Walt Murphy is one of the finest track geeks that I know. Walt does #ThisDayinTrack&FieldHistory, an excellent daily service providing the true geek’s stories about our sport. You can check out the service for FREE with a free one-month trial subscription! (email: [email protected] ) for the entire daily service. We will post a few historic moments each day, beginning February 1, 2024.
1962—Helped by a pacemaker who took him through the first lap in 51-seconds, New Zealand’s Peter Snell set two World Records in one race, running 1:44.3 for 800-meters and 1:45.1 for 880-yards on the grass track in Christchurch, New Zealand. Finishing a distant 2nd was American Jim Dupree (1:49.6y).
Snell, the 1960 Olympic gold medalist at 800-meters, obliterated the previous marks of 1:45.7 (Roger Moens/1955) and 1:46.8 (Tom Courtney/1957).
Snell had set a World Outdoor Record of 3:54.4 for the Mile a week earlier.
Race/Interview Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7UtoLeBBDA
Sports Illustrated Vault: http://www.si.com/vault/1962/02/12/591287/meet-the-worlds-best-runner
Looking Back:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/6365084/Peerless-Snells-Christchurch-records-still-stand
Runner’s World Article(January, 2012)
http://www.runnersworld.com/elite-runners/peter-snell-gentleman-athlete-scholar?page=single
WR Progression: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/800_metres_world_record_progression
1989–Jackie Joyner-Kersee tied the World Record in the 55-meter hurdles twice at the Millrose Games in New York, running 7.37 in her heat and again in the final. JJK’s times stood as the American Record for 8 years.
In one of the greatest indoor miles in history, Mary Slaney suffered a rare Millrose loss, finishing 2nd (4:23.91) between two Romanians, Paula Ivan (4:23.72) and Doina Melinte (4:25.46).
Morocco’s Said Aouita, running for the first time on an 11-lap banked track, won an exciting 3000-meter, setting a meet record of 7:47.07 as he passed Doug Padilla (7:47.35) in the final few strides.
Marcus O’Sullivan (3:54.27) ran away from Sydney Maree (3:58.37) and Ray Flynn (3:59.03) to win his 3rd Wanamaker Mile.
https://www.nytimes.com/1989/02/05/sports/track-and-field-aouita-helps-make-millrose-a-stunner.html
Sports Illustrated Vault:
http://www.si.com/vault/1989/02/13/106779963/much-sweeta-for-aouita
1995–Jackie Joyner-Kersee (7.96) won the 60-meter Hurdles at the Millrose Games but was beaten by Germany’s Heike Drechsler, her long-time rival, in the Long Jump (22-10 [6.96] to 22-5 ¼ [6.84]).
Ukraine’s Sergey Bubka, the World Record holder (20-2 [6.15]) in the Pole Vault, could only clear 18-8 ¼ (5.70) on this night. “I was disappointed and embarrassed,” Bubka said. “I wanted to do well in New York.” The event was won by Russia’s Igor Trandenkov (19-1/4 [5.80]).
Ireland’s Marcus O’Sullivan thought he was on his way to winning his 6th Wanamaker Mile, but he was passed right before the finish line by Canada’s Graham Hood, a senior at Arkansas (3:57.08-3:57.11). 3rd was Ireland’s Niall Bruton (3:58.14), who had done the same thing to O’Sullivan at the 1994 Millrose Games,
“These young guys are killing me,” said the 33-year-old O’Sullivan. “When I held them off with a lap to go and then in the backstretch, I thought I had it. Coming off the turn, I saw a shadow. I thought it was Niall. With about 10 yards to go, my legs kind of gave and Graham just squeaked by me.”
The meet drew another big crowd to Madison Square Garden—16,789.
Results: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1995/feb/04/track-and-field-millrose-games/
1998–Maurice Greene ran 6.39 in Madrid to set a World Indoor Record for 60 meters. Greene had equaled Andre Cason’s previous mark of 6.41 just two days earlier in Stuttgart. Greene would tie his own record in 2001(since broken).
IAAF Report: https://www.worldathletics.org/news/news/maurice-greene-stands-alone-as-the-fastest-ma
