by RBR Admin
Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service (wmurphy25@aol.com)
(c)Copyright 2025-all rights reserved. May not be reprinted or retransmitted without permission.
This Day in Track & Field–January 17
(Nurmi, Stones, 4-Mile Relay, ’86 Sunkist/Birthdays-Jaydon Hibbert, Masterkova, Tom Sullivan, Kip Keino, Jaydon Hibbert)
1925–After completing a mind (and body) numbing roundtrip to Chicago, Paavo Nurmi returned to New York for the Fordham University handicap meet. Ville “Willie” Ritola warmed up the overflow crowd at the 102nd Engineers (168th St.) Armory (the same one that’s in use today) by setting a World Indoor Record for five miles (24:21.8).
Competing in the final event on the program, Nurmi, apparently putting his problems in Chicago behind him (see Jan.16), got his 8th world record of his U.S. tour (and 5th in 3 nights) by establishing a new mark of 5:33.0 for 2000-meters. (From the NY Times Archives)
1975–Dwight Stones, who already had the outdoor best, got the first of his seven World Indoor Records in the High Jump when he cleared 7-5 (2.26) in Pocatello, Idaho, bettering the previous mark of 7-4 ½ (2.25), which was set by the legendary Valeriy Brumel. Alternating between the straddle and his customary flop styles at lower heights, Stones cleared the record height on his second attempt.
The added significance of his record performance wasn’t lost on Stones, who idolized Brumel. “It was terribly important to me that I broke a Brumel record. I remember being really annoyed at Pat Matzdorf in July 1971 when he broke Brumel’s outdoor record at the U.S. vs U.S.S.R. in Berkeley. I had just graduated from high school and didn’t expect anyone to approach the record before I would, nearly exactly 2 years. later.”
On the same day, Steve Smith, competing on the professional tour (ITA) in Montreal, set an unofficial world record of 18-2 ½ (5.55) in the Pole Vault.
1976–The 4-mile relay was not contested very often indoors and the World Record was a modest 16:34.8, set by Indiana University in 1974. In an effort to bring some respect to the event, three loaded teams from Villanova, the NY Athletic Club, and the Philadelphia Pioneers traveled to the Dartmouth Relays in Hanover,New Hampshire, for a summit meeting.
Pete Squires, the former All-American steepler from Manhattan College, gave the NYAC a narrow lead with his 4:08.9 lead-off leg, while Wildcat junior George McKay and the Pioneers’ Julio Piazza (the former head coach at Lafayette) both stayed close with their 4:09.0 splits.
Former Rutgers star Ron Speirs (4:02.2) had extended the AC’s lead to about 30-meters late in the 2nd leg, but freshman Don Paige exploded on the final lap to give Villanova a narrow lead at the handoff, with ex-Penn star Karl Thornton(4:03.2) keeping the Pioneers close in 3rd. Paige’s 4:01.6 split prompted T&F News to comment on the future great, “a star is born?”.
The lead flip-flopped again on the 3rd leg, with Tony Colon (4:04.4), Squires’ former teammate at Manhattan, moving the NYAC ahead of Villanova sophomore Mark Belger (4:05.3). Charlie Maguire, the 1973 NCAA 6-mile champion from Penn State, ran 4:09.9 as the Pioneers fell back.
As the anchor leg began, there was no question that the world record would fall, but who would win the race? The answer was Villanova, with junior Phil “Tiny” Kane running a 4:03.1 anchor to hold off the fast charging Greg Fredericks (ex-Penn State star), whose 4:00.4 split, the fastest of the race, brought the Pioneers home in 2nd. The NYAC faded to 3rd as ex-Wildcat Ken Schappert, the 1973 NCAA Indoor 1/2 mile champion, could only muster a 4:09.9 leg.
All three teams shattered the previous record, with Villanova clocking 16:19.0, the Philadelphia Pioneers 16:20.4, and the NY Athletic Club 16:24.4. A “B” team from the NYAC was close to the old mark with its 4th-place time of 16:37.8.
Villanova’s effort was all the more remarkable when you consider that coach Jumbo Elliott held out Irishman Eamonn Coghlan, the 1975 NCAA Mile Champion, to ensure that the team would be comprised of all Americans (for record purposes, relay teams can’t have mixed nationalities).
1986–It was a night of records at the Sunkist Inv. in Los Angeles. When he got to the meet, Billy Olson learned that he was no longer the World Record holder in the Pole Vault, as Sergey Bubka had cleared 19-3 (5.87) 2 nights earlier in Japan. Olson needed all three attempts, but finally cleared 19-3 ½ (5.88) to reclaim the record, the 9th indoor mark of his career.
Another World Record went to Baptist College’s Charlie Simpkins, who won the Triple Jump with a mark of 57-5 (17.50m). Simpkins was trailing Michael Conley (56-6 [17.22]) when he reached out to his record distance on his final jump. An interested spectator at the meet was Willie Banks, the previous record-holder (57-1 ½ [17.41]). Simpkins also took down Conley’s Collegiate Record of 57-1 (17.40).
Johnny Gray got a two-fer in one race, setting American Records for 800m (1:46.1) and 880y (1:46.8).
A “lesser” World Record was set in the rarely-run 50y-hurdles, with Greg Foster running 5.88 to break Renaldo Nehemiah’s old mark of 5.92.
There was no record in the mile, but the result was still significant, with Marcus O’Sullivan holding off Eamonn Coghlan (3:58.37-3:58.55) to end his fellow Irishman’s 15-meet winning streak that dated back to 1983.
(From Track & Field News)
Sports Illustrated Vault: https://vault.si.com/vault/1986/01/27/billys-back-on-top-again
1986–Running on their home track in Fayetteville, Arkansas’ Roddie Haley and Doug Consiglio set World and Collegiate Indoor Records, respectively, in the 500m (1:01.18) and 1000m (2:19.64).
1987–Ohio State’s Butch Reynolds bettered Martin McGrady’s World Indoor Record for 600-yards (1:07.6) when he ran 1:06.87 at East Tennessee, but the mark couldn’t be accepted because it was achieved on an oversized track (293y). Runnerup Chip Jenkins, the son of 2-time Olympic gold medalist Charlie Jenkins, was also under McGrady’s mark with his time of 1:07.51.
1993–Russia’s Irina Privalova set the current World Record of 35.45 for 300-meters in Moscow. (Tied by the Bahamas’ Shaunae Miller-Uibo in 2018).
2010—Shalane Flanagan began her transition from the track to the roads by winning the Houston Half-Marathon in the Course Record time of 69:41.
Interview: https://www.flotrack.org/video/5181553-shalane-flanagan-2010-us-half-marathon-champ-6941-debut
2020—Senior Athing Mu (Trenton Central,NJ) set a U.S. High School Record of 1:10.22 for 500-Meters at the Virginia Showcase in Lynchburg(VA). The previous Record of 1:10.30 was set by Chanelle Price (Easton Area, Pa) in 2008). She came back the next day to win the 300-Meters in 37.36 (#3 All-Time U.S. preps-at the time). Sophomore Kyla Davis was 2nd in both events (37.38/#4 All-Time H.S.[at the time], 1:12.28).
Senior Taylor Ewert (Beaver Creek,OH) won the 3000-Meters Race Walk in 13:00.56, breaking her own U.S. High School Record of 13:24.76
Mu would go on to win the gold medal in the Women’s 800-Meters at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and 2022 World Championships.
https://www.runnerspace.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=news&news_id=594064
2020—Virginia Tech sophomore Jacory Patterson set a Collegiate Record of 32.28 for 300-Meters on his home track in Blacksburg(Va). He bettered his own record by running 31.99 at Clemson on January 15, 2022.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxsspP6_pHM
https://virginiatech.sportswar.com/article/2020/01/24/jacory-patterson-destination-tokyo/
2021—An All-Star U.S. prep team of Roisin Willis (2:06.0), Bailey Goggans (2:20.5), Juliette Whittaker (2:05.2), and Sophia Gorriaran (2:05.5) ran 8:37.20 in the 4×800 relay at the Virginia Showcase in Virginia Beach,VA, to set American and World Junior Indoor (and absolute) Records in the event. The previous best mark on record was the 8:37.71 that Jamaica’s Vere Tech H.S. ran at the 1991 Penn Relays.
Significant Birthdays
Born on This Day*
Jaydon Hibbert—Jamaica 20 (2005) 2023 NCAA Indoor & Outdoor Champion-Triple Jump (as an Arkansas freshman)
Turned pro after the 2023 season—4th at the 2024 Paris Olympics
Set Collegiate Indoor (57-6 ½ [17.54]) and Outdoor (58-7 ½ [17.87]) Records in 2023
Both marks bettered the previous World Junior/Under-20 Record of 57-5 (17.50) that was set by East
Germany’s Volker Mai back in 1985! He also broke the Arkansas school records that were held by U.S. Hall-of-
Famer Mike Conley, who was also the previous Collegiate Indoor Record holder.
His best prior to 2023 was 56-8 (17.27)
Led the qualifying round at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest with a jump of 58-1 (17.70), but was
forced to withdraw after straining his hamstring on his opening jump in the final.
2022 World Junior/Under-20 Champion (2nd in 2021 when he was 16)
2022 Penn Relays High School Champion (Jamaica College,JAM)
PBs: 25-10 (7.87/’22), 57-6 1/2i (17.54/’23), 58-7 ½ (17.87/’23); 2024 SBs: 25-4 ½ (7.73), 58-3 (17.87)
Winner of the 2023 Bowerman Award
During his pre-announcement interview, host John Anderson surprised him by showing a shout-out video from
Jonathan Edwards, the World Record holder in the TJ. “Been great to watch you jump. Super impressive,”
Edwards said, speaking to Hibbert. “I’m looking forward to seeing how you develop. You’ve certainly got my
attention.”
Fashionable entrance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeedEBEPM00
Acceptance Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H_Ch2-Qyh0
https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/dec/14/hibbert-becomes-2nd-razorback-to-win-the-bowerman/
https://arkansasrazorbacks.com/arkansas-freshman-jaydon-hibbert-claims-the-bowerman/
Arkansas Coach Travis Geopfert on Hibbert (great interview):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=s3zfXgOcuyA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaydon_Hibbert
https://arkansasrazorbacks.com/roster/jaydon-hibbert/
Svetlana Masterkova-Russia 57 (1968) 2-time Olympic gold medalist—1996 (800,1500)
1999 World Champion—1500 (Bronze-800); Silver medalist in the 800 at the 1993 World Indoor
Championships
PBs: 1:55.87 (1999), 2:28.98 (1996/WR), 3:57.11 (1998), 4:12.56 (1996/#3 All-Time)
Still holds the World Record in the 1000, but lost the World Record in the mile in 2019 to Sifan Hassan (4:12.33)
Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svetlana_Masterkova
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/75373
1996 OG-1500: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz6-7KKZ7DY
Tom Sullivan 82 (1943) Set 8 U.S. High School Records in 1960-1961 (St.George H.S.-Evanston,IL)
Indoors
1000y—2:14.0 (1960), 2:10.5 (1961)
Mile—4:12.5, 4:11.2 (both 1961)
Outdoors
880y—1:50.6 (1961/winner at the Golden West Invitation)
1500m—3:48.0 (1961/en route to mile)
Mile—4:03.5 (1961)
Steeplechase—9:51.0 (1961)
4-time Penn Relays Champion while at Villanova—1964 (4xmile, Distance Medley-3/4 leg), 1965 (4x880y, 4xmile-
anchor). The 1965 4x880y team of James Orr, Al Adams, Tom Sullivan, and Noel Carroll was added to the Penn
Relays Wall of Fame in 2015
All-American: NCAA-1964 (1500-8th/ran 3:44.3PB), 1965i (880y-3rd)
Ran his 4:03.5 H.S. Record while finishing a close 2nd to veteran Jim Grelle (4:02.7) at the Compton Inv. in 1961. He
not only smashed the previous mark of 4:08.9, set by Archie San Romani (East, Wichita, KS) at the same meet in 1959,
he also broke the World Junior Record of 4:04.3 that had been set by future great Herb Elliott in 1957. While Sullivan attended
St.George H.S. in Illinois, Elliott attended St.George’s Terrace in Perth, Australia, and both were taught by the strict Christian
Brothers!
Was coached in high school by Don Amidei, who moved on to Loyola University, where he coached another miler of note-Tom
O’Hara, the former World Indoor Record holder in the Mile!
Devoted as much time (if not more) to his studies at Villanova as he did to his running career (with the encouragement of coach
Jumbo Elliott), eventually attending medical school and becoming a specialist in Pediatric Neurology
Sullivan shares this story about his record mile:
“In the January, 1959 issue of T&F News (page 16) there is a list of the “World Junior Records”. I just turned 16 when that issue
came out. My coach, Don Amidei, showed me his personal copy of that issue some years after I finished my medical residencies
and we were out to lunch. Next to the T&F World Jr. Mile listing of 4:04.3, Herb Elliott, my coach has a small “x” next to his
name and the initials “TS” on the margin. He said to me ‘I checked that mark off when you were only a sophomore and I knew
that was the mark I was going to set for you over the next two years’. I have a copy of that pen-marked page with my initials next
to Herb Elliott’s 4:04.3. I am who I am today because I entered St. George High School with the greatest mentor and coach as a
teenager. We remained very close friends until he passed away.”
Elliott lost another World Junior Record at the meet to 17-year old Canadian Bruce Kidd, who ran 13:26.6 for 3-miles en
route to winning the 5000-meters in 13:56.4 (breaking his own World Junior Record).
From an email Sullivan sent in 2023: “Bruce and I connected a few months ago after 60+ years of running in same meets
as high school runners but never talking or congratulating each other after our performances ( different events, different warm
up times and race times, and usually without our coaches and focused on our mission).
He and I (unknowingly) were in schools in Chicago studying to be doctors in our post running years. We both have spent 45+
years giving back to our passions (myself to neurologically impaired children, and Bruce to his mission of advocating equality
of sports to all in Canada and the world)”.
Compton-‘61: https://vault.si.com/vault/1961/06/12/the-boys-from-the-men
For Subscribers: https://forum.trackandfieldnews.com/forum/historical/36188-tom-sullivan
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-06-07-9102200899-story.html
Kip Keino—Kenya 85 (1940) The “father of Kenyan distance running”
4-time Olympic medalist (Gold-1500/1968, Steeplechase/1972,
Silver-5000/1968, 1500/1972);
Beat Jim Ryun to win Olympic gold in the 1500 in the altitude of Mexico City after fellow Kenyan Ben Jipcho set
a fast pace that Ryun was reluctant to follow. Ryun had beaten Keino the year before when he set a World
Record (3:33.1) at the L.A. Coliseum.
Prior to the 1500 final, Keino dropped out of the 10,000 in pain, suffering from what would be diagnosed as
gallstones! Determined to continue at the Games, he then won the silver medal in the 5000 before winning
gold in the 1500.
Former World Record holder 3000m-7:39.6 (1965), 5000m-13:24.2 (1965)
Winner of the Wanamaker Mile at the 1966 Millrose Games.
Recipient of the first Olympic Laurel in Rio in 2016 in recognition of “his outstanding achievements in the
fields of education, culture, development and peace through sport.
Often wore a cap during his races—would throw it off when he was ready to start his kick!
Gallstones!: http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/mar/30/olympics-2012-athletics
Olympic Stats: https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/72762
IAAF Hall of Fame: https://www.worldathletics.org/news/news/kip-keino-to-be-inducted-into-the-iaaf-hall-o
2012 Article:
Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kipchoge_Keino
Video(’68 1500): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_9AAy7yZTc
http://racingpast.ca/john_contents.php?id=167
Olympic Laurel: https://citizentv.co.ke/sports/kenyas-kip-keino-revels-in-olympic-laurel-136136/
They’re All My Children: https://www.si.com/vault/1987/12/21/106778581/theyre-all-my-children-kip-keino
http://shawnfury.blogspot.com/2009/12/remember-when-kip-keino-was-sis.html
