by RBR Admin
Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service ([email protected])
This Day in Track & Field–September 9
1916—George Bronder set an American Record of 190-6 (58.06) in the Javelin in Newark, New Jersey, Bronder won six straight U.S. titles from 1914-1919. That stood as the record for most wins in the event until Breaux Greer won his 7th straight in 2006 (he won his 8th in 2007),
Bronder had just finished his junior year at Poly Prep H.S. in Brooklyn when he won his first U.S. title in 1914. After a tour of duty during World War I, he entered the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a winner at the 1921 and 1922 Penn Relays and the 1922 IC4A Championships.
He moved his family to Australia in 1926 and became a fixture on the local T&F circuit into the 1930s.
http://athletics.possumbility.com/athletes/athlete2332.htm
http://tinyurl.com/BronderPolyPrep (Need to zoom in to view the article in the upper left-hand corner)
AR Progression: http://trackfield.brinkster.net/RecProg_AllUSA.asp?RecCode=WR&EventCode=MF8&Gender=M&P=F
1928—Silvio Cator of Haiti became the first long-jumper to break the 26-foot barrier, jumping 26-1/4 (7.93) in Colombes, France. Cator, who had won the silver medal in the Long Jump at the Amsterdam Olympics in late July, was also a member of Haiti’s national soccer team. He remains the only athlete from Haiti to win an Olympic medal in T&F and still holds the Haitian Record, one of the oldest National Records in the sport (maybe THE oldest).
Wiki Bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silvio_Cator
1933—Italy’s Luigi Beccali, the 1932 Olympic gold medalist in the 1500, ran 3:49.2 at the World Student Games in Turin, Italy, to equal the World Record, which had been set in 1930 by France’s Jules Ladoumègue. Beccali, 2nd in that race, took sole possession of the WR when he ran 3:49.0 eight days later in Milan.
WR Progression: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1500_metres_world_record_progression
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luigi_Beccali
1968—The Decathlon had already finished up two days earlier, and now it was time to select the rest of the U.S. team at the Olympic Trials at Echo Summit.
There was one final, with Tracy Smith (30:00.4), Van Nelson (30:04.0), and Tom Laris (30:09.8) taking the first three places in the 10,000-meters. Old favorites Billy Mills (30:32.2) and Gerry Lindgren (30:44.2) were 4th and 5th, while Kenny Moore (31:18.2), who had made the team in the Marathon the previous month, finished 7th.
This was the first time the U.S. Trials followed the Olympic schedule, requiring athletes to compete in as many rounds that would face them in Mexico City. But the fields were much smaller in 1968 than they have been since then, so very few athletes were eliminated in the first round of any event. In fact, no one was eliminated in the first two rounds of the 100-meters, which were held on this date.
The iconic setting of the Trials is now a California Historical Landmark. Some of the athletes who made the 1968 team visited the site during the 2014 U.S. Championships in Sacramento.
Off-the-track: I was staying at a local motel that was 2-3 miles away from Stateline, Nevada, and its legal gambling establishments. I was without a car, and there was no bus available (tried to save a few bucks by not taking a cab), but I was determined to get to Harrah’s Casino.
Setting out on foot on US-50, which was illuminated only by whatever moonlight was available, I soon heard dogs barking on the other side of the road. I proceeded to set PRs at every distance from 100-yards to the mile as I kept running until the yelping faded in the distance! I finally made it to Harrah’s and still had enough money left to spring for a cab back to the safety of my motel!
Bob Burns did a great job of capturing the essence of the Trials in his book, “The Track In The Forest” (see links below).
History of the Trials: https://trackandfieldnews.com/usa-olympic-trials-history/
Sports Illustrated Vault: https://vault.si.com/vault/1968/09/23/triumph-and-tragedy-at-tahoe
The Track in the Forest:
https://www.amazon.com/Track-Forest-Creation-Legendary-Olympic/dp/0897339371
https://www.chicagoreviewpress.com/track-in-the-forest–the-products-9780897339377.php
1972—19-year old American Randy Williams, who had set a World Junior Record of 27-4 ½ (8.34) in the previous day’s qualifying round, sealed a win in the final of the Men’s Long Jump at the Munich Olympics with his opening effort of 27-1/2(8.24).
Winning silver and bronze were Germany’s Hans Baumgartner (26-10 [8.18]) and American Arnie Robinson (26-4 ¼ [8.03]), who would win gold 4 years later in Montreal. Williams, who had won the NCAA title as a USC freshman in June, would win the silver medal in Montreal.
Failing to make the final were Great Britain’s Lynn Davies the 1964 Olympic Champion, and the Soviet Union’s Igor Ter-Ovanesyan, the bronze medalist in 1960 and 1964.
Led by the Soviet Union’s Lyudmila Bragina, the Women’s 1500-meters, which was making its debut at the Olympics, was taken to a new level In Munich. Bragina was already the World Record holder coming into the Games, having run 4:06.9 in July to break the previous mark by almost three seconds. She then improved the record in each of her three races in Munich, running 4:06.47 in her heat, 4:05.07 In her semi-final, and then bringing it all the way down to 4:01.38 in the final, with the next 6 finishers also getting under her pre-Games record!
2. Gunhild Hoffmeister (GDR/4:02.83)
3.Paola Pigni (ITA/4:02.85)
4.Karin Burneleit-Krebs (GDR/4:04.11)
5.Sheila Carey (GBR/4:04.81)
6.Ilja Keizer (NED/4:05.13)
7.Tamara Pangelova (URS-UKR/4:06.45)
West Germany’s Ellen Tittle ran 4:06.65 in her semi, but DNF’d in the final, while Canada’s Glenda Reiser set a World Junior Record of 4:06.71 in her heat. American Francie Larrieu was eliminated in the semi-finals, and Norway’s Grete Andersen, better known later in her career by her married name (Waitz), didn’t make it out of the 1st round.
It remains the tightest competition in the Men’s Shot Put in Olympic history, with less than two inches separating the top four finishers.
Poland’s Władysław Komar (69-6 [21.18]) won the gold medal over American George Woods (69-5 ½ [21.17), with Hartmut Briesenick winning the bronze medal over fellow East German Hans-Peter Geis on the basis of a better 2nd throw. Both had a best of 69-4 ¼ (21.14), while Briesenick’s 68-11 ¾ (21.02) topped Geis’s 68-11 ¼ (21.01).
Not far behind were Americans Al Feuerbach (68-11 ¼ [21.01] and Brian Oldfield (68-7 ¼ [20.91]).
Medalists/Results: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1972_Summer_Olympics
Olympedia Reports: https://www.olympedia.org/editions/18/sports/ATH
Videos
W1500(Russian): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySazd0CaOKw
MSP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYUbBGPSjwg&pp=QAA%3D
WR Progression: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1500_metres_world_record_progression
2001—Switzerland’s Andre Bucher (800) and Romania’s Violeta Beclea Szekely (1500) were the Overall Champions at the IAAF Grand Prix Final in Melbourne, Australia, each earning $100,000 plus an additional $50,000 for winning their respective events at the Final.
Allen Johnson was leading the Men’s GP standings entering the meet, but needed a win in Melbourne to remain on top. He had a slight lead over Cuba’s Anier Garcia before hitting the 9th hurdle and finishing 2nd to the 2000 Olympic Champion (13.22-13.28). Johnson still went home with $90,000, but the loss cost him an extra $60,000.
Medalists: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_IAAF_Grand_Prix_Final
Results: https://www.the-sports.org/athletics-iaaf-grand-prix-final-results-2001-men-epm44315.html
Side Note: Shortly after working on the Goodwill Games in Brisbane for TNT, Lewis Johnson and I traveled to Melbourne to cover this meet for ESPN! Lewis would do the announcing while I would be stuck in the control truck to receive instructions from the producer, Ralph Mole, who was running things from his studio in New Jersey! We were picked up at the airport by a gentleman who just happened to be in charge of transportation for the event. He was a friendly bloke who was excited to have two “Yanks” in his car. When we told him the name of our hotel, he rolled his eyes and said, “Oh no, you’re not staying there”, and he arranged to have us stay at what he obviously thought was a much nicer place!
2007—Despite easing up near the finish, Jamaica’s Asafa Powell ran 9.74 in his heat of the 100-meters in Rieti, Italy, to break his own World Record of 9.77. He “only” ran 9.78 in the final.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrQ8ydIZL3w
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men%27s_100_metres_world_record_progression
2016—Sandi Morris cleared 16-4 ¾ (5.00) at the Diamond League Final in Brussels to set an American Outdoor Record in the Women’s Pole Vault. A 2nd AR was set by Shannon Rowbury, who finished 5th in the Women’s 5000 with a time of 14:38.92.
DL Recap: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Diamond_League
Born On This Day*
Brittney Reese 39 (1986) Future Hall-of-Famer won her 8th global title in London in 2017:
Olympics-2012 (5th-2008, 2nd-2016, 2nd-2021)
World Championships—2009, 2011, 2013, 2017
World Indoor Championships—2010, 2012, 2016
Fell one centimeter short of qualifying for the final at the 2019 World Championships
2008 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Champion (Mississippi)
9-time U.S. Champion (2008-2012, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2021)
3-time U.S. Indoor Champion (2009,2010,2016)
Set the American Indoor Record of 23-8 ¾ (7.32) in 2012
Ranked #1 in the world by T&F News 7 times: 2009-2013, again in 2016 & 2017
Retired after the Tokyo Olympics
Was a student of the event: “I studied film all the time. My main (role model) is Jackie Joyner-Kersee.
She was a great competitor, and I watch her videos. I also watch Carl Lewis and Bob Beamon,
the (former) world-record holder, and I watched Carl Lewis and Mike Powell in the same
competition when they went back and forth (the 1991 world championships). I will always
watch that because it inspires me.” Played basketball in high school and junior college
Among her many tatoos: “I have the Olympic rings on my chest with the word ‘Beast.’ My
nickname for track and field, I got it in college, is B-Reese the Beast.”
Currently an assistant coach at Long Beach State
PB: 23-11 ¾ (7.31)—2016 Olympic Trials;
(#2-All-Time American behind Jackie Joyner-Kersee)
Legacy: https://www.si.com/olympics/2021/08/01/long-jumper-brittney-reese-tokyo-olympics
Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brittney_Reese
Back Home: https://mississippitoday.org/2022/08/18/brittney-reese-returns-to-mississippi/
X/Twitter: https://x.com/DaLJBeast?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
https://longbeachstate.com/sports/track-and-field/roster/coaches/brittney-reese/1440
Andrey Silnov-Russia 41 (1984) 2008 Olympic gold medalist—High Jump (2012-11th)
2006 European Champion
Silver medalist at the 2012 World Indoor Championships
11th at the 2007 World Championships
His career was effectively over when he was hit with a 4-year doping ban that was to end on April 5, 2025, but an extra year was
added on for breaching the rule regarding Prohibition against Participation during Ineligibility (see link).
PB: 7-9 ¾ (2.38/2008)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrey_Silnov
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/114949
Doping Ban:
Jon Drummond 57 (1968) 2000 Olympic gold medalist-4×100 (silver-1996); 2-time World Champion-4×100 (1993,1999)
Member of the U.S. 4×100 team that tied the World Record of 37.40 in the semi-final round at the 1993
World Championships.
Ran the lead-off leg on all of the above teams…5th in the 100 at the 2000 Olympics.
2-time U.S. Indoor Champion—60m (1993,2000)
1991 NCAA Champion—4×100 (TCU/4th in the 100)
10-time finalist in the 100 at the U.S. Championships (2nd-’94, 3rd 4 times)
The “Clown Prince of Track & Field”
Involved in controversy at the 2003 World Championships—initially refused to leave the track after being disqualified for a false
Start (see link below)
PBs: 6.46i (’00/=#12 All-Time U.S.), 9.92 (’97), 20.03 (’97), 45.55 (’00)
Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Drummond
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78344
’00 OG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1umHpU7ThYQ
’03 WC False Start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmvBI7X5iKg
Sydney Maree 69 (1956)—2-time NCAA Champion—1500m (Villanova/1980,1981-set the current meet record of
3:35.30/stood as the Collegiate Record until 2018/now #10 All-time).
1981 U.S. Champion—1500m; 2-time U.S. Champion—5000m (1984,1987)
Set a World Record of 3:31.24 for 1500-meters in 1983; set an American Record of 3:29.77 in 1985
Winner of the inaugural 5th Avenue Mile in 1981—set a race record of 3:47.52 that lasted until Josh Kerr ran 3:44.3 in 2024
PBs: 3:29.77 (1985/#6 All-Time U.S.), 3:48.83 (1981/#10 A-T U.S.), 3:52.40i (1985), 4:54.20 (1985/#2 A-T U.S.),
7:33.37 (1982/#9 A-T U.S.), 13:01.85 (1985), 28:21.46 (1980)
Native of South Africa—became a U.S. citizen in 1984
Ran into legal problems back in South Africa (see links)
https://vault.si.com/vault/1983/07/18/he-ran-knew-not-why
http://villanovarunning.blogspot.com/2013/03/sydney-maree-released-from-south.html
WR Video(final 100): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV961OyvW60
1981 5th Ave. Mile: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAnHs6eTYgU
Russ Hodge 86 (1939) 1964 U.S. Olympian—Decathlon (9th)
Set a World Record of 8,230 (8,119 current tables) in 1966 (Beating Bill Toomey)
At 6’3, 225, he had personal bests of 10.2 in the 100, 60-10 ¾ (18.52) in the Shot Put!
Was a member of UCLA’s 4x110y team!
Inspired to become a decathlete after watching the movie “Jim Thorpe-All American”
Mother Alice Arden competed in the High Jump at the 1936 Olympics
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78561
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russ_Hodge
A Look Back(2006): http://www.recordonline.com/article/20060813/sports/608130353
Deceased
Fortune Gordien 67 (1922-April 10, 1990) 2-time Olympic medalist-Discus: 1948 (bronze), 1956 (silver), 1952 (4th)
6-time U.S. Champion (1947-1950, 1953, 1954)
3-time NCAA Champion while at Minnesota (1946-1948/2nd in 1943)…Also finished 2nd in the Shot Put in 1948 to lead the
Gophers to the team title on their home track…5th in the SP in 1946, 3rd in 1947
Served in the U.S. Navy during WWII before returning to school in 1946
Set 4 World Records, the last in August, 1953 (194-6 [59.28]). That record was reportedly witnessed by only 48 spectators!
1955 Pan-American Games Champion (2nd in the SP)
Continued to compete into his 50s, setting age-group records at Masters events.
Inducted into the National Hall of Fame in 1979
Prior to the 1956 Olympics, he created a cement throwing circle on his farm in Oregon so he could become accustomed to the one
which would be used in Melbourne! (It’s still there)
His son Marc was 5th in the Discus at the 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials, and his grandson (Marc’s son) Dayne won the SP and DT at the
2018 Oregon 5A State H.S. Championships.
http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78462
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortune_Gordien
WR Progression: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men%27s_discus_throw_world_record_progression
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJrRdRmCyPI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqwmzAzDjL8
Actor: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0329899/
Attached is an informative article written by Phil Sutton that appeared in the Oregon Track Club newsletter.
Arthur Jonath Germany 54 (1909-April 14, 1963) 1932 Olympic bronze medalist—100m (silver-4×100, 4th-200)
Tied the World Record of 10.3 in the 100-Meters in 1932 and 1933, but neither mark was ratified by the IAAF
Former World Indoor Record holder at 50 and 60 meters
From his Wiki Bio:
“After the Los Angeles Games, Jonath stayed in the United States upon invitation from actresses Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich. He was offered American citizenship and a university education, but his stepfather brought him back to Germany. Jonath was a guest of honor at the Berlin Olympics. During World War II he fought as an SS officer on the Eastern Front; he was taken prisoner by the Soviet troops and then transferred to an American prisoner-of-war camp near Frankfurt.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Jonath
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/70322
