by RBR Admin
Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service ([email protected])
This Day in Track & Field–October 20
1956— Records were set in three events in Ontario, California, at a tuneup meet for the Melbourne Olympics. Leamon King ran 10.1 to equal the World Record in the 100-meters, and American Records were set by Max Truex in the 5000 (14:22.8) and Ira Davis in the Triple Jump (51-11 [15.82]).
1964—Germany’s Willi Holdorf won the Decathlon at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo with a score of 7887 points, with the silver going to Estonia’s Rein Aun (7842) and the bronze to another German, Hans-Joachim Wolde (7809). American Paul Herman finished 4th (7787), leaving the U.S. without a medal in the event for the first time in Olympic history.
5th was C.K. Yang, the silver medalist at the 1960 Olympics in Rome. The former UCLA star had set a monumental World Record of 9,121 points in 1963, thanks in large part to his success with the relatively new fiberglass implement in the Pole Vault. However, new scoring tables that took effect in 1964 lessened Yang’s advantage in that event.
Great Britain’s Ann Packer won the Women’s 800-Meters with a World Record time of 2:01.1. Finishing 2nd and 3rd were France’s Maryvonne Dupureur (2:01.9) and New Zealand’s Marise Chamberlain (2:02.8).
North Korea’s Shin Geum-Dan had run 1:58.0 the previous month, but couldn’t compete in Tokyo because her country had been suspended by the IAAF (she also couldn’t get credit for a WR).
A day after winning the Discus, the Soviet Union’s (and Russia’s) Tamara Press (59-6 ¼ [18.14]/OR) won a 2nd gold in the Women’s Shot Put. Winning silver and bronze were East Germany’s Renate Garisch (57-9 ½ [17.61]) and the Soviet Union’s (and Russia’s) Galina Zybina (57-3 [17.45]).
Medalists/Results: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1964_Summer_Olympics
Olympedia Reports: http://www.olympedia.org/editions/16/sports/ATH
Coincidentally, Kon Ichikawa’s memorable documentary (Tokyo Olympiad-2 hours) was released in the U.S. on this date in 1965!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHt0eAdCCns
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Olympiad
Videos
W800: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F10IOKnkh0s
Packer Analyzes the 800: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmdr7NNEJtk
Toomey (2012): https://www.runnerspace.com/video.php?video_id=72207
1968-Jim Ryun had established himself as the #1 miler (metric and imperial) in the world, setting World Records in the 1500 and mile (breaking his own) in 1967. But he was not only going up against his old rival, Kenya’s Kip Keino, in the final of the Olympic 1500, he was also facing Mexico City’s 7,300’ elevation.
Unfazed by the altitude (since he grew up in a similar environment), Keino’s teammate, Ben Jipcho (apparently acting as a sacrificial lamb–he would finish 10th), took the field through a fast 56-second first 400-meters, while Keino, who was at the back of the pack for the first 100-meters, came through in 56.6 (behind Germany’s Harald Norpoth). Meanwhile, a cautious Ryun, possibly weakened by a fever, was well back in 58.1.
Keino, who had won the silver medal in the 5000 three days earlier, took the lead with two laps to go and went through the 800 split in 1:55.3, with Ryun more than 3 seconds behind (1:58.5). Keino, stung by Ryun’s kick in the past, was taking no chances this time, and was never challenged as he went on to win in a fast 3:34.91, 2nd only to Ryun’s World Record of 3:33.1 on the all-time list (at the time), and a time thought unattainable at altitude. Ryun (3:37.8) finished well to take the silver medal, while Germany’s Bodo Tummler (3:39.0) won the bronze. The other Americans didn’t fare so well, with Tom Von Ruden finishing 9th and an injured Marty Liquori (4:18.22) struggling home in last place.
U.S. fans had been treated to the sight of Dick Fosbury’s revolutionary technique in the High Jump, but now the rest of the world got to enjoy the wonderment of watching him going over the bar backwards! Fosbury made the most of his time on the world stage, grabbing the gold medal and breaking John Thomas’s 8-year old American Record (7-3 ¾ [2/23]) with his winning height of 7-4 ¼ (2.24). Teammate Ed Caruthers (7-3 ¼ [2.22]) won the silver medal, and the bronze was won by the Soviet Union’s (and Russia’s) Valentin Gavrilov (7-2 ½ [2.20]).
While Fosbury has justifiably been given credit for introducing the style that bears his name, he wasn’t the first to try it. That honor apparently belongs to Montana prep Bruce Quande, who used the flop at the 1963 Montana H.S. State meet! (See the link below).
For the 3rd Olympics in a row, a runner from Ethiopia won the Men’s Marathon. The great Abebe Bikila, the winner in 1960 and 1964, had to drop out of the race with a leg injury, but countryman Mamo Wolde, who had earlier won the silver medal in the 10,000, picked up the slack, winning in 2:20:26.4. Silver and bronze went to Japan’s Kenji Kimihara (2:23:31) and New Zealand’s Mike Ryan (2:23:45). Kenny Moore (2:29:49) was the top American in 14th place, with teammates George Young placing 16th (2:31:15) and Ron Daws 22nd (2:33:53).
East Germany’s Margitta Gummell bettered her own World Record (61-11 [18.87]) while winning the Women’s Shot Put, throwing 62-6 ¾ (19.07) and 64-4 (19.61). 2nd was East Germany’s Marita Lange (61-7 ½ [18.78]) and 3rd was the Soviet Union’s (and Russia’s Nadezhda Chizhova (59-8 ¼ [18.19]).
The U.S. won all three relays and set World Records in each (the Women’s 4×400 wasn’t added to the Olympic program until 1972).
Men’s 4×100 (38.2/38.24)–Charlie Greene, Mel Pender, Ronnie Ray Smith, and Jim Hines, the 100-meter champion. 2nd and 3rd were Cuba (38.3/38.40) and France (38.4/38.43), which edged Jamaica (38.4/38.47) to earn the bronze medals.
Women’s 4×100 (42.8/42.88)–Barbara Ferrell, Margaret Bailes, Mildrette Netter, and Wyomia Tyus, the 100-meter
Champion. 2nd and 3rd were Cuba (43.3/43.36) and the Soviet Union (43.4/43.41).
Men’s 4×400 (2:56.1/2:56.16/final T&F event of the Games)– Vince Matthews-45.0, Ron Freeman-43.2, Larry James-43.9, Lee Evans-44.1. With a team that included the 3 medalists from the 400, including two who had been under the previous World Record, and the advantage of Mexico City’s altitude, the only question was how fast they would run in the final. The answer was a quick 2:56.1, which was more than 3 seconds faster than the previous mark of 2:59.6. That time would stand alone as the World Record until another U.S. team matched the auto-time of 2:56.16 at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. Next across the line were Kenya (2:59.6/2:59.64) and West Germany (3:00.5/3:00.57), which edged Poland (3:00.5/3:00.58) for the bronze medals.
Medalists/Results: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1968_Summer_Olympics
Olympedia Reports: http://www.olympedia.org/editions/17/sports/ATH
Videos:
1500: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_9AAy7yZTc
High Jump: https://olympics.com/en/video/men-s-high-jump-final-mexico-1968-great-olympic-moments
Fosbury-50th Anniversary(2018): https://www.worldathletics.org/news/feature/dick-fosbury-flop
Statue Unveiled:
https://onceuponatimeinthevest.blogspot.com/2018/10/v-8-n-64-50-years-ago-today-oct-20-2018.html
The First Flopper?:
“1968”-NBC’s excellent documentary that centers on the U.S. Olympic T&F team and the turbulent events that took place during the year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ss6qavj29c
The official results for running events at the 1964 and 1968 Olympics were recorded in tenths, but auto-times were available.
Past Olympics—Top 8 plus American finishes (through 2021): https://trackandfieldnews.com/olympic-results/
1985–The 9th Chicago Marathon turned out the largest number of runners the race had seen to date, and the fastest. Nearly 10,000 competed as Welshman Steve Jones (2:07:13) and Joan Benoit Samuelson (2:21:21), running her first 26.2-miler since becoming the first women’s Olympic champion in the event in 1984, claimed victory.
Jones’s goal was to regain the World Record (which he set in Chicago in 1984), but he missed Carlos Lopes’ current standard by just one second. His victory earned him $35,000 for winning, $10,000 for setting the new course record and $13,000 in time bonuses for running under 2:08
The women’s division featured one of the top fields ever assembled. Following Benoit Samuelson across the line were Norway’s Ingrid Kristiansen (2:23:05), the World Record holder, and Portugal’s Rosa Mota (2:23:29), the Olympic bronze medalist (and Chicago’s defending champion).
While Benoit Samuelson’s winning time of 2:21:21 missed Kristiansen’s World Record by just 15 seconds, she did set American and course records. To commemorate the 40th Anniversary of her win, Benoit-Samuelson, now 68, ran 3:36:11 at the 2025 Chicago Marathon.
Race Highlights(28 minutes long): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HZ7u5aU0PY
Benoit Looks Back:
http://www.si.com/more-sports/2015/10/08/joan-benoit-samuelson-reflects-1985-chicago-marathon-win
Jones’ Preparation:
Past Winners: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_winners_of_the_Chicago_Marathon
Born On This Day*
Emmanouil Karalis—Greece 26 (1999) Has made the medal podium in the Pole Vault at the last 4 global championships:
2024 World Indoor Championships (Bronze)
2024 Olympics bronze medalist (Bronze)
2025 World Indoor Championships (Silver)
2025 World Championships (Silver)
Also the 2025 European Indoor Champion
4th at the 2021 Olympics, 5th at the 2018 World Indoor Championships
Cleared 6-meters (19-8 ¼) or better 12 times in 2025…only World Record holder Mondo Duplantis has had (many)
more such clearances in one season (Sergei Bubka also had 12 in 1991)
He relishes competing with Dupllantis: “I’m the same age as Mondo, so I hope we are going to continue – Mondo will
do what Mondo does and I hope I can start reaching towards him. It’s a big motivation, having Mondo as a friend
and as a competitor, to jump every week. That’s really important to the sport and for pole vault.”
Improved the Greek National Indoor and Outdoor Records to 19-10 ¼ (6.05) and 19-11 1/4 (6.08) in 2025.
It’s a family affair for Karalis, whose main coach is his father Charalampos, a former decathlete. He is also supported
by his mother Sarah Karali and his twin sister Angeliki Karali, a national age-group heptathlete champion.
PBs: 19-10 1/4i (6.05/=#5 All-Time), 19-11 ¼ (6.08/#4 All-Time)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmanouil_Karalis
https://worldathletics.org/athletes/greece/emmanouil-karalis-14669731
https://worldathletics.org/news/feature/emmanouil-karalis-greece-pole-vault-paris-nanjing-tokyo
Francena McCorory 37 (1988) 2-time Olympic gold medalist—4×400 (2012, 2016)
2-time World Champion—4×400 (2011, 2013/silver-2015/bronze-400/2011)
2-time World Indoor Champion—400, 4×400 (2014)
6th in the 400 at the 2012 Olympics, 5th at the 2013 World Championships
2010 NCAA Champion—400m (Hampton); 2-time NCAA Indoor Champion (2009,2010)
PBs: 36.50i (2014), 49.48 (2014), 50.54i (2010/CR&AR at the time/now =#10 U.S.)
1:09.01i (2012/#9-U.S.), 1:29.07i (2013); Last competed in 2021
Other College PBs: 36.67i (2007/#8 All-Time College), 1:09.16i (2007/#4 A-T College)
Set U.S. High School Indoor Records in the 300 (36.96) and 400 (51.93) meters in 2006. Both records were
broken by Sydney McLaughlin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francena_McCorory
http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/126546
https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/francena-mccorory-14316439
2013 Interview(Post-WC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Pf9KigNma8
Devastated(Olympic postponement):
https://www.wavy.com/video/francena-mccorory-devastated-following-olympic-postponement/4437667/
Tiffany McWilliams-43 (1982) 3-time NCAA Champion (Mississippi State)—1500 (2003,2004), Mile (2004i)
Set a Collegiate Record of 4:06.75 for 1500-meters while winning the 2003 NCAA title
Hailed as the next great American middle-distance runner, but was held back by a series of injuries during her
career.
Native of Red Bay, Alabama, was considered a strong candidate to make the 2004 U.S. Olympic team, but an injury
to her left heel kept her out of the Olympic Trials in Sacramento. Finished 7th at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials.
https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/tiffany-mcwilliams-14316782
PBs: 2:00.88 (2006), 4:06.30 (2006), 4:09.19i (2006), 4:29.56 (2006), 4:30.03i (2006)
Billy Konchellah-Kenya 63 (1962) 2-time World Champion-800m (1987, 1991/bronze-1993)
4th-1984 Olympics
Ran 45.38 for 400-meters in 1979 when he was still only 16 years old!
A good student in Kenya, he was contacted by many U.S. college coaches who offered to “put him up” while
finishing his high school career in America. At the behest of Iowa State coach Bill Bergan, he moved to Iowa in
the fall of 1979 and enrolled at Cedar Rapids H.S. He was soon contacted by Gordon Cooper, who had coached
Edwin Moses, who invited him to come to California to train. Uncomfortable with Iowa’s cold weather, Konchellah
agreed and then entered Mission Viejo High School. He wasn’t allowed to compete for the school, however, since
Cooper wouldn’t let him. “I wanted to run for Mission Viejo, but we got in an argument,” Konchellah said. “At
that time, he bought me a car, and he bought me a moped. All these things for a high school kid–it’s like you
don’t want to lose this stuff. I felt like I wanted to go back to Iowa, but I remembered the cold and everything, so
I ended up not running for the school. I could have had the national high school record for 800 meters now if I
had run for the school.” (He ran 1:46.79 at the 1980 Mt.SAC Relays, well under Jeff West’s National H..S.
Record of 1:48.2!). “I wish he (Cooper) had never contacted me because I would have been a more happy
person,” said Konchellah in 1991. Meeting him was a big mistake in my life.”
Read more in this 1991 L.A. Times article:
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-11-29-sp-298-story.html
Attended San Diego State for one year before ending up at Wayland Baptist, where he won two NAIA titles in 1984
(Indoors-600y, Outdoors-800m).
Troubled by asthma for much of his career
PBs: 45.38 (1979), 1:43.06 (1987), 2:16.71 (1985)
Although he denied the charges, he served time in a Finnish prison after being convicted of rape.
Son Gregory, competing for Bahrain as Yousef Saad Kamel, won the 1500-meters at the 2009 World Championships
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Konchellah
https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/billy-konchellah-14208684
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/72794
Videos:
1987 WC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvFSfN2bvmQ
1991 WC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoX0npaDyh0
Valeriy Borzov-Ukraine/Soviet Union 76 (1949) 1972 Olympic gold medalist—100,200 (4×100-silver)
1976 Olympic bronze medalist—100, 4×100
3-time European Champion-100 (1969, 1971 [also won 200], 1974)
PBs: 6.58i (1976), 10.07 (1972), 20.00 (1972)
His wife, Lyudmila Turishcheva, was a 9-time Olympic medalist in gymnastics! (4-gold, 3-silver, 2-bronze)
Videos:
1972/1976 100: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRe5509FWJc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1KuKlABm0k
A Look Back(2013): www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1016222/a-trip-down-memory-lane-with-valeriy-borzov
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valeriy_Borzov
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/77390
Deceased
Wayne Collett 60 (1949-March 27,2010) 1972 Olympic silver medalist—400m;
Collett and gold medalist Vince Matthews were barred from future Olympic competition due to their actions
during the medal ceremony (see links). Since John Smith, the 3rd member of the U.S. 400 team, was injured,
the U.S. was unable to field a team in the 4×400 in Munich.
Anchored UCLA to three NCAA titles in the mile relay (‘69-44.7, ‘70-44.5, ‘71-44.9);
2nd in the NCAA 440y-hurdles in 1970, 4th in the 440y in 1971
PBs: 44.1/hand (1972), 49.2y
The Bruin’s Jim Bush called Collett “the greatest athlete I ever coached.”
Died in 2010 after a long battle with cancer.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncf9v8UyxaA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_Collett
NY Times Obituary: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/18/sports/18collett.html
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78248
Cliff Blair 83 (1929-Sep.17, 2013)
From Olympedia: made the 1956 US Olympic team by finishing second in the hammer throw at the Olympic Trials,
but he never competed at the Olympics. Blair was helping Boston Globe sportswriter Jerry Nason write columns on
the Olympics and, during the lead-up to Melbourne, was thrown off the USA team because that was a violation of
amateur status rules in that era.
(Blair was far from dejected. “Earning that spot on our Olympic team was the greatest thrill of my athletic career,”
he recalled on the eve of his induction into the Boston University Hall of Fame in 1976. “I would love to have
participated. I guess I just wasn’t enough of a politician.”)
In the summer of 1956, Blair bettered the world record for the hammer when he threw 65.95 (216-4½) at a meet
near Boston. There were problems with the measurement of the mark, however, and it was never submitted for
ratification. Blair finished in the top six at the AAU Meet four times, placing second in 1952, fourth in 1956, fifth
in 1953, and sixth in 1957.
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/923373
https://goterriers.com/sports/2016/6/13/hallfame-blair-cliff-html.aspx
