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
RelatedPosts
This Day in Track & Field-January 2
Significant Birthdays
Born On This Day*
Bianca Knight 36 (1989) 2012 Olympic gold medalist-4×100…ran the 3rd leg on the U.S. team that set a World Record in
London (40.82) Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight, Carmelita Jeter
Also a gold medalist in the 4×100 relay at the 2011 World Championships– ran the lead-off leg for
the U.S.
Had one of the shortest collegiate careers in history—Was a freshman at the University of Texas in
2008 when she turned professional shortly after winning the 200 at the NCAA Indoor Championships (set a
Collegiate Indoor Record of 22.40/since broken).
Missed the 2015 season after giving birth to her son in July that year.
2005 World Youth Champion-100m
Assistant coach at Queens University of Charlotte
PBs: 7.16 (2008), 11.07 (2008), 22.35 (2011), 22.40i (2008/World junior Record/=#11 All-Time World, #4 A-T
U.S.), 36.41i (2011), 52.55 (2011); last competed in 2016
https://www.teamusa.com/profiles/bianca-knight
https://queensathletics.com/sports/womens-track-and-field/roster/coaches/bianca-knight/1806
Foundation: https://www.bkfgives.org
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bianca_Knight
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MsBiancaAK?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Clinician: https://www.facebook.com/BiancaAKnight/
Sarah Schwald 52 (1973) 1995 NCAA Indoor Champion-3000m (Arkansas)
4th in the 1500 at the 1994 NCAA Championships
1989 U.S. junior Champion-1500m
Semi-finalist in the 1500 at the 2001 World Championships
Competed in two World X-Country Championships—2001 (48th), 2006 (38th)
8th in the 1500 at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials
2001 Penn Relays Champion-Mile
Winner of the h.S. Girls Mile at the 1989 Millrose Games
Married to Daniel Lincoln, the former American Record holder in the Steeplechase
Daughter Ellery, currently a sophomore at Lincoln H.S. in Portland, Oregon, has bests of 2:09.85 (800) and
4:40.75 (mile)
PBs:4:04.43 (2001),4:33.43i (2007), 8:51.07i (2003), 15:40.74 (2004)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Schwald
https://www.ussportscamps.com/coaches/sarah-schwald
https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/sarah-schwald-14320875
Daughter: https://www.runnerspace.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=news&news_id=669454
István Bagyula-Hungary 56 (1969) 6-time NCAA Champion-Pole Vault (George Mason, in/out:1990-1992/most in NCAA
history[PV])
Silver medalist at the 1991 World Championships-took the lead with a Championship Record clearance of 19-4 ¼
(5.90), but Sergei Bubka then cleared 19-6 ¼ (5.95) to win gold.
2-time Olympian-1988 (7th), 1992 (9th)
6th at the 1989 World Indoor Championships (qualifying round-1995, 1997)
1988 World junior Champion; PBs: 19-5 (5.92/1991), 19-1i (5.82/1992)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/István_Bagyula
1991 WC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28-IVCeMMFc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRK9Bon_m60
Norm Tate 83 (1942) 1968 U.S. Olympian—Triple Jump (Qualifying round)
4-time U.S. Indoor Champion-long jump (1966, 1969-1971); 2-time Triple jump Champion (1969,1970)
Won the lj and Tj at the 1964 and 1965 NAIA Championships
13-time Penn Relays Champion (North Carolina Central/1963-1965)
440y Relay: 1964
880y Relay: 1964, 1965
Long Jump: 1964, 1965
Triple Jump: 1963-1965
Olympic Development
Long Jump: 1968, 1971, 1972
Triple Jump:1967, 1968
Named the meet’s Outstanding Performer in 1964; Member of the Penn Relays Wall of Fame
PBs:26-5i (8.05,1973), 54-9 ½ (16.70/1970)
Currently an assistant coach at Rowan University
https://www.rowanathletics.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1430&path=mtrack
http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/79111
Deceased
Martin Lauer-Germany 82 (1937-Oct.6, 2019) 1960 Olympic gold medalist-4×100
1958 European Champion—110-hurdles;
Set the first two World Records at the famed Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich in 1959—ran 13.2 in the 110-hurdles
(auto-time was 13.56!) and 22.5 in the 200-meter hurdles.
4th in the 110-hurdles at the 1956 and 1960 Olympics; 5th in the Decathlon in 1956
Ran 2nd leg on the German team that equaled the World Record of 39.5 in the 4×100 relay in 1958
Was Track & Field News’ 1st Athlete of the Year (1959)
Enjoyed a post-Olympic career as a country singer!
Passed away on October 6, 2019, at the age of 82.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Lauer
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/70375
Commodore “Com” Cochran 67 (1902-Jan.3, 1969) 1924 Olympic gold medalist—4×400…ran the lead-off leg on the
team that set a World Record of 3:16.0
2-time NCAA Champion—440y (Mississippi State/1922,1923)
Coached his younger brother Roy, who was a 2-time Olympic gold medalist in 1948 (400-hurdles, 4×400)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_Cochran
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78237
Franklin “Pitch” Johnson 66 (1901-Sep.21, 1967) Director of the Drake Relays from 1933-1940
Coached at Drake from 1928-1940, at Stanford from 1941-1943
1924 U.S. Olympian—110m-Hurdles
All-American at Illinois:NCAA 120y-Hurdles-1923 (4th)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitch_Johnson
http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78613
http://www.ustfccca.org/awards/pitch-johnson-ustfccca-class-of-2009
https://positivecoach.org/donors/interview-with-pitch-johnson/
Attachments area