This Day in Track & Field-December 25 (Merry Christmas), Born this Day: Kaarlo Maaninka (1953), Kathy Franey-Fleming (1967), Mark Wieczorek (1984),

Walt Murphy is one of the finest track geeks that I know. Walt does #ThisDayinTrack&FieldHistory, an excellent daily service that provides true geek stories about our sport. You can check out the service for FREE with a free one-month trial subscription! (email: WaltMurphy44@gmail.com ) for the entire daily service. We will post a few historic moments each day, beginning February 1, 2024.

by Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service (wmurphy25@aol.com), used with permission

This Day in Track & Field-December 25 (Merry Christmas)

Born On This Day* 

Kellion Knibb-Jamaica  31 (1993) All-American at Florida State- discus (2014-5th, 2015-2^nd, 2017-3rd)

        3-time Penn Relays Champion (2014, 2016, 2017)…set a Relays Record of 203-7 (62.07) in 2017 (also a

           Jamaican Record). Improved her National Record to 205-9 (62.73) while winning her first Jamaican title in 2017.

        4-time ACC Champion (2013, 2014, 2015, 2017);

        Competed in the qualifying round at the 2016 Olympics and 2017 World Championships. Last competed in 2018

        (May, 2017):

        www.tallahassee.com/story/sports/college/fsu/2017/05/11/fsus-kellion-knibb-looks-make-discus-history/101556190/

        https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/jamaica/kellion-knibb-14413519

        College Stats: https://www.tfrrs.org/athletes/4210209/Florida_State/Kellion_Knibb.html

Japheth Cato 34 (1990) 2017 U.S. Indoor Champion—Heptathlon (2^nd-2016)

        Runnerup in the Heptathlon at the 2012 and 2013 NCAA Championships (Wisconsin)

        4-time Big-10 Indoor Champion-Heptathlon

        PBs: 14.04 (2012), 7-2  ½ (2.20/2015), 18-2  ½I (5.55/(2013), 6165( 2013), 7616 (2012)

        Currently the Assistant Athletic Director & Operations Manager–Crystal Springs Uplands School (CA)

        College Stats: https://www.tfrrs.org/athletes/3273742/Wisconsin/Japheth_Cato

        https://uwbadgers.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/japheth-cato/1286

Martin Mathathi—Kenya 39 (1985) Bronze medalist in the 10,000 at the 2007 World Championships (5^th in 2005 & 2011)

        Bronze medalist at the 2006 World X-Country Championships, won gold in the team standings (long course)

        7^th in the 10,000 at the 2008 Olympic Games

        PBs: 3:38.57 (2006), 7:55.68 (2009), 13:03.84 (2005), 26:59.88 (2009), 2:07:16 (Dec.,2013)

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

        https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/114964

Mark Wieczorek 40 (1984)  2006 NAIA Indoor Champion—800m (Mid-America Nazarene University)

        5-time finalist at the U.S. Indoor Championships (2^nd in 2009)

        7^th at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials

        “Rabbit” of choice at many major meets for a few years.

        Was the coach at Gig Harbor(Wa) H.S. when they won the Boys’ team title at the 2013 Nike Cross Nationals

        PBs: 1:45.46 (2013), 1:47.09i (2013), 3:43.68 (2015); Retired after the 2016 season; Working for Google

        https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/pac-12/us-olympic-track-trials-unlikely-entry-mark-wieczorek-places-seventh-in-800/

        Gig Harbor

        https://twitter.com/wizzo800?lang=en

        2015 Wanamaker Mile: http://www.usatf.tv/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=45365&do=videos&video_id=133688

Camille Herron 43 (1981)  2019 World Champion IAU 24-Hour World Champion (International Association  of Ultrarunners)

        2015 World Champion—50k, 100k

        Thought she had broken her own World Record (12:42:40) for 100-miles when she ran 12:41:11 in February, 2022,

           but, in a controversial move, USATF later ruled that the course was short!

        https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/07/sport/camille-herron-100-mile-world-record-usatf-spt-intl/index.html

        Guinness World Record holder for the fastest marathon in a Superhero costume, running 2:48:51 dressed as

               Spiderwoman.

        Winner of 20 marathons from 2010-2017 (Best of 2:37:14/2012)

        Attended Marshfield H.S. in Coos Bay, Oregon (Steve Prefontaine’s school).

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

        https://worldathletics.org/news/report/iau-24-hour-world-championships-2019-albi-her

        http://www.camilleherron.com

        Online Coach: https://www.runwithcamille.com/coach-camille-herron

        https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a30361143/camille-herron-ultrarunning-success/

        May 2021: https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/camille-herron-distance-running-world-record-interview

        Career Stats (Through 2017): https://more.arrs.run/runner/25461

Qu Yunxia—China  52 (1972)

        1993 World Champion—3000m (led a Chinese sweep); 1992 Olympic bronze medalist—1500m

        Former World Record holder at 1500-meters—3:50.46 (1993)

        Member of “Ma’s Army”

        WR Video(Highlight): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuOSbU4N-AE

        WC 3000: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUO_PA8Tw_s

         Rise and Fall of Ma’s Army

        https://worldathletics.org/athletes/pr-of-china/yunxia-qu-14265434

Andy Keith-Great Britain 53 (1971)  1992 NCAA Indoor Champion—Mile (Providence/2^nd in ‘93, ‘94; 2^nd NCAA 1500-‘94)

        PBs: 1:47.59 (1995), 2:20.05i (’94), 3:39.06 (’93), 3:57.96 (’95)

        Providence Hall of Fame: http://www.friars.com/genrel/021808aab.html

Chioma Ajunwa-Nigeria  54 (1970) 1996 Olympic gold medalist—Long Jump (1^st African woman to win gold in a field

           event). Semi-finalist in the 100 at the Atlanta Olympics

        Silver medalist—1997 World Indoor Championships (4^th in the 60-meters);

        12^th at the 1997 World Outdoor Championships

        PBs: 7.02i (1998), 10.84 (1992/questionable), 11.06 (1992), 22.93 (1992), 23-4  ½ (7.12/1996)

        Won Olympic gold after serving a 4-year suspension for failing a drug test in 1992. Still maintains she never

            knowingly took any performance-enhancing drugs. Has become an advocate for clean sport and the

            empowerment of Nigerian youth through her Foundation.

        Former soccer player competed on Nigeria’s national team at the 1991 World Cup

        http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/10/sport/chioma-ajunwa-nigeria-long-jump/index.html

        http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/73945

        Foundation: https://chiomaajunwafoundation.org

Fred Onyancha-Kenya 55 (1969) 1996 Olympic bronze medalist-800m; PB-1:42.79 (1996 OG)

        Video(OG): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzJhUhM7_Yk&feature=player_embedded

        https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/frederick-onyancha-14209565

Kathy Franey-Fleming  57 (1967) 1994 U.S. Indoor Champion—3000m; 8^th at the 1993 World Indoor Championships

        2-time NCAA Indoor Champion—4×800 (Villanova/1987,1988)

        #2 scorer on Villanova’s 1^st NCAA Championship X-Country team (1989)

        Winner of seven Penn Relays watches

        1988-4×800, DMR-10:48.38 (WR-Franey 3:30.9, Michelle Bennett 52.9, Celeste Halliday 2:04.7, Vicki Huber 4:29.9)

        1989-4×1500 17:23.58 (CR-Michele DiMuro 4:26.3, Sonia O’Sullivan 4:16.4, Franey 4:21.3, Vicki Huber 4:18.6);

               DMR-3:22.2 lead-off

        1990-4×800, 4×1500-17:18.10 (CR-Nnenna Lynch 4:25.8, Sonia O’Sullivan 4:13.5, Cheri Goddard 4:21.6, Franey 4:17.2);

               DMR-Anchor–4:32.8

      PBs: 4:07.18 (1996), 4:33.50 (1997), 8:46.04 (1994), 15:35.05 (1993)

      Husband Jack Fleming is the CEO of the Boston A.A.

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

Roy “Robot” Martin 58 (1966) One of the greatest H.S. sprinters in U.S. history…ran 20.13 twice in 1985…that stood as

            the U.S. High School Record  for 31 years until Noah Lyles ran 20.09 in 2016…also ran 10.18 for 100-meters in

            1985, 2^nd  at the time only to Houston McTear’s prep record of 10.16.

        1986 NCAA Champion—4×400 (SMU)

            3:01.62 (Harold Spells 46.0, Rod Jones 45.4, Roy Martin 45.7, Kevin Robinzine 44.5)

        Semi-finalist in the 200 at the 1988 Olympics….was 4^th in the 200 at the 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials before

            entering his senior year at Roosevelt H.S. in Dallas

        Put on a show at the 1985 Texas Relays in Austin—won the 100 in 10.18 (beating Joe DeLoach, who would win

            the 200 at the 1988 Olympics), anchored Roosevelt to a win in the 4×100 (41.10), and ran a 44.9 anchor as

            his team finished 2^nd in the 4×400 (3:10.49). His effort in the 4×400 wasn’t enough to catch Henry Thomas,

            whose 44.5 anchor led Hawthorne(CA) to the current U.S. High School Record of 3:07.40.

        T&F News’ Male H.S. Athlete of the Year in 1984 and 1985

        PBs: 10.12 (1986), 20.05 (1988), 46.42 (1988)

        Member of the National H.S. T&F Hall of Fame

        1986 Article:  upi.com/Archives/1986/06/14/Roy-Martin-seen-as-Carl-Lewis-rival/8440519105600/

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Martin_(sprinter)

      H.S. Hall of Fame:

        http://nationalhighschooltrackandfieldhof.org/roy-martin/

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VLPtbVpm44

        Dwayne Evans & Roy Martin: https://www.runnerspace.com/video.php?video_id=270039

Kaarlo Maaninka—Finland 70 (1953) Double medalist at the 1980 Olympics—Silver (10,000), Bronze (5000)

        PBs: 13:22.00 (1980), 27:44.28 (1980)

      https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/67716

        OG-10k: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrbyEgA49a8

Deceased

Basil Heatley-Great Britain 85 (1933—August 3, 2019)  1964 Olympic silver medalist—Marathon (behind Abebe Bikila)

        Set a World Record of 2:13:55 in 1964 (previous mark of 2:14:28 was set by Buddy Edelen in 1963)
Winner of the 1961 X-Country International, the precursor to the World X-Country Championships

        Passed away on August 3, 2019, at the age of 85

        Racing Past: http://www.racingpast.ca/john_contents.php?id=169

        http://www.englishcrosscountry.co.uk/news/basil-heatley-hall-of-fame/

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

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

        Tribute: https://www.athleticsweekly.com/athletics-news/distance-legend-basil-heatley-dies-1039924131/

Bill Richardson 66 (1903-Dec.28, 1969) 1924 U.S. Olympian—80 0(5^th)

            All-American at Stanford: NCAA-1925 (880y-2^nd)

            PB: 1:53.1y (1926)

            http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78947

Dolores Dwyer 76 (1934-October 29, 2011) 1953 U.S. Champion-200

            3-time U.S. Indoor Champion-60y (1949,1950,1952)

            1951 Pan-American Games Champion-4×100

            1952 U.S. Olympian-200 (1^st round-DNF)

            Member of World Record team in the 4x220y (1:40.0/1952)

            http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/77815