by Larry Eder
Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service ([email protected])
This Day in Track & Field–January 19
1957–Two recent Olympic Champions had different outcomes at the Boston Knights of Columbus meet. Charlie Jenkins, who won the 400-meters in Melbourne in late 1956, beat Reggie Pearman to win the 600y for the 4th year in a row, but 800-meter gold medalist Tom Courtney was beaten in the 1000y by Arnie Sowell, who just missed a medal (4th) in the 800 in Melbourne.
In other events, Fred Dwyer ran 8:52.4, the 3rd-fastest performance ever at the time, to win the 2-mile over László Tábori and Horace Ashenfelter, the 1952 Olympic champion in the Steeplechase (and who held the 2-mile world record of 8:50.5), and Don Bragg, who would win gold at the 1960 Olympics, won the Pole Vault with a jump of
15-0 (4.57).
1974— “Little” Mary Decker (Slaney) set a World Record of 2:26.7 for 1000-yards at the Sunkist Inv. in Los Angeles. Francie Larrieu (Smith) was a close 2nd in 2:27.3. Dwight Stones got the first American Indoor Record of his career, jumping 7-4 ¼ (2.24) to top Rey Brown’s previous mark of 7-4 (2.235?).
Decker, only 15 at the time, almost didn’t get to the starting line after an official, thinking the youngster was entered in a later high school race, escorted her off the track. A tearful Decker found her coach, who quickly straightened things out. (From UPI)
http://tinyurl.com/MaryDecker74Sunkist
1979–In a matchup of the two best hurdlers in the world, Maryland sophomore Renaldo Nehemiah and UCLA junior Greg Foster, both future Hall-of Famers, finished in a dead-heat in the 60-yard hurdles at the Philadelphia Inquirer meet as both ran 6.95 to break Nehemiah’s week-old World Record of 7.02.
After each won their heat (Nehemiah-7.15, Foster -7.13), tension was high after two false starts in the final, with Nehemiah getting left in the blocks when the field finally got off OK. Foster led at the first hurdle, but Nehemiah drew even by the 3rd and the two matched strides the rest of the way. Their well-timed leans made it impossible for officials to separate them at the finish, resulting in the rare tie.
Wilson Waigwa edged UTEP’s Suleiman Nyambui in a tactical mile (4:00.1-4:00.8), with Villanova’s Sydney Maree finishing 3rd in 4:02.3. Francie Larrieu won the Women’s Mile easily in 4:33.7.
NY Times Coverage Nehemiah/Pre-Meet
1980–With a potential U.S. Olympic boycott hanging in the air, a fast new Madison Square Garden track greeted runners at the Olympic Invitational.
Lots of familiar names were on hand, with Eamonn Coghlan (3:39.9) winning the Men’s 1500 over Ray Flynn (3:41.1) and early pacesetter Craig Masback (3:43.5); Don Paige (2:21.6) beat former Villanova teammate Mark Belger (2:22.0) to win the 1000 meters; John Gregorek won a close 3000 over Matt Centrowitz, 7:56.4-7:56.6; Stephanie Hightower (7.67) won the Women’s 55-hurdles over Candy Young (7.72) and Benita Fitzgerald (7.90); Francie Larrieu (Smith) won the Women’s 1500 (4:14.6), Dwight Stones won the High Jump (7-4 ½ [2.25]); and Evelyn Ashford won the Women’s 55 (6.81).
1985—Crowd favorite Ray Flynn beat Sydney Maree in a photo-finish in the star-studded Mile on the flat oversized track (293y) at EastTennessee State (3:54.77-3:54.78). 3rd was New Zealand’s John Walker (3:55.55), followed by Steve Scott (3:55.92) and Ireland’s Marcus O’Sullivan (3:57.10).
Other winners in this high-quality meet included 1984 U.S. Olympian John Marshall in the 1000y (2:09.94), over Don Paige (2:10.54), 1984 Olympic champion Roger Kingdom in the 60-y hurdles (7.10, over Tony Dees-7.13), and Joetta Clark in the 880y (2:04.56) over Delisa Walton (2:04.97).
Flynn, a graduate of East Tennessee State who still lives in Johnson City(TN), said recently, “ It was wonderful to be able to win at home. We had a strong bond among the milers and it was gratifying to have them come to little Johnson City”.
“As you can imagine, Sydney called for a review of the photo being that it was a photo finish. It probably would have been difficult to overturn, being that Dave Walker, my coach, was the Meet Director!”
“I also needed this win to get my spot in the Wanamaker Mile the following week. (Millrose Director) Howard (Schmertz) was tough”! (WM-Understandable, given the depth of the mile during that era!).
The former Irish Outdoor Record holder in the mile (3:49.77) has remained active in the sport as one of the world’s leading managers and has been the Meet Director of the Millrose Games since 2012.
2008–Chanelle Price (Easton,Pa) set a High School Record of 1:10.30 for 500-meters at the New Balance Games at NY’s Armory. Price went on to an All-American career at Tennessee and won the 800-meters at the 2014 World Indoor Championships. Her record stood until Athing Mu (Trenton Central,NJ) ran 1:10.22 in 2020
2013—18-year old Ajee’ Wilson ran 1:27:30 at NY’s Armory to set a World Junior Indoor Record for 600-meters (since broken). Originally planning to attend Florida State, she announced a few days after her record run that she was turning pro!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajeé_Wilson
2018—Christian Coleman ran 6.37 for 60-meters at the Clemson Inv. to better Maurice Greene’s 20-year old World Record of 6.39, but the mark wasn’t ratified because the starting blocks used at the meet didn’t meet the IAAF standard (there was also no immediate drug-testing). That became a moot point when Coleman ran 6.34 a month later at the U.S. Indoor Championships in Albuquerque. He then ran 6.37 again while winning the 60 at the World Indoor Championships in March.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU-ISLfAT4Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRUYeNO3eM8
2018—3 of the best prep sprinters in the U.S. came together in the 300-meters at the Virginia Showcase meet in Lynchburg,Virginia, with junior Brian Herron (Lakeside,GA) and senior Eric Allen (Bullis School,MD) running the two fastest times in H.S. history at the time (32.64-32.84), while junior Tyrese Cooper (Norland,FL), the previous National Record holder at 32.87, finished 3rd in 33.12. Herron’s time of 32.64 was also a World Junior Indoor Record.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66Zddy70B_o
https://texassports.com/sports/track-and-field/roster/brian-herron/11894
2019—A day after setting a U.S. High School Record of 3:12.53 in the 4×400 at the Virginia Showcase in Lynchburg, Virginia, The Bullis School (Potomac,Md) came away with another National best of 1:25.60 in the 4×200 on the 2nd day of competition.
Lineups
4×200-Ashton Allen, Austin Allen, Andre Turay, Ryan Willie
4×400- Andre Turay 49.4, Ryan Willie 48.5, Jay Pendarvis 48.0, Ashton Allen 46.6
2025—Despite frigid conditions and 30mph wind gusts, American Records were set at the Houston Half-Marathon by Weini Kelati (1:06:09) and Conner Mantz (59:17).
Kelati, who finished 2nd to Ethiopia’s Senayet Getachew (1:06:05), bettered her own AR of 1:06:25 that was set in the same race a year ago.
Mantz took down the 18-year old AR of 59:43 that was set in this same race in 2007. And he almost won the race, losing a photo-finish to Ethiopia’s Addisu Gobena, who was also timed in 59:17.
https://www.runnersworld.com/races-places/a63460662/weini-kelati-american-half-marathon-record-2025/
https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a63471430/conner-mantz-american-record-houston-half-marathon-2025/
Born On This Day
Janee’ Kassanavoid 31 (1995) 2-time medalist in the Hammer at the World Championships—2022 (bronze), 2023 (silver)
…2025 WC (10th)
First Native American woman (Comanche) to medal at the World Championships
6th at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials…4th in 2021
2014 Junior College Champion (Johnson County (KS)
All-American at Kansas State—4th at the 2017 NCAA Championships
2022 U.S. Indoor Champion—Weight Throw
Lettered in softball, volleyball, basketball, and track & field at Lawson H.S. in Oklahoma
Member of the North American Indigenous Athletic Hall of Fame
PBs: 79-8 (24.28/2022), 255-11 (78.00/2022/#3 All-Time U.S.); 2025 SB: 250-9 (76.42)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janee%27_Kassanavoid
https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/janee’-kassanavoid-14628218
https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/track-and-field/roster/janee-kassanavoid/3307
https://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/a61438362/janee-kassanavoid-essay-hammer-throw/
https://www.naiahf.org/team/janee%E2%80%99-kassanavoid/comanche-nation-of-oklahoma
Instagram (naethrowsaheavyrock): https://www.instagram.com/naethrowsheavyrock/?hl=en
Heather Dorniden-Kampf 39 (1987) 2006 NCAA Indoor Champion—800m (Minnesota)
Known as the “Queen of the Road Mile” for her 2 dozen+ wins in the unique events since 2011! (Including 4 U.S.
Championships).
Fell with a lap to go while leading the 2nd section of the 600-meters on her home track at the 2008 Big-10
Championships. Knowing she could still score some points for the Gophers, she quickly got up and made up
a huge deficit to win the race in 1:31.72. As she started to climb up to the #1 position at the post-race
awards ceremony, she backed off with a smile after being reminded by Indiana’s Audrey Smoot that she had run 1:31.59 in the first section and was the overall winner!
Now retired from professional running, she works as an Operations & Client Services Specialist at GTS Financial in
Bloomington, MN…also a motivational speaker (thanks to the above race!)
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70UF82nysIU
PBs: 2:00.04 (2013), 4:04.46 (2016)
Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heather_Kampf
Queen of the Road Mile: http://bringbackthemile.com/athletes/detail/heather_kampf
Matt Tegenkamp 44 (1982) 2009 U.S. Champion-5000m, 2-time U.S. Indoor Champion—3000m(2007,2008)
2-time Olympian—2008 (5000-13th), 2012 (10,000-19th)
American Record holder at 2-miles (8:07.07-2007)
4th in the 5000 at the 2007 World Championships
All American at Wisconsin: NCAA–5000 (’04-3rd, ’05-5th, 5th both years indoors)
PBs: 5000-12:58.56 (2009), 10,000-27:28.22 (2011)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Tegenkamp
Bernard Williams 48 (1978) Gold medalist in the 4×100 at the 2000 Olympics and 2003 World
Championships; 2000 NCAA Champion—100m, 3rd in the (Florida)
Silver medalist in the 200 at the 2004 Olympics; silver medalist in the 100 at the 2001
World Championships; 4th in the 100 at the 2003 World Championships
2001 U.S. Champion 2003
1999 Pan American Games Champion-100m
1998 Junior College Champion—100m, 1998 JUCO Indoor Champion-200m (Barton County,KS)
2000 Penn Relays Champion—100m
3rd in the 200, 6th in the 100 at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials
Won the 60 at the 2001 Millrose Games
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Williams_(sprinter)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernard-williams-27aa9a16/
2000 OG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWq7tKpSzTk
2003 WC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91nAMFVNVnQ
Showman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeYQE93dOqw
Diane Cummins-Canada 52 (1974) 2007 Pan-American Games Champion—800m
Canadian Record holder from 2001-2015 (1:58.39); 10-time Canadian Champion
5th at the 2001 World Championships, 6th in 2003; 2004 Olympian (Semi-finalist)
Ran 2:01.38 in 2014 at the age of 40!
PBs: 1:58.39 (2001), 2:34.14/1k (2002/Nat’l Record), 4:05.02 (2001)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Cummins
https://worldathletics.org/athletes/canada/diane-cummins-14268144
Al Joyner 66 (1960) 1984 Olympic gold medalist—Triple Jump
2-time finalist at the World Championships-1983 (8th), 1987 (5th)
1984 U.S. Champion
All-American at Arkansas State: NCAA-1981 (7th), 1983 (2nd);
Also a good 110-hurdler. Had a best of 13.41 and was ranked #10 in the U.S. in 1986, #9 in 1988
PB: 57-6 ¼ (17.53/1987)
Gold medal family-Wife was the late Florence Griffith Joyner, sister is Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Coached Jeff Henderson, the 2016 Olympic gold medalist in the Long Jump
Daughter Mary, a singer, was a popular contestant on the TV show America’s Got Talent
Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Joyner
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78632
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joyneral?lang=en
Oprah Interview: http://www.oprah.com/own-oprahs-next-chapter/olympian-al-joyner-discusses-the-death-of-his-wife-flo-jo-video
ESPN-Outside the Lines(2012): http://www.espn.com/espn/eticket/story?page=090826/flojo
Daughter Mary:
www.nba.com/pacers/news/national-anthem-has-special-meaning-mary-joyner-flo-jos-daughter
http://agt.wikia.com/wiki/Mary_Joyner
http://www.espn.com/espn/eticket/story?page=090826/flojo
