This Day in Track & Field-October 27: Ron Clarke (AUS) sets WR for 20k and Hour Run (1965), by Walt Murphy

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

This Day in Track & Field-October 27

1860—Great Britain’s Siah Albison, a professional runner, set a pre-IAAF World Record of 4:22-1/4 for the Mile at the Copenhagen Grounds in Manchester, England. Close behind in 4:22-2/5 was fellow Brit William Lang, who would take the Record away from Albison in 1863 when he ran 4:21-3/4 at the same venue.

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

1931—Japan’s Chuhei Nambu set a World Record of 26-2 (7.98) in the Long Jump in Tokyo. The record lasted until Jesse Owens jumped 26-8 (8.13) at the 1935 Big-10 Championships.

A World Record was also set in the Triple Jump by Mikio Oda (51-1  ½ [15.58]), the gold medalist at the 1928 Olympics.

Nambu broke Oda’s World Record when he jumped 51-7 (15.72) while winning the gold medal at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, three days after finishing a disappointing 3^rd in the Long Jump. He’s still the only man to hold the WR in both horizontal jumps.  (He also ran on the Japanese team that finished 5^th in the 4×100 in L.A.).

https://olympics.com/en/athletes/chuhei-nambu

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

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

WR Progressions

LJ: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men%27s_long_jump_world_record_progression

TJ: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_jump_world_record_progression

1956—Leamon King ran 10.1 for 100-Meters at a pre-Olympic meet in Santa Ana, California, to equal the World Record he already shared with fellow Americans Ira Murchison and Willie Williams. Finishing behind King were Thane Baker (10.2), Murchison (10.4), and Bobby Morrow (10.4), who would go on to win gold medals in the 100, 200, and 4×100 at the Melbourne Olympics.

Baker won the 200 in 20.6 to equal the World & American Record, but the mark was never ratified by the IAAF or the AAU (for unknown reasons).

WR Progression: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men%27s_100_metres_world_record_progression

1965—Australia’s Ron Clarke set a World Record of 59:22.8 for 20,000-Meters in Geelong, Australia, continuing on to get a second record of 20,332-meters for the full hour run.

A Look at the Past Record Holders (through 2020):

https://www.worldathletics.org/news/feature/one-hour-run-world-record-history

1974–France’s Chantal Langlacé set a World Record of 2:46:24 in the Marathon in Neuf-Brisach, France. The record would only last 5 weeks until American Jaqi Hansen ran 2:43:54.5 in Culver City,CA on December 1. After the record was broken another 3 times, Langlacé regained it by running 2:35:15.4 in Spain on May 1, 1977.

WR Progression: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon_world_record_progression

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

1985–Italy’s Orlando Pizzolato (2:11:34) was a repeat winner at the NY City Marathon and Norway’s Grete Waitz (2:28:34) won the Women’s title for the 7^th time!

For the 2^nd year in a row, New Yorker Pat Petersen, who competed collegiately for Manhattan College, was the top American finisher, placing 3^rd in 2:12:59 (he was 4^th in 1984). 4-time winner Bill Rodgers (1976-1979) finished 7^th (2:15:33).

1983 winner Rod Dixon wore a “helmet-cam” during the race as part of ABC’s TV coverage.

Other Notable Finishers:

Men: 2.Ahmed Salah (Djibouti) 2:12:29…9.Ibrahim Hussein (Kenya) 2:15:55(would win in 1987)…23.Suleiman Nyambui (Tanzania) 2:20:41

Women: 2.Lisa Ondieki (Australia) 2:29:48, 3.Laura  Fogli (Italy) 2:31:36, 4.Lorraine Moller (New Zealand) 2:34:55, 5.Priscilla Welch (England) 2:35:30 …8.Julie Brown 2:37:53

ABC(2+ Hours/nice course description by Marty Liquori): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JFX8ZGyJ1k

https://results.nyrr.org/event/851027/overview

https://results.nyrr.org/event/851027/finishers

Top 25: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985_New_York_City_Marathon

Past Winners: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_winners_of_the_New_York_City_Marathon

https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/28/sports/pizzolato-wins-again-in-marathon.html

2024—Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, the World Indoor Record holder in the Mile at the time (3:47.01/2019), added a 2^nd WR to his resume at a much longer distance by running 57:30 for the half-marathon on a rainy day in Valencia, Spain. He shaved just one second off the previous mark of 57:31that was set by Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo in 2021

https://trackandfieldnews.com/valencia-half-marathon-rainy-kejelcha-world-record/

worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-label-road-races/news/kejelcha-world-half-marathon-record-valencia

Born On This Day*

Paul Chelimo—Kenya/USA-2015  35 (1990)  Bronze medalist in the 5000-meters at the 2017 World Championships in

London…7^th at the 2019 Worlds in Doha, 15^th in 2023 in Budapest

         Was the surprise silver medalist in the 5000-meters at the 2016 Olympics…was initially disqualified for

stepping inside the rail, but was reinstated after USATF filed a successful appeal…no such luck at the

2018 World Indoor Championships, where his disqualification in his heat of the 3000 for a similar

violation was upheld.

Bronze medalist in the 5000 at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021; 10^th in the 10,000 at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials,

DNF at the Marathon Trials

7-time U.S. Champion:

5000m (2017, 2018, 2021-O.T.). Running  by himself, he set a Meet Record of 13:08.62 in 2017

Indoor 2 Mile (2017); Double winner at the 2018 U.S. Indoor Championships (1500, 3000).

Indoor 3000m (2020)

All-American was twice the runnerup in the 5000-meters at the NCAA Championships while competing for  UNC-

Greensboro (2012,2013)

4-time NAIA Champion in 2011 (Shorter College): Indoor-3000, DMR; Outdoor-NAIA 5000, 10,000

Native of Kenya joined the U.S. Army after graduation in 2013, then later joined the service’s World Class

Athlete Program in 2014. Was discharged from the Army in 2018. Became eligible to represent the U.S. in 2015

         Made the transition to the marathon in 2024. Dropped out of the U.S. Olympic Trials in February, then completed

    his first marathon in December (2:18:08). Long-term goal is to make the U.S. Olympic team in 2028! Trains in

   Colorado Springs

PBs:

1500: 3:39.33 (’16)

Mile: 3:55.96 (’18)

3000: 7:31.57 (’17/#7 All-Time U.S.)

3000i: 7:39.00 (’16)

2-Miles: 8:07.59  (’19/#5 AT U.S./indoor-outdoor)

5000: 12:57.55 (’18/#10 A-T U.S.)

5000i: 13:09.91/2021)

10,000: 27:12.73 (’23/#13 A-T U.S.)

Half-Marathon: 62:19 (‘19)

Marathon: 2:18:08 (Dec.’25

2025 SB: 13:52 (road)

Wife—Brenda  Kerubo; daughter Arianna Chebet was born December 20, 2018.

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

https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/paul-chelimo-14454958

https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/136259

https://www.instagram.com/paul_chelimo/?hl=en

Moving to the Marathon

2018 Diamond League Win  Fatherhood: https://spikes.iaaf.org/post/paul-chelimo-fatherhood

John Capel 47 (1978) 2003 World Champion—200m, 4×100 (2005-bronze medalist in the 200)

1999 NCAA Champion—200m (Florida); PBs:6.48 (2003), 9.95 (2004), 19.85 (2000)

Was also a wide receiver at Florida

After running the fastest time (20.10) in the semi-final round of the 200-meters at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney,

he was favored to win the gold medal in the final, but finished 8^th after he hesitated when the gun went off,

thinking there would be a recall.

2000 OG Video: https://olympics.com/en/video/kenteris-stuns-with-200m-gold-sydney-2000

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

            (for subscribers?):

www.nytimes.com/2003/08/30/sports/IHT-jon-capel-wins-the-200-meters-in-slowest-mens-final-ever-phillips.html

https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2020/06/08/john-capel-track/

Maria Mutola-Mozambique  53 (1972)  2000 Olympic gold medalist-800m (1996-Bronze);

3-time World Champion (1993,2001,2003/2^nd-1999, 3^rd-1997&2005)

7-time World Indoor Champion (’93,’95,’97,’01,’03,’04,’06/2^nd-1999, 3^rd-2008)

Competed in the first of her 6 Olympics in 1988 at the age of 15, her last in 2008 at the age

of 35. (’88-1^st round, ’92-5h[9^th-1500], ’96-3^rd, ’00-1^st, ’04-4^th, ’08-5^th)

16-time winner at the Prefontaine Classic (12/800 meters, 3/1,000 meters, 1/1,500 meters)…the 800 at Pre

    now bears her name

Set the current World Indoor Record of 2:30.94 for 1000-meters in 1999

PBs–1:22.87/600m (#6 All-Time World), 1:55.19 (’94,=#13 A-T), 1:56.36i (’98, #3-AT), 2:29.34 (’95, #3-AT), 

                2:30.94i (’99,#1-AT), 4:01.50 (’02)

Attended high school in Springfield,Oregon

Was brought to the U.S. in March, 1991,as part of  the Olympic Solidarity program, which was

designed to help  athletes from “developing” countries…was discovered by her country’s

leading poet, (José Craveirinha), while playing soccer with a boys team …his son was a track

coach and they convinced Mutola to try running.

https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/73626

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

All-Time List: http://www.alltime-athletics.com/w_800ok.htm

2000 OG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXdNoGo19s4

Last Race at Pre

http://www.espn.com/olympics/trackandfield/news/story?id=3432725

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7V9iF-Qn2hU

Niall Bruton-Ireland  54 (1971)  2-time NCAA Indoor Champion—Mile (Arkansas)

NCAA-1500 (1992-8^th), 1993 (4^th), 1994 (5^th)

Continued the Irish tradition by joining Ron Delany (4), Eamonn Coghlan (7), and Marcus O’Sullivan (5) as a multiple

      winner of the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games (1994,1996).

1994 Wanamaker Mile–“It was one of those nights that were just special for many reasons. It was Madison Square

Garden. It was iconic. It just had that mystique. It sounds a bit cheesy. But it is a special place. Friday night. 1

February. 11 o’clock. Red and yellow track. 160 yards. 11 laps to a mile. And it was a real race. I think William

Tanui was in it — the 800m champion at the time. And Marcus was obviously world champion. It was one of

those where it could have gone faster or slower, I just felt I was going to win it. Everything came together.”

1996 Olympian—1500m (semi-finalist)

PBs:1:48.20 (1997), 3:35.67 (1995), 3:53.93(1996), 7:54.62(1993), 13:49.98(1994)

https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/71503

1994 Millrose

1996 Millrose (Mile@34:25): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P17yHIHK-k

Rebuilding: https://www.the42.ie/niall-bruton-interview-4936645-Jan2020/

Lori McAuley 64 (1961)  1982 AIAW Indoor Champion-400m (Rutgers)

All-American was 4^th in the 400-Meter Hurdles at the 1983 NCAA Championshios

Even though she was a relative rookie in the event, she was disappointed after finishing 6th in the 400-meter

hurdles on the first day of the 1983 U.S. Olympic Sports Festival in Colorado Springs. McCauley, who had run in

lane one, felt better after officials ordered a rerun when it was determined that the other hurdlers had started

at the wrong lines.Taking advantage of her 2nd chance, still in lane one, she won the re-run in 55.69 to break

Sharrieffa Barksdale’s six-week old  American Record of 55.78.

4^th at the 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials, only .02s behind 3^rd-placer Barksdale!

PB: 55.60 (1984)

http://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/03/sports/rutgers-woman-takes-first-in-400-hurdles-in-record-55.69.html

https://scarletknights.com/honors/rutgers-athletics-hall-of-fame/lori-mccauley/151

https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/03/sports/rutgers-woman-takes-first-in-400-hurdles-in-record-55.69.html

Warren Edmonson 75 (1950)  1972 NCAA Champion-100m (UCLA/helped the Bruins win the team title); 1971-5^th

5^th in the 100 at the 1972 U.S. Olympic Trials…had suffered an injury in the NCAA 200 final

Set an unofficial World Indoor Record of 10.2 for 100-meters at the first ITA (International Track Association)

meet in Pocatello, Idaho, in 1973

Became a star on the Australian professional circuit, winning the prestigious Stawell Gift 100 in 1977

Spent 20 years as a member of the Los Angeles Police Department

Former coach at Cal State Dominguez

Married to Barbara Ferrell, the 1972 Olympic gold medalist in the 4×100 (won silver in the 100)

Their daughters Malika and Miya ran on the St.Bernard (CA) 4×100 team that set a National High School Record of

44.70 in 1997. Granddaughter Joelle Trepagnier (Malika’s daughter), a senior at Culver City (CA) H.S., has run

53.46 for 400-meters. PBs: 9.3y (1969), 10,0h (1972), 20.5h (1971), 45.20 (1976), 44.8h (1976)

UCLA Hall of Fame: https://uclabruins.com/honors/hall-of-fame/warren-edmonson/156

https://gotoros.com/sports/womens-track-and-field/roster/coaches/warren-edmonson/243

https://sports.yahoo.com/her-grandparents-were-track-legends-113055692.html

ITA: https://vault.si.com/vault/1973/03/12/it-wasnt-small-potatoes-in-pocatello

www.nytimes.com/1973/03/05/archives/10400-fans-attend-pro-track-opener-3-marks-bettered-track-events.html

Stawell Gift (Australia):

…