdoor World Records in the Pole Vault by clearing 19-2 ¼ (5.85m) in Bratislava, breaking Thierry Vigneron’s previous mark of 19-1 ½ (5.83). He had already raised the Indoor Record three times earlier in the year and would set a total of 18 undercover marks. Bubka went on to win a record total of six outdoor world titles (and Olympic gold in 1988).
WR Progression: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men’s_pole_vault_world_record_progression
1984–Brian Oldfield threw 72-9 ¾ (22.19) in the Shot Put at the Bruce Jenner Classic in San Jose to break the previous American Record of 72-3 (22.02m) that he shared with Dave Laut. Oldfield had thrown 75-0 (22.86) in 1975 while competing professionally as a member of the ITA (International Track Association).
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/30/sports/brian-oldfield-shot-putting-superstar-dies-at-71.html
1985–Ramona Pagel set the first of her eight American Records in the Shot Put with her toss of 62-9 1/4 (19.13m) at the Southern Pacific Championships at UCLA. Pagel would win seven indoor and five outdoor U.S. titles.
Pagel ended the 11-year reign of Maren Seidler as the AR holder. Hall-of-Famer Seidler set the first of her 10 American Records when she threw 54-10 ½ (16.72) in 1974 and her last (62-7 3/4 [19.09]) in 1979.
2002 (Updated)—Finishing 2nd to Michelle Collins (50.87) in the Women’s 400-meters at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, was 17-year old Sanya Richards(Ross) (51.67), a senior at St.Thomas Aquinas H.S.(FL), who was competing for the first time as a U.S. citizen. The native of Jamaica would go on to become one of the best ¼-milers in the world, winning gold medals in the 400-meters at the 2009 World Championships, the 2012 World Indoor Championships, and the 2012 Olympics.
Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj (3:50.89) won the Bowerman Mile over Kenyans William Chirchir (3:51.03) and Bernard Lagat (3:52.63).
Marla Runyan (8:39.36) edged Ireland’s Sonia O’Sullivan (8:39.88) in the Women’s 3000-meters.
Results: https://preclassic.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?do=info&event_id=120&year=2002
Videos: Mile Additional Videos
Complete Coverage (3 hours—begins at the 3:40 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVqrz3QtSXc
2007—Florida State Junior Walter Dix ran 19.69 at the NCAA East Regional in Gainesville(FL) to set the current Collegiate Record for 200-meters. The previous mark of 19.86 was set by Tennessee’s Justin Gatlin in 2002.
Dix was also the fastest qualifier in the 100 (10.05) and ran 2nd leg on Florida State’s team that had the fastest time in the 4×100 (38.71). Dix would become a triple winner at the NCAA Championships in June (100,200,4×100).
19.69 Video(from the stands): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3inscR3o8E
2012—Tyreek Hill (Coffey County,GA) won the 200-meters at the Golden South Classic in Orlando, Florida, in 20.14 (=#5-All-Time U.S. Jr/-#3 H.S.), missing by a mere .01s Roy Martin’s 27-year old High School Record of 20.13. Hill also won the 100 in 10.41 after winning his heat in 10.19.
The 18-year old senior went on to win both sprints at the U.S. Junior Championships and won a gold medal in the 4×100 at the World Juniors (won bronze in the 200).
He spent a year at Garden City C.C., then enrolled at Oklahoma State, where he won the 2014 Big-12 title at 200-meters.
Drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2016, he has been one of the best receivers in the NFL. Helped the Chiefs win the 2020 Super Bowl.
Had been suspended by the team prior to the 2019 season, pending resolution of some serious off-the-field “issues”, but was eventually cleared by the NFL. Currently with the Miami Dolphins.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyreek_Hill
2017-Texas A&M’s Fred Kerley set a Collegiate Record of 43.70 in the 2nd round of the 400-meters at the NCAA West Regional in Austin, Texas. On hand to congratulate Kerley was former USC Trojan Quincy Watts, who set the previous record of 44.00 at the NCAA Championships in 1992 (also in Austin).
Kerley didn’t have nearly as much time to enjoy being the CR holder as did Watts, since USC’s Michael Norman (coached by Watts) ran 43.61 at the 2018 NCAA Championships!
“I was running smart yesterday (45.95-heat) to set up the race for today,” noted Kerley. “Coach (Alleyne) Francique and I were talking about the Collegiate Record being set in Austin and it would be wonderful to break it here in front of (Watts). I just want to keep on improving.”
Kerley went on to win NCAA & U.S. titles in June. Turning pro after his junior year at A&M, Kerley was ranked #1 in the world in 2018 by Track & Field News. Stepping down in distance, he was the silver medalist in the 100 Meters at the Tokyo Olympics, and won gold at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene.
https://www.flotrack.org/video/5837828-mens-400m-heat-1-fred-kerley-breaks-collegiate-record-4370
2017—Kenya’s Celliphine Chespol was the surprise winner of the Steeplechase on distance night at the 2017 Prefontaine Classic(5-26,27), despite having to stop with less than 2 laps to go to secure a loose shoe!. The 18-year old set the current World Junior (under 20) Record of 8:58.78.
Born On This Day*
Dani Samuels-Stevens-Australia 37 (1988) 2009 World Champion-Discus (2017-silver)
4-time Olympian: 2004 (8th), 2008 (11th), 2012 (4th), 2021 (Qual. Round)
Competed at 6 World Championships (‘07/q), ’09 (1st), ’11 (10th), ’13 (10th), ’15 (6th), ’17 (2nd)
2-time Commonwealth Games Champion (2014, 2018/bronze-2006)
2005 World Youth Champion
2006 World Junior Champion
PB:228-6 (69.64/2017/Nat’l Record); Last competed in 2021
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dani_Stevens
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/114419
https://worldathletics.org/athletes/australia/dani-samuels-14271355
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fmrgtG9-SA
Zola Budd-Pieterse—South Africa/Great Britain 59 (1966) 2-time World X-Country Champion (Short Course-
1985,1986)
7th in the 3000-Meters at the 1984 Olympics….Involved in the memorable incident that led to Mary
Slaney falling in the final.
PBs: 2:00.9(1984), 3:59.96 (1985), 4:17.57 (1985), 5:30.19 (1986), 8:28.83i (1985),
8:39.79i (1986/World Record at the time), 14:48.07 (1985/World Record at the time)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zola_Budd
https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a21751547/zola-budd-after-the-fall/
Sports Illustrated Vault: https://vault.si.com/vault/1984/08/20/triumph-and-tragedy-in-los-angeles
Photo: http://www.hiram.ws/photography/mary.zola.html
