This Day in Track & Field History, April 9, Edwin Flack wins Athens 800m (1896), Valerie Allman sets AR in discus (2022), curated by written by Walt Murphy

Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service  ([email protected]), used with permission. 

(c)Copyright 2026-all rights reserved. May not be reprinted or retransmitted without permission.

This Day in Track & Field–April 9

1896—Two days after winning the 1500 at the Athens Olympics, Australia’s Edwin “Teddy” Flack won a 2^nd gold medal in the 800-meters. Nicknamed “The Lion of Athens”, Flack was Australia’s first Olympic champion. He also entered the Marathon, but was unable to finish the race after becoming “delirious with dehydration”, and lost his two tennis matches in Athens!

https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/627

http://www.casey.vic.gov.au/council/about-casey/history/edwin-flack

Marathon Report: https://www.olympedia.org/results/56017

Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Flack

1965—Texas A&M’s Randy Matson set the first of his 4 American Records in the Shot Put, reaching out to 67-11  ¼ (20.70) in a quad-meet held at his home facility in College Station, TX. His mark also bettered Dallas Long’s World Record of 67-10 (20.67), but it was never ratified by the IAAF (for unknown reasons).

1988—UCLA senior Gail Devers ran 12.71 in the 100-meter hurdles in Fresno to break Stephanie Hightower’s six-year old American Record of 12.79 (She also set a Collegiate Record). She went on to become one of the greatest sprinters/hurdlers in history, winning 2 Olympic gold medals in the 100-meters and 3 World titles in the 100-meter hurdles (along with 1 in the 100-meters).

2011—Senior Gunnar Nixon (Santa Fe, OK) scored 7524 points (int’l implements) at the Arcadia Inv. (4-8/9) to break the National H.S. Record of 7466 that was set by Curtis Beach (Albuquerque Academy, NM) in 2009. (His best long jump was wind-aided, giving him an overall score of 7577 points).

11.06, 24-1 3⁄4 (7.36w) 23-5 1⁄4 [7.14 ok], 39-10 (12.14), 6-7 1⁄2/2.02, 48.37 [4075w/4022],

14.60, 116-1 (35.38), 14-5 1⁄4 (4.40), 170- 7 (52.00), 4:39.64 [3502]);

Nixon would win the 2012 World Junior title and place 5^th at that year’s NCAA Championships as an Arkansas freshman. Competing as an open athlete in 2013, he finished 2^nd to Ashton Eaton at the U.S. Championships, earning a trip to the World Championships in Moscow, where he finished 13^th, but never competed again after the 2014 season.

2021— DeAnna Price, the reigning World Champion in the event, threw the Hammer 257-10 (78.60) in Columbia, Missouri, breaking her previous American Record of 256-8 (78.24) that she set in 2019. She would improve her AR to

263-6 (80.31) at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June.

Video: https://www.instagram.com/p/CNdyCEInQvL/

The U.S. has 5 of the 10 longest throwers in history.  (from T&F News)

82.98 | 272-3     Anita Włodarczyk (Poland)          8/28/16

81.13 | 266-2     Camryn Rogers (Canada)            4/02/26

80.31 | 263-6    DeAnna Price (US)                6/26/21

80.17 | 263-0    Brooke Andersen (US)            5/20/23

79.42 | 260-7     Betty Heidler (Germany)             5/21/11

78.80 | 258-6    Rachel Richeson (US)             4/11/25

78.00 | 255-11  Janee’ Kassanavoid (US)         5/21/22

77.80 | 255-3     Tatyana Beloborodova (Russia)   8/15/06

77.78 | 255-2    Gwen Berry (US)                  6/08/18

77.68 | 254-10   Zheng Wang (China)                   3/29/14

2022—Valerie Allman, the 2021 Olympic Champion, added a foot to her American Record in the Discus by throwing 234-5 (71.46) at the Triton Inv. in LaJolla, CA. It was the longest throw in the world in 30 years! Her previous AR of 233-5 (71.16) was set in 2021. She would win her 2^nd Olympic title in 2024 and improve the AR to 241-2 (73.52) in 2025.

https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2022/04/08/valarie-allman-discus-american-record/

https://trackandfieldnews.com/article/another-american-record-for-valarie-allman/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUBoQexS9xE

Born On This Day*

Chris Benard  36 (1990)  2-time U.S. Olympian—Triple Jump…didn’t make the final in Rio in 2016 or in Tokyo in 2021; 9^th

at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials

6th at the 2017 World Championships in London…didn’t make the final at the 2022 Worlds

Jumped his personal best of 57-4  ¼ (17.48) while finishing 2nd at the 2017 U.S. Championships;

Coached at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center by noted jumps guide Jeremy Fischer (who also coached

Will Claye)

(Adapting in 2020 during Covid)“My coach, Jeremy, and I were working out at parks, and he set up a weight room in his garage. So we were doing that until we were allowed to get back into the Center. I felt like it was guerrilla-war style—kind of get the work in where you can, try to stay in good general shape, even though there isn’t any real direction or answer about what our upcoming competition is. So it was kind of like getting ready, but you’re not really sure of what you’re ready for.”

Was an All-American at Arizona State–was 2nd at the 2012 NCAA Indoor Championships

Currently the head Women’s coach at Cuyamaca College in El Cajon,CA

https://cuyamacacoyotes.com/sports/wtrack/2024-25/releases/20240903nlphwi

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

(For Subscribers): https://trackandfieldnews.com/article/chris-benard-brimming-with-confidence/

Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn—Jamaica 62 (1964)  1991 World Champion—4×100; 2-time Olympic silver medalist-100,200(1992)

1996 Olympic bronze medalist—4×100; PBs-10.83, 21.75 (’92 for both)

2-time World Championships silver medalist-4×100 (’95,’97)

3-time NCAA Champion—100, 200, 4×100 (1986-Texas)

Currently Jamaica’s State Minister in the Ministry of Health and Wellness

Texas Hall of Fame: http://texassports.com/news/2015/9/21/XC_TF_0921155947.aspx

Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juliet_Cuthbert

https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/72206

https://opm.gov.jm/cabinet_ministers/juliet-cuthbert-flynn/

Tribute Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eonE7Bv-r8w

Chip Jenkins 62 (1964) 1992 Olympic gold medalist—4×400 (1^st round); PB: 44.90 (’92)

Held the American Indoor Record for 600-meters (1:15.80) for 26-years.

All-American at Villanova—NCAA 4×400 (1985-7th, 1986-4^th); Indoors-500m (1986-3^rd)

1986 Penn Relays Champion—4×400 (anchor)

Son of Charlie Jenkins, the 1956 Olympic gold medalist in the 400 and 4×400 relay.

https://speedendurance.com/2013/03/15/interview-with-chip-jenkins-former-600m-ar-olympic-gold-medalist/

https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78603