by RBR Admin
Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service ([email protected])
This Day in Track & Field–October 9
1960-18-year old Valeriy Brumel, the winner of the silver medal at the Rome Olympics earlier in the year, raised his European Record in the high jump to 7-2 ¼ (2.19) in Lugansk, Ukraine. Brumel went on to win the gold medal at the 1964 Olympics and set six World Records from 1961-1963 (best of 7-5 ¾ [2.28]).
Sports Illustrated Vault (1963-In His Own Words):
https://vault.si.com/vault/1963/02/04/the-big-jump-a-siberian-champion-tells-his-story
https://vault.si.com/vault/1969/10/20/you-cant-keep-a-good-high-jumper-down
2005—Deena Kastor won the Women’s race at the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. It was the first marathon win of her career and her time of 2:21:25 wasn’t far off her American Record of 2:21:16.
Kastor was well on her way to bettering that AR until she started to struggle about 20-miles into the race. Romania’s Constantina Diță, the defending champion, was starting to narrow a once-formidable gap with every stride, but Kastor was able to hold on for a 5-second win, with Diță running a personal best of 2:21:30.
“I suffered greatly in the last 5K, but was able to make the finish line. I’m only now starting to feel ‘Okay,’” Kastor said more than an hour after finishing. “At 20 miles I thought, I’m starting to feel it, starting to feel the pavement a little bit, the bottoms of my feet were getting a little tender. With four miles to go, I thought this was really going to be a long four miles. It was really the last three miles that were the ugliest, and I really, really felt awful.” “I had nothing. One look over my shoulder revealed the defending champion closing quickly. Where the hell was the finish line?”
Led by Felix Limo (2:07:02) and Benjamin Maiyo (2:07:09), Kenyans swept the top-10 places in the Men’s race!
Top 10: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Chicago_Marathon
https://www.time-to-run.com/marathon/chicago/report-2005-chicago
http://www.yourrun.com/deena-kastor-chicago-marathon.html
Videos(Women)
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCgUl94B7KI
Finish/Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAd0FsCgvnE
Past Winners: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_winners_of_the_Chicago_Marathon
2022—Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich was the winner at the Chicago Marathon for the 2nd year in a row, running 2:14:18, the 2nd fastest time in history (at the time), but fell short of her goal of breaking the World Record of 2:14:04. Finishing 2nd in 2:18:29 was Emily Sisson, who broke Keira D’Amato’s 9-month old American Record of 2:19:12.
Winner of the Men’s race in 2:04:24 was Kenya’s Benson Kipruto.
Chepngetich would have everyone in the sport shaking their heads in disbelief when she won again in Chicago in 2024 with an amazing World Record of 2:09:56. The skeptics felt vindicated when the Athletics Integrity Unit provisionally suspended her in July, 2025, after she tested positive for a banned substance.
Chepngetich: https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/18/sport/ruth-chepngetich-suspension-banned-substance-spt
Born On This Day*
Ethan Strand 23 (2002) 2025 NCAA Indoor Champion-3000m (North Carolina)
Other NCAA placings:
2023-DMRi (6th), 1500 (12th), X-Country (45th)
2024-Mile (i/4th), 1500 (9th), X-Country (8th)
2025-DMRi (2nd-anchor), 1500 (2nd)
Set “absolute” Collegiate Records indoors in the mile and 3000 in 2025
2nd in the 1500 at the 2025 U.S. Championships…made it to the semi-final round at the World Championships in Tokyo
Finalist in the 1500 at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials (12th)
Parents Scott (Alabama-Birmingham) and Lori (Samford) both coached at the college level. Dad was a distance runner at Auburn
and beyond.
PBs: 1:51.07i (2021), 3:30.25 (2025), 3:48.32i (2025/CR/#7 All-Time Indoors, #3 U.S.), 3:48.86 (2025),
7:30.15i (Dec.’24/CR/#5 A-T U.S. Indoors), 13:28.60i (2025),
29:43.42 (2025); Additional College PB (in-season): 3:33.22 (2025/#2 All-Time)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethan_Strand
3:48.32: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pjHSKdBjpI
7:30.15(last 2 laps): https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_bfupcLb3S8
Father & Son: https://matta8.podbean.com/e/breaking-records-and-friendships-the-journey-of-ethan-strand/
Blessing Okagbare—Nigeria 37 (1988) 2008 Olympic silver medalist–Long Jump…8th in the 100 at the 2012 Olympics
2-time medalist at the 2013 World Championships—Long Jump (silver), 200 (bronze)/100-6th
Other World finishes-2011 (100-5th), 2015 (100-8th), 2017 (LJ-8th), 2019 (200-DQ’d in the 1st round for a lane
violation)
2010 NCAA Champion100m, Long Jump (UTEP)
African Record holder at 200-meters—22.04 (2018)…former Record holder in the 100-10.79 (2013);
LJ PB:22-11 ¾ (7.00/2013);
Ran the 1st round of the 100-meters at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, but was then provisionally suspended by the Athletics
Integrity Unit after an out-of-competition test came back positive for human growth hormone. Then received a 10-year ban in
2022 for “multiple anti-doping violations”, effectively ending her career.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blessing_Okagbare
https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/nigeria/blessing-okagbare-ighoteguonor-14292330
22.04 Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bn7TI9DL0i0
Deon Hemmings–Jamaica 57 (1968) 1996 Olympic gold medalist—400m-hurdles/1st Jamaican women to win Olympic gold
2000 Olympic silver medalist—400m-hurdles, 4×400 (1992-7th/400h);
Silver medalist in the 400h—1997 World Championships (Bronze-4×400)
Bronze medalist in the 400h—1995 & 1999; PBs:50.63 (1995), 52.82(1996)
2001 World Champion—4×400(1997-bronze); 1993 World Indoor Champion—4×400
Won the 400m-hurdles at the 1991 NAIA Championships, helping Central State win the team title. Coached at
Central by another 400-hurdler of note, Josh Culbreath, the bronze medalist at the 1956 Olympics.
Currently active as a coach and a motivational speaker
https://www.iaaf.org/news/feature/deon-hemmings-jamaica-400m-hurdles
https://www.teamjamaicabickle.org/deon-hemmings-mccatty-honored-in-new-york/
Curt Clausen—58 (1967) Bronze medalist in the 50k-walk at the 1999 World Championships (2001-7th)
3-time U.S. Olympian: 1996-20k (50th), 2000-50k (22nd), 2004-50k (32nd)
4-time U.S. Champion—20k walk(1996,1997,1999,2001); 2005 U.S. Champion—30k Walk; 7-time U.S. Champion-
50k Walk (1998,1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005);
PBs: 1:23:34 (1999), 3:48:04 (1999)
1986 U.S. Junior Champion—10k Walk (28th at the World Juniors)
After graduating from Duke, Clausen, who had some earlier experience as a race-walker, sought help from then Blue
Devils coach Norm Ogilvie, who explained their relationship:
“In 1991, my first year as an assistant coach at Duke, then recent Duke grad Curt Clausen, who had run XC
as an undergraduate, asked me if I’d be willing to help coach him. I admitted to never having coached a race
walker, but I was willing to learn what I could and give it my best shot. I did know Steve Hayden, the ’72 Olympic
race walker who competed in the 50K in Munich, but not much more. Curt felt what he needed most was
someone to push him hard and get him fully invested in his training. We put together a punishing training plan and
got going, Curt doing all the work and me barking splits from a stopwatch.”
“That spring Curt placed 4th in the 1991 TAC 20k-racewalk, and I was pumped. One year removed from the
Olympic Trials, and we have only one more guy to beat in ‘92 to make the US team! Problem was, Curt told me,
his plan for ‘92 was law school. ‘ I can make the team in ‘96’, Curt told me confidently, ending our short
coach/athlete relationship. In hindsight, he proved himself very right.”
Currently the President of USATF: https://www.usatf.org/governance/board-of-directors/board-of-directors/curt-clausen
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curt_Clausen
https://www.teamusa.com/profiles/curt-clausen
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78234
https://www.active.com/walking/articles/an-interview-with-race-walker-curt-clausen-6876
http://mastershistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/ORW-1999-08.pdf
Peter Elliott—Great Britain 63 (1962) 1988 Olympic silver medalist—1500m (4th-800)
Silver medalist in the 800 at the 1987 World Championships (1983-4th)
1990 Commonwealth Games Champion—1500m
PBs:
1:42.97 (’90), 2:16.30 (’90), 3:32.69 (’90), 3:34.20i (’90-WR at the time), 3:49.20 (’88), 3:52.02i (’90), 4:52.82 (’87)
(2015): http://www.athleticsweekly.com/featured/peter-elliott-man-of-steel-36217
Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Elliott_(athlete)
His Greatest Race: https://athleticsweekly.com/interviews/peter-elliotts-greatest-race-1039951645/
Kathy Mills-Parker 67 (1958) 1977 AIAW (pre-NCAA) X-Country Champion (Penn State)…1978 Champion—5000m/set a (pre-IAAF
recognition) World Record of 15:35.52 for 5000-meters…also got credit for a WR for 3-miles en-route (15:03.9).
4th in the 5000 at the 1981 AIAW Indoor Championships
2-time silver medalist (team) at the World X-Country Championships—1977, 1978…finished 11th both years
One of the early stars for Fayetteville-Manlius (NY), she won the mile and 2-mile at the inaugural New York State Girls
Championships in 1975
PBs: 9:03.3 (1978), 15:35.52 (1978)
https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/kathy-mills-14613360
https://www.greatersyracusesportshalloffame.com/kathy-mills-parker
WR Progression: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5000_metres_world_record_progression#Pre-recognition
Steve Ovett—Great Britain 70 (1955) 1980 Olympic gold medalist—800m (beat Seb Coe/bronze-1500m[Coe won])
1976 OG (800-5th, 1500-semis), 1984 OG (800-semis, 1500-semis)
Former World Record holder in the 1500 (3:32.1/’80, 3:31.36/’80, 3:30.77-’83) and mile—3:48.8-’80,
3:48.40 (’81)
Other PBs: 1:44.09 (’78), 2:15.91 (’79), 8:13.51/2m (’78), 13:20.06 (’86)
WR Progressions
1500: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1500_metres_world_record_progression
Mile: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mile_run_world_record_progression
1980 OG-800: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqHXv6Q5eh0
1980 OG-1500: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMz0WZzWWlw
Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Ovett
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69364
Coe-Ovett: http://www.oregonlive.com/history/2016/08/olympics_1500-meter_glory_when.html
www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-1251809/Sebastian-Coe-v-Steve-Ovett-There-winner.html
