by RBR Admin
Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service
This Day in Track & Field/X-Country–March 20
1969–Ethiopia’s Abebe Bikila, the winner of the Marathon at the 1960 and 1964 Olympics, was involved in an automobile accident that caused a cervical spine injury (neck) that left him paralyzed from the neck down. His injuries ultimately led to his death in 1973.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abebe_Bikila
1971–Doris Brown (Heritage) won her 5th (and final) World (International) X-Country title (2.8-miles) in San Sebastian, Spain, leading the U.S. women to a 3rd-place finish. Winners of the Men’s Senior (7.5-miles) and Junior (4.35-miles) races, respectively, were England’s Dave Bedford and Nick Rose, a future NCAA Champion (1974/Western Kentucky). England swept all 3 team titles. (The U.S. only entered Women’s team!)
Other notable finishers
Senior Men: 9.Ian Stewart (Scotland), 10.Rod Dixon (New Zealand), 12.Gaston Roelants (Belgium); DNF-Emiel Puttemans (Belgium).
Junior Men:18.Eamonn Coghlan (Ireland/destined to become the “Chairman of the Boards”), 24.Neil Cusack (Ireland/1972 NCAA Champion-East Tennessee/winner of the 1974 Boston Marathon)
Women: 11.Beth Bonner (USA/Unofficially the 1st female “winner” of the NY City Marathon-1971)
Results: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1971_International_Cross_Country_Championships
1971—Running in a quad meet on his home track in Eugene, Oregon sophomore Steve Prefontaine won the 2-mile in 8:33.2 to equal the Collegiate (and Oregon school) Record that was set by Knut Kvalheim in 1968. Following the instructions of coach Bill Dellinger, Pre gave new meaning to the phrase “negative-split”. coasting through the first half of the race in 4:28.0 before coming home with a 4:05.2 final mile!
From T&F News
1977–Top-10 finishes from winner Thom Hunt and Mark Spilsbury (5th) led the U.S. to a narrow win over Spain (36-40) at the World X-C Championships in Brussels, giving the Americans their 4th straight title in the Men’s Junior Race. Other U.S. team members–Marty Froelick (12th), Chris Fox (18th), who would coach Syracuse to the 2015 NCAA XC title, Harold Schulz (33rd), and Jeff Creer(34th).
Sue Kinsey’s 8th-place finish helped the USA win the silver medals in the Women’s race.
Other Races:
Senior Men (12.3k/Belgium)-1.Leon Schots (Belgium) 37:43, 2.Carlos Lopes (Portugal) 37:48…24.Jeff Wells (USA)… 37.Rob De Castella (Australia), 42.Gary Tuttle (USA), 44.Jos Hermens (Netherlands), 45.Dave Bedford (England), 91.Ray Treacy (Ireland), 99.Tom Wysocki (USA), 103.Steve Jones (Wales), 104.Tony Sandoval (USA), 106.Jon Anderson (USA, 109.Neil Cusack (Ireland), 111.Ric Rojas (USA), 112.Steve Flanagan (USA/Shalane’s father), 132.Roger Robinson (New Zealand/running journalist), 159.Donal Walsh (Ireland/ex-Villanova)
Senior Women (5.1k/Soviet Union):1.Carmen Valero (Spain (17:26), 2.Lyudmila Bragina (Soviet Union) 17:28…8.Sue Kinsey (USA) , 9.Anne Audain (New Zealand), 11.Kathy Mills (USA), 14.Julie Brown (USA), 15.Paula Neppel (USA), 48.Doris Brown-Heritage (USA), 54.Eryn Forbes (USA)
Results: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977_IAAF_World_Cross_Country_Championships
1982—Billy Olson cleared 18-8 ¾ (5.71) in Brownwood,TX, to break Dave Roberts’ 6-year old American Record in the Pole Vault (18-8 1/4/5.70).
1983–The U.S. squad put on a strong display in the Women’s race at the World X-C Championships in Gateshead, England, as Joan Benoit (4th), Betty Springs (5th), Margaret Groos (9th), and Jan Merrill (13th) all ran well to give the U.S. its 3rd team title (also won the Women’s race in 1975 and 1979). Also on the U.S. team were Nan Doak (40th) and Kathy Hadler (42nd). Norway’s Grete Waitz won her 5th (and final) individual title.
There was an exciting Senior Men’s race (12k) as four men came across the finish line together, with Ethiopia’s Bekele Debele (36:52) edging Portugal’s Carlos Lopes (36:52), Kenya’s Some Muge (36:52), and American Alberto Salazar (36:53). The U.S. also got a 9th-place finish from Pat Porter as it won the team silver medals behind Ethiopia (Kenya was 3rd). Other members of the U.S. squad (9 entries, 6 scored):Thom Hunt (28), Ed Eyestone (30), the current Men’s coach at BYU, Craig Virgin (47), Mark Anderson(57), Doug Brown (118), Bill Donakowski (147), and John Idstrom (160). The U.S. team celebrated its fine performance by climbing to the roof of their hotel and raising the American flag!
Results: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_IAAF_World_Cross_Country_Championships
https://vault.si.com/vault/1983/03/28/it-was-a-muddy-good-show-of-teamwork
2005— Still grieving over the sudden death of his fiancée earlier in the year, Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele won the short (3-19) and long (3-20) double for the 4th year in a row at the World X-Country Championships in Saint-Galmier near Saint-Étienne, France. Fellow Ethiopian Tirunesh Dibaba was also a double winner of the Women’s races.
Bekele went stride-for-stride in the Long Course race (12.02km) with Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge for most of the race, with the two sometimes brushing up against each other as they rounded turns, before pulling away for a commanding win as Kipchoge faded to 5th place.
The U.S., led by Lauren Fleshman (11th), Blake Russell (15th), Shalane Flanagan (20th), and Shayne Culpepper (21st), won the bronze medals in the Women’s Short Course race. Said Flanagan, “That’s the only reason that I’m here, for the team to get on the stand. I’m so pleased that I could help the team to a top-three finish”.
The top finisher for the U.S. Junior Men’s team was Oregon freshman Galen Rupp, who finished 20th.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_IAAF_World_Cross_Country_Championships
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmqdRSqaTuY
2011—U.S. women came away with individual and team bronze medals at the World X-Country Championships in warm conditions in Punta Umbria, Spain.
Shalane Flanagan (25:10) finished 3rd in the 9k race, behind Kenyans Vivian Cheruiyot (24:58) and Linet Masai (25:07), to lead the American team to its 2nd straight 3rd-place finish. Supporting Flanagan with strong performances were Molly Huddle (17th), Magdalena Lewy-Boulet (18th), and Blake Russell (19th).
With 4 runners scoring, Kenya (15) was an easy team winner over Ethiopia (29) and the U.S. (57).
Said Flanagan, “I had to rise up and elevate my game today. I was so pleased to be in medal position. It was a lot of fun today. I know that we have to elevate our game in order to be in a medal position. I love the fact that this is a team sport, and there is a great team dynamic going with all of the ladies on the team”.
Other Races:
Senior Men (12k/Kenya-14)-1.Imane Merga (Ethiopia) 33:50, 2.Paul Tanui (Kenya) 33:52…35.Ben True (USA)
Junior Men (8k/Kenya-20)-1.Geoffrey Kamworor (Kenya) 22:21…29.Craig Lutz (USA)
Junior Women (6k/Ethiopia-17)-1.Faith Kipyegon (Kenya) 18:53…17.Aisling Cuffe (USA)
Results: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_IAAF_World_Cross_Country_Championships
2016—It was a good weekend at the World Indoor Championships in Portland, Oregon, for Team USA, which captured a record total of 13 gold medals (also a record 23 medals overall).
5 of those gold medals were won on the final day of competition:
Men
Full of run after a slow early pace (2:07.88/800!), Matthew Centrowitz sprinted past New Zealand’s Nick Willis in the homestretch to win the 1500-meters (3:44.22) and would go on to win Olympic gold in Rio
A lineup of Kyle Clemons (46.6), Calvin Smith (45.6), Chris Giesting (45.3), and Vernon Norwood (45.0) won the 4×400 in 3:02.45
Marquis Dendy won the Men’s Long Jump with a leap of 27-1 ¼ (8.26),
Women
High School senior Vashti Cunningham won the Women’s High Jump (6-5 [1.96])
A lineup of Natasha Hastings (51.9), Quanera Hayes (51.0), Courtney Okolo (50.7), and Ashley Spencer (52.8) won the 4×400 in 3:26.38.
In other highlights, Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha (7:57.21) edged American Ryan Hill (7:57.39) in the Men’s 3000; Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba (2:00.01) won the Women’s 800 over American Ajee’ Wilson (2:00.27); Genzebe Dibaba (8:47.43) and Meseret Defar (8:54.26) gave Ethiopia a 1-2 sweep in the Women’s 3000, with American Shannon Rowbury winning the bronze medal (8:55.55); Jamaica’s Omar McLeod won the Men’s 60-meter hurdles in 7.41.
Previous days’ recaps:
3-17/ France’s Renaud Lavillenie (19-9 [6.02]) and American Jenn Suhr 16-3/4 (4.90) set Championship Records in the Men’s and Women’s Pole Vault, which were held in the Portland Convention Center.
3-18/3 wins for the U.S.: Men’s 60-Trayvon Bromell (6.47); Women’s 60-hurdles-Nia Ali (7.81); Women’s Long Jump-Brittney Reese 23-8 ¼ (7.22); Canada’s Brianne Theisen won the Pentathlon (4881).
3-19/4 more wins for the U.S.: Men’s 800 Boris Berian (1:45.83); Women’s 60-Barbara Pierre (7.02). Finishing behind Pierre in the women’s 60 were the Netherlands’ Dafne Schippers (7.04) and Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson (7.06), who would later win the 100 and 200 at the Rio Olympics; Ashton Eaton (64760) won his 3rd straight title in the Heptathlon a day after his wife won the Pentathlon; Women’s Shot Put-Michelle Carter (66-3 ¾ [20.21]) got the win and an American Record on her last throw.
Men’s 1500: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cmGQAfDtvU
Women’s 800: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aOz6umaVn4
Women’s 3000: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5K6AzcYaiM
Born On This Day*
Letesenbet Gidey-Ethiopia 27 (1998) Bronze medalist in the 10,000-Meters at the Tokyo Olympics
2022 World Champion-10,000m (Silver-2019)
5th in the 5000 at the 2022 World Championships (2017-11th)
Bronze medalist at the 2019 World X-Country Championships; 2015 World Junior XC Champion
Collapsed (while leading) shortly before the finish at the 2022 World X-Country Championships
Only ran one race in 2024: 5000-14:37.13…got married in May, 2024
Former World Record holder in the 5000 (14:06.62/2020/now #4 All-Time) and 10,000 (29:01.03/2021/now #2
A-T) Meters still the record holder in the Half-Marathon (1:02:52/2019)
Made her marathon debut in Valencia, Spain, on December 4, 2022—finished 2nd in 2:16:49 (#7 All-Time)
Other PBs: 8:20.27 (2021/#7 All-Time/indoor-outdoor), 9:06.74/2m (2021/#5-Ind/Out)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letesenbet_Gidey
https://worldathletics.org/athletes/ethiopia/letesenbet-gidey-14654918
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/142604
5k WR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3ZSkjojnXA
10k WR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75NrdG6HMkY
½-MarWR(Highlights): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGVEyVzW65g
Shamier Little 30 (1995) 2024 Olympic gold medalist-4×400—team set an American Record of 3:15.27
Shamier Little-49.48, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone-47.71, Gabby Thomas-49.30, Alexis Holmes-48.78
2024 Olympic silver medalist—Mixed 4×400
3-time NCAA Champion while at Texas A&M (2014-2016)
Silver medalist in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2015 World Championships—won her 2nd silver 8 years later at the
2023 World Championships (4th in 2022)—failed to make the final at the 2017 World Championships in London
2014 World Junior Champion—400-hurdles, 4×400
2-time U.S. Junior Champion—400-hurdles (2012, 2014)
2015 Pan-American Games Champion—400-hurdles, 4×400
Considered one of the early favorites to win gold in Rio in 2016, she failed to make the final at the U.S.
Olympic Trials…
4th at the 2019 U.S. Championships and the 2021 and 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials
Turned pro after the 2016 NCAA Championships, giving up her final year of collegiate eligibility.
Ranked #1 in the World in 2018 (2015-#2, 2017-#4, 2019-#3, 2021-#4, 2022-#7, 2023-#2)
PBs: 49.91/400 (2021), 2:04.39 (2021), 52.39/400h (2021), 1:24.65i/600m (2023); 2024 SBs: 50.13, 52.78
https://www.iaaf.org/athletes/united-states/shamier-little-258893
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamier_Little
Emotional Interview after feeling redemption after finishing 4th at the 2022 World Championships:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZaWS2rQVbo
Turning Pro:
2023 Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2DXFQHCkASrdUDyILWFROu?si=a1264837b67c4367&nd=1
Kevin Sullivan-Canada 51 (1974) 1995 NCAA Champion—1500m (Michigan/1994-3rd, 1997-2nd)
3-time NCAA Indoor Champion—Mile (1995,1998), DMR (1995)
5th in the 1500 at the 1995 World Championships and 2000 Olympics…semi-finalist at the 2004 and 2008
Olympics and 4 World Championships (2001-2003-2005-2007)
Canadian record holder 1500-meters (3:31.71/2000), mile (3:50.26/2000)
Other PBs: 3:55.33i (1995), 7:41.61 (2008), 13:19.27 (2007)
Currently the Director of T&F/XC at Michigan, his alma mater.
http://mgoblue.com/coaches.aspx?rc=2919&path=mtrack
Video-1998 NCAA Indoor Mile(Great Finish): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfwO2nLCWdM
Shola Lynch 56 (1969) 2-time U.S. Junior Champion—800m (1983-14 at the time!,1986)
All-American at Texas—5th at the 1992 NCAA Championships
Ran 2:07.14 in 1983 as a 14-year old 8th-grader
Currently a noted filmmaker…directed “Runner”, part of ESPN’s Nine for IX series, which commemorated the 40th
anniversary of Title IX—featured Mary Decker and Zola Budd.
Regular on Sesame Street from the age of 2-6!
Sister Nnenna is the NYRR’s Chair of the Board of Directors
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shola_Lynch
https://sholalynch.wordpress.com
Runner:
https://www.amazon.com/ESPN-Films-Nine-IX-Runner/dp/B00HV0084A
http://www.ebony.com/entertainment-culture/director-shola-lynch-talks-runner-453
Frank Gagliano 88 (1937) Legendary coach
Began his coaching career at Roselle Catholic H.S. in New Jersey. Team won the Boys 4×800 and Distance Medley
at the 1965 Penn Relays
Was an assistant coach at Manhattan College when the Jaspers won the 1973 NCAA Indoor team title.
Moved on to become the head coach at Rutgers, where he coached Ron Speirs, who would become his first sub-4
minute miler.
His last college position was as the head coach at Georgetown. Among the team’s many accomplishments during
his tenure was setting a World Record in the Distance Medley at the 1987 Penn Relays
Known as a master recruiter
Began his post-collegiate career as the coach of the Reebok Enclave, then, at the urging of Vin Lananna, who was
the head coach at Stanford at the time, he moved to California in 2001 to become the coach of the Farm Team.
When Lananna moved on to the University of Oregon, he convinced Gagliano to move to Eugene in 2006 to help
found the Oregon Track Club, where he helped Nick Symmonds and Christian Smith make the 2008 U.S. Olympic
team in the 800-meters.
After moving back East with wife Robbie in 2009 to look after their ailing daughter, he soon formed the (Hoka)
NJ*NY Track Club, which would set World Indoor Records in the 4×800 and 4xmile relays
Among the many other athletes he coached during his career were Rich Kenah, Nicole Teter, Mike Stahr, Miles Irish,
Ashley Higginson, John Trautmann, Steve Holman, Julie Culley, Nicole Tully, Kyle Merber, Erin Donohue, Joe
Savage, Tony Colon, and Donn Cabral
Beloved by the athletes he coached, he was affectionately known as “Gags”.
The Bronx native was the quarterback at the University of Richmond before playing for a year in the Canadian
Football League.
The inaugural Coach Frank Gagliano Track Meet will be held on March 29 (2025) at the place where his career
started—Roselle Catholic H.S.
Liam Boylan-Pett provides a detailed look at the career of his former coach:
(For Subscribers?): https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a20805058/a-legends-last-trials/
https://guhoyas.com/honors/hall-of-fame/francis-x-gagliano/2
…
