by RBR Admin
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-January 4
1980—Norway’s Grete Waitz was already the world record holder in the Women’s Marathon and was now going after the record in the indoor 3000-meters at the Runner’s World Classic(Daly City,CA).
Waitz had distanced herself from Jan Merrill, the existing record holder (8:57.6), and was well on her way to smashing the record when officials, perhaps confused by the lapped runners in the field, forced her to run an extra 160-yards on the 11-lap track. One alert timer did clock her in 8:50.8 at the proper mark on the track, but that wasn’t enough to merit record status.
Houston freshman Carl Lewis beat a strong field to win the Men’s Long Jump with a leap of 26-1 ½ (7.96m).
(From Track and Field News).
Significant Birthdays
Born On This Day
Nick Ponzio—USA/Italy (’21/1995) 30 Finalist at the 2022 World Indoor (7th) and Outdoor (9th) Championships
California native obtained Italian citizenship on June 15, 2021, in time for him to be eligible to represent Italy at the
Tokyo Olympics (didn’t make the final)
Was coached by Ryan Whiting, the 2-time World Indoor Champion in the Shot Put
Former USC Trojan was 6th at the 2017 NCAA Championships…spent his first year of college at the University
of Florida, but didn’t compete for the Gators.
PB:71-7 1/2 (21.83/2022), 70-10 3/4i (21.61/2022/Italian Record)
Was hit with an 18-month ban for “whereabouts violations” (Feb. 28, 2023-August 27, 2024)
Aware of his impending suspension, he announced his retirement after competing at the 2023 Drake Relays…his
“retirement” was short-lived as he returned to competition the day after his ban ended on August 27,
2024…threw 70-6 ½ (21.50), which wound up as his best mark of the season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-Yf7Ym1mp0
https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1143063/mick-pomzio-doping-accepts-18-month
https://worldathletics.org/athletes/italy/nick-ponzio-14521979
USC Bio: https://usctrojans.com/sports/track-and-field/roster/nick-ponzio/6206
Julius Yego-Kenya 36 (1989) 2015 World Champion-Javelin
Competed in 5 additional World Championships—2013 (4th), 2017 (13th), 2019-2022-2023 (qualifying round)
2016 Olympic silver medalist (2012-11th, 2021-Qual., 2024-5th)
2014 Commonwealth Games Champion
Learned how to throw the javelin by watching YouTube videos of throwers like the legendary Jan Železný.
PB: 304-2 (92.72/2015/African Record, #7 All-Time World); 2024 SB: 287-9 (87.72)
http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/127005
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Yego
“YouTube Man”:
https://olympics.com/en/news/internet-helped-julius-yego-to-hurl-himself-into-record-books
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kuln_lTihS8
’15 WC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdfmagI8NK4
Marla Runyan-lonergan 56 (1969) 3-time U.S. Champion-5000m (2001-2003)
2000 U.S. Indoor Champion-3000m
first legally-blind runner to compete at the Olympics— finished 8th in the 1500-meters at the 2000 Olympics in
Sydney. Competed in the first round of the 5000 in 2004 in Athens. 10th in the heptathlon at the 1996 U.S. Trials.
10th in the 1500 at the 1999 World Championships
1999 Pan-American Games Champion-1500m
Set an American Indoor Record of 15:07.33 for 5000-meters in 2001.
2006 U.S. Marathon Champion (last race of her career)
Competed collegiately at San Diego State
husband Matt lonergan is an Associate head X-Country Coach at Northeastern University (Asst.-T&F).
Currently the Athletes with Disabilities Manager at the B.A.A./Boston Marathon
PBs:2:03.18 (‘99), 4:02.95 (‘02), 8:39.36 (‘02), 14:59.20 (‘04), 15:07.33i (‘01), 2:27:10 (‘02), 5761 (‘96)
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/89163
https://www.runnersworld.com/races-places/a20820064/retired-pro-marla-runyan-continues-to-inspire/
https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a32189184/marla-runyan-para-athletes/
https://www.bostonherald.com/2014/09/13/marla-runyan-inspires-at-perkins-nu/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marla_Runyan
2001 Article: http://www.howtobefit.com/marla-runyan.htm
https://myhero.com/Runyan_michigan_US_08
https://www.baa.org/baa-names-marla-runyan-athletes-disabilities-manager
Leslie Maxie 58 (1967) 1987 NCAA Champion-4×400 (USC/51.4-anchor)
2nd in the 400-meter hurdles at the 1987 NCAA Championships
16-year old junior (Mills H.S.,CA) at the time, she finished 2nd at the 1984 U.S. Championships—set a H.S. Record of 55.20 that
lasted for 32 years until Sydney McLaughlin ran 54.46 in 2016. That remained her personal best throughout her career.
Became a TV broadcaster for ESPN, Fox, and NBC, covering many sports, including Track & Field
1988 U.S. Olympian (1st round)
PB:55.20 (1984)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Maxie
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/77908
https://athletexbrand.com/leslie-maxie
Marjorie Larney 87 (1937) 2-time U.S. Olympian—Javelin (1952-13th, 1956-11th)…15 at the time she competed at the
1952 Olympics
6-time U.S. Champion: Discus (1954), Javelin (1952, 1957-1960)
During her stay in Helsinki, the 15-year old Larney went sightseeing with teammate Mabel Landry. They stopped in a
store that sold athletic equipment, including javelins. After watching her use the Finnish style of throwing as she
got the feel of an expensive implement, the impressed shop-owner let her buy it for half-price. Standing in the rain
during the Opening Ceremony, Larney and Landry noticed on the scoreboard the name of the man who had just
ignited the Olympic flame. It was Hannes Kolehmainen, the original “Flying Finn”, who had won 4 gold medals at the
1912 and 1920 Olympics. It was also the man who had sold Larney the javelin! (See link below)
http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/77896
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marjorie_Larney
A Young Girl In Finland(great article): https://www.irishamerica.com/2008/08/a-flying-javelin-marjorie-larney/
Deceased
Eddie Southern 85 (1938-May 17, 2023) 1956 Olympic silver medalist-400m Hurdles
1959 NCAA Champion-440y (Texas/1958-2nd)
Member of three World Record relay teams:
440y (Texas)-39.9 (1957) Wallace Wilson, Eddie Southern, Hollis Gainey, Bobby Whilden
880y (Texas)-1:22.7 (1957) Wallace Wilson, Eddie Southern, Hollis Gainey, Bobby Whilden
Mile (USA)-3:05.6 (1960) Eddie Southern-47.2, Earl Young-46.4, Otis Davis-45.9, Jack Yerman-46.1
#1 prep in the U.S. in 1955-20.7y/straight, 47.2y
PBs:9.5y (1958), 20.5y/straight (1958), 45.5y (1958), 14.1y (1957), 49.7 (1956)
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/79073
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Southern
https://texassports.com/sports/general/roster/eddie-southern/1467
Pat “Paddy” Ryan—Ireland/USA 83 (1881-Feb.3, 1964)
Native of Ireland was an American citizen when he became the 1920 Olympic gold medalist in the
Hammer Throw (silver-56 pound Weight Throw)
Set the first IAAF World Record of 189-6 (57.77) in 1913 that lasted for 25 years. The mark remained
the American Record for 40-years.;
7-time U.S. Champion (1913-1917, 1919-1921
Inducted into the National Hall of Fame in 2014; One of the legendary “Irish Whales”
WR Progression: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men%27s_hammer_throw_world_record_progression
Hall of Fame Bio: https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/pat-paddy-ryan
Irish Whales
http://www.theirishstory.com/2012/06/22/irelands-forgotten-olympians-the-irish-whales/#.WGxushy1_74
Heroes of the Early 20th Century
http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78986
