by RBR Admin
This Day in Track & Field–September 18
1904—Ireland’s Denis Horgan set the 7th and final pre-IAAF World Record of his career in the Shot Put with his toss of 48-10 (14.88). Competing for Great Britain, he would win the silver medal at the 1908 Olympics at the age of 37—he’s still the oldest Olympic medalist in the event. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Horgan
1955—The Soviet Union’s Vladimir Kuts ran 13:46.8 in Belgrade to regain the World Record in the 5000-meters for the 2nd time. Kuts would get the record back a 3rd time when he ran 13:35.0 in 1957.
World Record Progression From 1954-1965
13:56.6 Vladimir Kuts Soviet Union August 29, 1954
13:51.8 Chris Chataway Great Britain October 13, 1954
13:51.2 Vladimir Kuts October 23, 1954
13:50.8 Sándor Iharos Hungary September 9, 1955
13:46.8 Vladimir Kuts September 18, 1955
13:40.6 Sándor Iharos October 23, 1955
13:36.8 Gordon Pirie Great Britain June 19, 1956
13:35.0 Vladimir Kuts October 13, 1957
13:34.8 Ron Clarke Australia January 16, 1965
1968—Jay Silvester bettered his 4-month old World Record (218-4 [66.54]) in the Discus twice at an all-comers meet in Reno, first throwing 223-4 (68.07) and then 224-5 (68.40).
WR Progression: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men’s_discus_world_record_progression
Hall of Fame Bio: https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/jay-silvester
1969—Nicole Duclos edged her French teammate, Colette Besson, the 1968 Olympic gold medalist, to win the Women’s 400-Meters at the European Championships in Piraeus, Greece, with both given credit for a World Record of 51.7 (auto-times were 51.77-51.79).
Results: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1969_European_Athletics_Championships
1983—Joan Benoit regained the World Record in the Half-Marathon with her winning time of 69:10 at the Philadelphia Distance Run. She had set records of 73:26 and 71.16 in 1981, only to have Norway’s Grete Waitz run 69:57 in 1982. Benoit would lower the Record to 68:34 in Philadelphia in 1984 (See 2005).
2004—Less than a month after winning Olympic gold in Athens, Tim Mack cleared a personal best of 19-8 ½ (6.01/#6 All-Time U.S.) to win the Pole Vault at the IAAF Grand Prix Final in Monaco.
Results: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_IAAF_World_Athletics_Final_–_Results
https://trackandfieldnews.com/tfn-lists/u-s-all-time-list-men/
2005—Deena Kastor ran 67:53 at the Philadelphia Distance Run Half-Marathon to break Joan Benoit-Samuelson’s 21-year old American Record of 68:34.
“I’m ecstatic,” said Kastor. “I couldn’t ask for a better race. It was a gorgeous morning. It was a little harder than I expected and I knew it was going to hurt a little. I’m glad it’s over. I wasn’t sure I would run that fast and I was starting to tire at the end. I wasn’t really sure I had it until I saw the clock at the finish.
“No one will ever match what Joan (Benoit Samuelson) has done,” Kastor said of breaking the record held by one of her idols. “The times may be different but nobody will ever match what she has done for the sport. She is an icon.”
Kastor’s bronze medal in Athens in 2004 was the first won by an American woman in the Olympic Marathon since Benoit-Samuelson won gold in the inaugural race in Los Angeles in 1984.
https://www.iaaf.org/news/news/kastor-lowers-benoits-21-year-old-american-ha
2021—39-year old Justin Gatlin finished 3rd (10.03) in the 100-Meters in Nairobi, Kenya. It would be the final race of a long career.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Gatlin
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/105463
https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/justin-gatlin-14238562
