This Day in Track & Field History, April 18, Rosa Mota Defends her Boston title (1988): Born this Day: Haile Gebreslassie

Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service  ([email protected])

This Day in Track & Field–April  18

1959—San Jose State’s Ray Norton ran 10.1 for 100 meters on his “home” track to equal the World Record that was shared by fellow Americans Willie Williams, Ira Murchison, and Leamon King.

1983–Joan Benoit won her second Boston Marathon in the “World Record” time of 2:22:43, breaking Grete Waitz’s day-old mark of 2:25:28.7. Benoit went on to win the inaugural Women’s  Olympic Marathon the following summer.  Greg Meyer, a resident of Massachusetts at the time, won the Men’s race and was the last American man to do so until Meb Keflezighi won in 2014.

At the 2019 race, Benoit, hoping to run within 40 minutes of her 1979 winning time of 2:35:15, did much better, running 3:04:00 while wearing a Bowdoin singlet, just as she did 40 years prior while a student at the Maine school. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHPgKLBwVd4

Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOVR2FQGKpE

https://www.nytimes.com/1983/04/19/sports/meyer-wins-boston-marathon-joan-benoit-sets-world-mark.html

For Subscribers:

https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a27153381/joan-benoit-samuelson-boston-marathon-40th-anniversary/

https://www.runnersworld.com/races-places/a20844024/why-was-the-1983-boston-marathon-so-deep/

Meyer Interview (2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdRyWeZ0pis

1987—Joe Dial jumped 19-4  ¾ (5.91) at the Kansas Relays to set the 6^th of his 8 American Records in the Pole Vault. Dial had to wait 45 minutes before officials finally confirmed the record. He then missed 3 attempts at breaking Sergey Bubka’s World Record of 19-8  ½ (6.01).

Two Kansas legends, years removed from their glory days, were also on hand. Jim Ryun, less than two weeks shy of his 40^th birthday, finished 2^nd in the Masters 800 (2:01.7) in his first competition since 1973, while 50-year-old Al Oerter had to withdraw from the Discus because of back spasms.

1987—UCLA alum John Brenner returned to his home field and threw the shot 73-1/2 (22.26) to break Brian Oldfield’s 3-year-old American Record of 72-9  ¼ (22.19). He would win his 2^nd U.S. title in June and went on to win the bronze medal at the 1987 World Championships in Rome. He was the 1984 NCAA Champion in the Shot Put and Discus.

1988—Ibrahim Hussein became the first man from Kenya  (and Africa) to win the Boston Marathon, edging Tanzania’s Juma Ikangaa for the title (2:08:43-2:08.44). Finishing 3^rd was John Treacy, who set the current Irish Record of 2:09:15, and 28^th in 2:28:17 was 4-time Boston winner Bill Rodgers (1975, 1978-1980).

Portugal’s Rosa Mota became the first woman in the “official” era to defend her title, winning with a time of 2:24:30.

Top 20: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1988_Boston_Marathon

https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/19/sports/hussein-of-kenya-wins-boston-race.html

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otleVsck-Co

1994—A strong tailwind led to fast times at the Boston Marathon.

Cosmas Ndeti of Kenya, winning the Men’s race for the 2^nd year in a row,  lowered the Course Record to 2:07:15 (Broken in 2006 by Kenya’s Robert Cheruiyot, who ran 2:07:14), while Germany’s Uta Pippig set the Women’s standard at 2:21:45 (Kenya’s Margaret Okayo ran 2:20:43 in 2002),

Finishing 7^th in the Men’s race was Bob Kempainen, a medical student at the University of Minnesota, who set an American Record of 2:08:47. “I feel baffled because I don’t know what to make of my race, how much was it the wind or the great field?” said Kempainen.

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/04/19/sports/marathon-ndeti-and-pippig-run-like-the-wind.html

Ndeti(Oct. 1994):

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/30/sports/marathon-ndeti-s-words-to-race-by-run-seldom-but-win-often.html

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-04-19-9404190268-story.html

Top 25: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Boston_Marathon

https://www.takethemagicstep.com/about/legends-and-milestones/the-boston-marathon-1994-how-uta-broke-the-boston-course-record/

2005—With 3-time winner Uta Pippig acting as the starter, Kenya’s Catherine “The Great” Ndereba (2:25:13) came from behind to win the Women’s race at the Boston Marathon for an unprecedented 4^th time (also won in 2000, 2001, and 2004).

Ndereba was a 2-time Olympic silver medalist (2004, 2008) and a 2-time World Champion (2003, 2007). She set a World Record of 2:18:47 at the 2001 Chicago marathon.

Ethiopia’s Hailu Negussie (2:11:45) won the Men’s race, with Alan Culpepper (2:13:39) finishing 4^th, the highest placing by an American since 1987.

Top 10: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Boston_Marathon

www.takethemagicstep.com/news-events/sports-stories/catherine-ndereba-first-woman-to-win-boston-fourth-time/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Ndereba

Results: http://www.marathonguide.com/results/browse.cfm?MIDD=15050418

2011—Helped by ideal conditions, which included a healthy tailwind for much of the race, Kenya’s Geoffrey Mutai (2:03:02) and Moses Mosop (2:03:06), making his debut at the distance, ran the two fastest times in history at the Boston Marathon. Ryan Hall, who set a fast pace for the first half of the race, bounced back from a disappointing 1/2-marathon in NY the previous month to finish 4th in 2:04:58, the fastest ever run by an American (The Boston course is not eligible for official record purposes).

Kenya’s Caroline Kilel won an exciting duel with American Des Davila (now Linden) to finish first in the Women’s race in 2:22:36, with Davila right behind in 2:22:38, the fastest time ever run in Boston by an American woman at the time. 5^th was fellow American Kara Goucher, who ran a personal best of 2:24:52. Linden and Goucher now host the “Nobody Asked Us” podcast:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nobody-asked-us-with-des-kara/id1664629953

Instead of celebrating a great day of running,  some cynics immediately dismissed the performances as “wind-aided”. Check out the links below for much more on the subject.

IAAF Report: https://www.worldathletics.org/news/report/strong-winds-and-ideal-conditions-propel-muta-1

NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/19/sports/19marathon.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

Race Results Weekly: http://www.letsrun.com/2011/bostonrrw-tail-0417.php

http://www.marathonguide.com/news/exclusives/bostonmarathon_2011/index.cfm

Effect of the Wind?: http://sportsscientists.com/2011/04/a-20302-3-to-4-min-what-effect-did-the-wind-have/

Davila: http://www.runnersworld.com/elite-runners/desiree-davila-is-training-in-kenya-for-boston-marathon

Top 10: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Boston_Marathon

Hall Looks Back: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHn4zDf8-TM

2022—Kenyans Evans Chebet (2:06:51) and Peres Jepchirchir (2:21:01) were the winners at the Boston Marathon, which returned to its traditional place on the calendar (Patriots Day) after the 2021 race was pushed back to October due to COVID.

It was a big day for Kenyan runners, who took 5 of the top 6 places in the Men’s race, and 6 of the top 7 places in the Women’s race.

The Women’s race featured a thrilling duel over the final mile between Jepchirchir and Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh, who finished a close 2^nd in 2:21:05.

The U.S. got top-10 finishes in the Men’s race from Scott Fauble (7^th/2:08:521) and Elkanah Kibet (9^th/2:09:07). The top American woman was Nell Rojas, who finished 10^th in 2:25:57.

American Molly Seidel, the bronze medalist at the previous year’s Olympics in Tokyo, had to withdraw about 16 miles into the race due to a hip injury.

https://www.letsrun.com/events/2022/04/2022-boston-marathon

Top 30: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Boston_Marathon

http://www.marathonguide.com/results/browse.cfm?MIDD=15220418

https://runabc.co.uk/boston-marathon-report-2022

https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a39746723/boston-marathon-2022-results-highlights/

Boston Marathon Winners: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_winners_of_the_Boston_Marathon

Born On This Day*

Lilian Odira-Kenya  27 (1999)  2025 World Champion-800-meters-beat Keely Hodgkinson and set a WC Record of 1:54.62

Semi-finalist at the 2024 Olympics and 2025 World Indoor Championships

Mother of 2 sons (born-2020, 2023); PB: 1:54.62 (2025/#7 All-Time)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilian_Odira

https://worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/lilian-odira-14758184

WC–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNOLSOiwwnQ

Brittany Brown 31 (1995)  2024 Olympic bronze medalist-200m

Silver medalist at the 2019 World Championships…7^th in the 100 at the 2023 Worlds, 6^th in the 200 in 2025

All-American at Iowa: 2017 NCAA 200 (7^th), 5^th Indoors

PBs: 7.19i (2023), 10.90 (2023), 21.89 (2025), 35.91 (2019), 51.15 (2023); 2025 SBs: 10.99

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brittany_Brown_(sprinter)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_brittanyshamere/?hl=en

Hometown Hero: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYynGg1NGZg

https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/brittany-brown

OG 200: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=qTl5OJ2Qmjo

Haile Gebrselassie  53 (1973) One of the legends of the sport

PBs (all-time placings a/o 4-16-26):

1500i: 3:31.76 (1998/#7 All-Time/#9 Performance)

Mile:3:52.39 (1999)

2000i: 4:52.86i (1998/WR at the time, now #6)

3000: 7:25.09

3000i: 7:26.15 (1998/WR at the time, now #8, #9 performance)

2-miles: 8:01.08 (1997/ WR at the time, now #4, #5 Performance), 8:01.72 (‘99/#6), 8:01.86 (‘99/#7)

2-miles(i) :8:04.69 (2003/WR at the time, now #5)

5000: 12:39.36 (1998/ WR at the time, now #5, set 4 WRs)

5000i: 12:50.38 (1999/WR at the time, now #3, set 3 World Records)

10,000: 26:22.75 (1998/WR at the time, now #3, #4 Performance; set 3 WRs), 26:29.22 (‘03/#8),

½-Marathon: 58:55 (2006)

Marathon: 2:03:59 (2008/WR at the time, set 2 WRs)

         Documentary-Endurance (1:16):

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=934770307037407

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haile_Gebrselassie

www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-3909860/Haile-Gebrselassie-elected-president-Ethiopian-Athletics-Federation.html

NY Times Articles: https://www.nytimes.com/topic/person/haile-gebrselassie

Runner’s World Articles: http://www.runnersworld.com/tag/haile-gebrselassie

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hailegebr; Google “Haile Gebrselassie” for much more.

All-Time Lists

Indoor: https://trackandfieldnews.com/tfn-lists/world-indoor-all-time-list-men/

Outdoor: https://trackandfieldnews.com/tfn-lists/world-all-time-list-men/

Championship Medals (Courtesy of Mirko Jalava/ http://www.tilastopaja.net/)

Trine Hattestad, Norway  60 (1966)  2000 Olympic gold medalist—Javelin; (1996-bronze, 1984-5^th, 1992- 5^th)

2-time World Champion (1993,1997/1999-bronze, 1991-5th)

Set two World Records in 2000: 223-10 (68.22), 227-11 (69.48/2000)

PBs: Old/236-7 (72.12/1993); New/227-11 (69.48/2000/#6 All-Time);

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trine_Hattestad

69.48 WR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MIqeStiZy4

1997 WC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FDmah1Bphg

Ian Campbell—Australia 69 (1957)  1980 Olympian-Triple Jump (5^th)

           From This Day in T&F—July 25, 1980: Viktor Saneyev’s string of Olympic victories in the Triple Jump ended at

three as he had to settle for the silver medal behind Soviet teammate Uudmäe (56-11  ¼[17.35] to 56-6  ¾

[17.24]). Australia’s Ian Campbell appeared to move into the lead in the 3^rd round with a jump that was probably

beyond 57-feet, but an official raised the red flag, ruling that Campbell had dragged his foot on the runway! A

look at the video of Campbell’s jump(see link) shows no evidence of a foul, and this was one of many officiating

controversies that occurred in Moscow. (Jim Dunaway, writing for the NY Times, called these Olympics “The

Games of shame”.)

In 2015, Athletics Australia filed an official appeal (apparently denied) with the IOC and IAAF to have Campbell

retroactively awarded the gold medal they feel he deserved.

    End The Injustice(includes slow-motion video of Campbell’s jump):

           TJ Controversy: www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2013/aug/07/ian-campbell-triple-jumper-moscow-olympics

https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/3235439/move-to-end-a-lifetime-of-heartbreak/

           PB: 56-1 (17.09/1980)

https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/64631

OG Report: https://www.olympedia.org/results/62367