This Day in Track & Field in History, April 7, Athens Olympics continues (1896), Edwin Flack, AUS wins Athens 1,500m, curated and written by Walt Murphy

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

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

This Day in Track & Field–April  7

1896—A day after winning the Discus at the Athens Olympics, Bob Garrett added a 2^nd gold in the Shot Put

(36-9  ½ [11.22]) and a silver in the long jump (19-8  ¼[6.00]). Garrett was part of a U.S. sweep in the Long Jump, with Ellery Clark (20-10 [6.35]) winning the gold and James Connolly (19-2 [5.84]) the bronze.  Clark, who would win the High Jump 3 days later, was inducted into the National Hall of Fame in 1991.

Only two men showed up for the final of the 110-Meter Hurdles, with American Thomas Curtis (17.6) edging Great Britain’s Grantley Goulding (17.7) to win the gold medal. And Australia’s Edwin Flack won the 1500 meters in 4:33.2.

Runners had to negotiate tight turns on the unique 333-1/3m track.

Clark(1991): https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/ellery-clark

Garrett: https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78439

1962–Oregon’s Dyrol Burleson, already the American Record holder in the Mile (3:57.6), ran 8:42.5 for 2 miles in Eugene to break the previous U.S. mark of 8:43.8, which was set by former Oregon Duck Bill Dellinger in 1960 (also in Eugene).

Burleson, who was inspired to become a runner in 1954 after seeing Roger Banister’s picture on the cover of Sports Illustrated, set a U.S. High School Record of 4:13.2 in 1958 and was the first athlete to receive a track scholarship to the University of Oregon.

Gary Cohen Interview(2012): http://www.garycohenrunning.com/Interviews/Burleson.aspx

Burleson Looks Back at His H.S. Career (2008): http://bringbackthemile.com/news/detail/dyrol_burleson_1954_58_lions_world_class_track_legend

1965—Ted Nelson set a World Indoor Record of 1:47.4 for 800 meters on the 1st night of the USA-Germany dual meet in Berlin.

In a battle of 1964 Olympic medalists, Germany’s Harold Norpoth, who won silver in the 5000-Meters in Tokyo, won the 3000-Meters over Billy Mills, the Tokyo gold medalist at 10,000-Meters (7:55.8-7:56.6).

There was a great battle in the 400-Meters the following night (4-8), with Mike Larrabee edging fellow American Jack Yerman (46.8-46.9) as both bettered the previous indoor best of 47.2 that Dave Mills ran for 440-yards on a dirt track in 1961.  (From T&F News)

Before the meet, Mills and his wife Patricia, along with Nelson, took a tour of Berlin that included a trip through Checkpoint Charlie into East Berlin.

In Billy’s Words: https://indianyouth.org/road-to-tokyo-a-trip-to-berlin-and-check-point-charlie/

1979–42-year-old Al Oerter, the 4-time Olympic gold medalist in the Discus, took advantage of a favorable wind in Mountainside, NJ,  to throw a personal best of 219-10 (67.02?). Oerter would get the final PB of his career the following year with a throw of 227-11 (69.46) in Wichita, Kansas.

50^th Anniversary of his first gold medal(2006):

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/11/sports/othersports/11oerter.html?ref=sports

1980–Sebastian Coe wins an 8k road race in Vigevano, Italy, and then announces he will run both the 800 and the 1500 at the Moscow Olympics later in the year (he would win gold (1500) and silver (800) in Moscow).

https://www.worldathletics.org/news/preview/heshko-returns-to-action-vigevano-8-km-prev

1984–Running at home at the Sun Angel Classic, an Arizona State quartet of Pete Richardson (1:47.5), Eddie Davis (1:47.8), Treg Scott (1:48.1), and freshman Mike Stahr (1:45.6) set an American Record (at the time) of 7:08.96 in the 4×800 relay. The previous mark of 7:10.4 [equivalent to 7:08.0] was set at the full 2-mile distance by the University of Chicago Track Club in 1973. ASU’s mark still stands as the U.S. Collegiate Record.

            Also getting under the previous metric record were the Santa Monica T.C (7:10.03), which ran without Johnny Gray, who had a 1:44.6 split in the Sprint Medley, and the Bud Light team (7:10.14).

            Another mark was set by Leslie Deniz, who was taking a redshirt year at Arizona State. Deniz threw the Discus 213-11 (65.20) in the first round to get her 5th (and final) American Record.

1989–On the first day of the Texas Relays (4-7), LSU’s Dawn Sowell set a Collegiate Record of 10.93 in the 100 meters, then came back the next day to lead her team to victory in the 4×100 and 800m-Sprint Medley Relays. Junior Michael Johnson ran a 45.3 anchor on Baylor’s winning 4×400 and also ran a 200 leg on the victorious sprint medley.

1990–Baylor senior Michael Johnson was named the Outstanding Performer at the Texas Relays for his two impressive anchor legs. Running in the cold on Friday night (4-6), Johnson made up a 10-meter deficit to bring Baylor home first in the 4×200 in 1:21.77.  On Saturday, his 44.5 leg extended the Bears’ lead as they won the 4×400 in 3:03.09.

            Texas’ Patrik Bodén, who had set a World Record of 292-4 (89.10) in Austin the previous month, won the Javelin with a throw of 274-2 (83.56)

2000—Arkansas (3:12.13) edged Auburn (3:12.17) in the Sprint Medley at the Texas Relays as both teams bettered Alabama’s 17-year-old Collegiate Record of 3:12.19 (1983).

Auburn had built a decent lead after getting quick opening legs from Coby Miller (20.4), Avard Moncur (20.5), and Sanjay Ayre, a freshman from Jamaica (by way of New York City) who produced a sensational 43.9 split on the 400 leg.

The Razorbacks’ James Karanu patiently caught up to Auburn’s Aaron Richberg (1:47.4) before moving ahead on the final homestretch to secure the win. Baylor ran a creditable 3:14.17 to finish 3rd.

Ironically, Arkansas’ record lasted 17 years, just as Alabama’s had, when Texas A&M ran 3:11.94 in 2017.

Arkansas: Chandun O’Neal 20.5, Melvin Lister 20.6, Sam Glover 45.0, James Karanu’, 1:46.0

2002—The Ethiopian duo of Tirunesh Dibaba and Meseret Defar, two of the greatest female distance runners in history, met for the first time at the Carlsbad(CA) 5000 road race. Only 16 at the time, Dibaba finished 2^nd in the race (won by Deena Kastor), while the 18-year-old Defar placed 11^th.

            Between them, the pair won 5 Olympic gold medals and 15 World titles, with Defar having a 21-14 career edge in head-to-head competition at all distances.

Championship History–Courtesy of Mirko Jalava’s great site: http://www.tilastopaja.org/

Dibaba 

3 Olympic Golds

2008: 5000, 10000 2012: 10000

9 World Titles

2003: 5000 2005: 5000, 10000, CC Short, CC Short 2006: CC Short 2007: 10000 2008: CC Short 2013: 10000

3 World Championships Silvers

2004: CC Short 2007: CC Short. 2017: 10,000

3 Olympic Bronzes

2004: 5000, 2012: 5000, 2016: 10,000

Defar

2 Olympic Golds

2004: 5000 2012: 5000

2 World Titles

2007: 5000 2013: 5000

4 World Indoor Titles

2004: 3000 2006: 3000 2008: 3000 2010: 3000

5000 m World Championships Silver Medalist 2005

2 World Indoor Silvers

2012 3000, 2016  3000

5000 m Olympic Bronze Medalist 2008

2 World Championships Bronzes

2009: 5000 2011: 5000

3000 m World Indoor Bronze Medalist 2003

Born On This Day*

Helah Kiprop—Kenya 41 (1985) Silver medalist in the Marathon at the 2015 World Championships, 2017-7^th

              2016 Olympian (DNF);

              Winner of the 2016 Tokyo Marathon

              Has completed 20 marathons since 2008 (a/o 4-6-26)

              PB: 1:07.39 (2013) 2:21:17 (2016),  2026 SB: 2:28:53

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

              https://worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/helah-jelagat-kiprop-14289150

Esther Jones  57 (1969)  1992- Olympic gold medalist—4×100

             1990 NCAA Champion—100, 200, 4×100 (LSU); 1989 NCAA Champion—4×100

              NCAA History (20-time All-American!)

              Helped lead LSU to 4 NCAA Outdoor team titles (2 Indoors)

              1988-Outdoors: 100 (3^rd), 200 (6^th), 4×100 (3^rd); Indoors: 55 (4^th), 200 (5^th)

              1989-Outdoors: 100 (2nd), 200 (4^th), 4×100 (1^st); Indoors: 55 (2^nd), 200 (3^rd)

              1990-Outdoors: 100 (1^st), 200 (1^st), 4×100 (1^st); Indoors: 55 (4^th), 200 (2^nd)

              1991-Outdoors: 100 (2^nd), 200 (2^nd)4×100 (2^nd); Indoors: 55 (3^rd), 200 (3^rd)

               PBs: 11.09 (1994), 22.47 (1992)

               LSU Hall of Fame: https://lsusports.net/news/2009/03/02/3682490/

               http://www.nola.com/lsu/index.ssf/2014/07/lsu_track_star_esther_jones_is.html

Jane Frederick  74 (1952) 9-Time U.S. Champion (Pentathlon-’72,’73,’75,’76,’79; Heptathlon-’81,’83,’85,’86)

               Set 7 American Records in the Hep (Best of 6803 in 1984/#3 All-Time U.S.) 

               Bronze medalist 1987 World Championships—Heptathlon

               2-time U.S. Olympian—Pentathlon (’72-21^st, ’76-7^th)

               Hall of Fame Bio(2007): https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/jane-frederick

                 https://vault.si.com/vault/1977/11/21/plainly-jane-has-a-penchant-for-the-pentathlon

                https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/77833

                https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/jane-frederick-14358372

Dave Johnson  63 (1963) 1992 Olympic bronze medalist—Decathlon (9^th-1988); PB-8727 (’92/#6-All-Time U.S.)

                4-time U.S. Champion (’86,’89,’90,’92)

                One half of the Dan (O’Brien) and Dave advertising campaign for Reebok leading up to the 1992

                     Olympics in Barcelona.  Seemed like a brilliant idea until O’Brien failed to make the U.S. team after

                     no-heighting in the pole vault at the U.S. Olympic Trials in New Orleans.

                Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Johnson_(decathlete)

                https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_%26_Dave

Deceased

Arnie Robinson 72 (1948-Dec. 1, 2020)  1976 Olympic gold medalist-Long Jump (bronze in ’72); PB: 27-4  ¾ (8.35/1976)

              6-time U.S. Champion (’71-’72, ’75-’78); 1975 U.S. Indoor Champion

              1976 NCAA Champion (San Diego State/1977-4^th)

              Ranked #1 in the world four times by T&F News (’71, ’76-’78/#3-’72&’73, #4-’75)

              A legend in his hometown of San Diego, where he competed in high school and college, coached at Mesa College,

                  and continued to support T&F locally at all levels.

              Died in 2020 after a long and valiant battle with cancer. Doctors had given him 6 months to live when he

                  was first diagnosed in 2005. He had earlier survived a near-fatal car accident in 2000.

              San Diego Union-Tribune

              https://www.worldathletics.org/news/iaaf-news/arnie-robinson-obituary

              Ken Stone’s column includes many tributes, including those from Carl Lewis and Willie Banks.

              1976 OG Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8EJ_zqNUxE

              NY Times Report:

      https://www.nytimes.com/1976/07/30/archives/wife-and-doctor-help-robinson-cap-long-climb-in-long-jump-wife.html

              Hall of Fame Bio: https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/arnie-robinson

              (2018 Article): https://www.nydailynews.com/sd-sp-miller-arnie-robinson-olympics-20181007-story.html

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

              https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78961

              https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/arnie-robinson-14358181

Colette Besson 60 (1946-August 9, 2005)  1968 Olympic gold medalist—400m

              Former co-holder of the World Record—51.7 (1969)

              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A3ryJX4aFc

              https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/67903

Fay Moulton (1876-February 19, 1945) 1904 Olympic bronze medalist-60 Meters…4^th in the 100 & 200

              Silver medalist in the 100-meters at the 1906 Intercalated Games

              1902 U.S. Champion-440y

              1903 IC4A Champion-100y (Yale)

              Graduated from the University of Kansas before entering Yale Law School

              https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78817

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