by Larry Eder
Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service (wmurphy25@aol.com)
This Day in Track & Field–February 16
1963–The 220-yard banked wooden track in Louisville’s Freedom Hall was THE venue for records in the 1960s and 1970s and this 3rd edition of the Mason Dixon Games went a long way in establishing that reputation. Long-striding Earl Young (55.5) won a thrilling 500-yards over Dave Mills (55.6), Ollan Cassell (55.6) and Willie Atterberry (55.6) as all four runners were under Charlie Jenkins’ previous World Record of 56.4.
World Records were also set in the mile- and 2-mile relays as Texas Southern ran 3:12.8 with a lineup of Lester Milburn (48.5), Artis Barrett (48.5), Charles White (48.0) and Ray Saddler (47.2), and Georgetown ran 7:29.0 with a foursome of Charlie McGovern (1:55.0), Ed Schmitt (1:54.0), Ed Duchini (1:50.0) and John Reilly (1:50.0).
A 4th mark was set by Bob Hayes, who ran 6.9 for 70-yards.
1961 Sports Illustrated Cover Story-Earl Young
1968–The NYAC Games could have been remembered for it being the 100th anniversary of the popular fixture on the NY indoor circuit, or as the first meet to be held at the new Madison Square Garden. Instead, the meet drew national attention because it was the focus of a black boycott that was organized by Harry Edwards, who was also trying to drum up support for an eventual Olympic boycott.
Some black athletes chose to compete, including members of a UTEP team that included Bob Beamon, who won the Long Jump, but the NYAC, reacting to the criticism of its restrictive membership policies at the time, decided that this would be the final year that they would sponsor the meet. (The NYAC has come a long way since then—Cedric Jones, an African-American, was the club’s Athletic Director from 2007-2021).
Villanova’s team unanimously voted not to compete at the meet
https://vault.si.com/vault/1968/02/26/boycott-nowboycott-later
UTEP Coach Wayne Vandenburg Sues Newsweek:
http://www.leagle.com/decision/19751531507F2d1024_11321.xml/VANDENBURG%20v.%20NEWSWEEK,%20INC
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10999949.2018.1543998
https://onceuponatimeinthevest.blogspot.com/2018/07/v-8-n-50-february-1968.html
Footnote: This was the only meet held at Madison Square Garden that I missed since I started attending meets in 1958. I’d like to say that I was on the frontline of the protest, but I actually chose to go on a skiing trip that weekend! (-:
1979–Eamonn Coghlan won the Mile at the Jack-in-the-Box meet in San Diego in 3:52.6 to smash the World Record of 3:54.93 that was set by Dick Buerkle in 1978.
Coghlan had just missed claiming the record when he ran 3:55.0 the week before at the Millrose Games after “dawdling” before he crossed the finish line. “My wife and sister said I’d been dumb. I heard that all week long”. Coghlan learned his lesson well and never stopped straining until his record run was over. Steve Scott and Steve Lacy (3:54.7) were also under the previous mark, with Scott’s 3:54.1 establishing a new American Record.
Sports Illustrated Vault: https://vault.si.com/vault/1999/02/22/eamonn-coghlan-world-record-miler-february-26-1979
2008—Kenenisa Bekele ran 8:04.35 for 2-miles in Birmingham, England, breaking the World Record of 8:04.69 that was set on the same track by fellow Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie in 2003 (now #4 All-Time). Kenya’s Paul Koech was 2nd in 8:06.48 (now #8 A-T),
https://worldathletics.org/news/news/bekele-takes-down-another-gebrselassie-mark-
2008–Jumping at her favorite venue in Donetsk, Ukraine, Yelena Isinbaeva raised her World Record in the Pole Vault to 16-2 ¾ (4.95).
2008–The University of Texas, with a lineup of Kyle Miller (2:54.1), Danzell Fortson (46.9), Jacob Hernandez (1:47.0), and Leo Manzano (3:58.0) ran 9:25.97 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to set World, American, and Collegiate Records in the Distance Medley.
The Longhorns lost the World and American Records to a USA team that run 9:19.93 in 2015 at NY’s Armory, but held on to the Collegiate Record until an Oregon foursome ran 9:24.52 in 2020.
2013—It was a night of records at the 106th Millrose Games at NY’s Armory.
American Records were set by Bernard Lagat in the Men’s 2-Mile (8:09.49), Alysia Montaño in the Women’s 600 (1:23.59), and Erik Sowinski in the Men’s 600 (1:15.61).
In a thrilling Wanamaker Mile won by Lopez Lomong (3:51.21) over Matthew Centrowitz (3:51.34), Tulsa’s Chris O’Hare finished 4th in 3:52.98 to set a Collegiate Record (also 3:37.25 for 1500-meters).
And High School Records were set by senior Edward Cheserek (St.Benedict’s Prep,NJ), who ran 8:39.15 to break Gerry Lindgren’s 49-year old mark of 8:40.0 (he also got credit for a 3k record of 8:05.46), and junior Mary Cain (Bronxville,NY), who finished 2nd in the Women’s Wanamaker Mile (to Sheila Reid-4:27.02) with a time of 4:28.25 to break her own 3-week old mark of 4:32.78 (also set a new mark for 1500-meters/4:11.72).
IAAF Report: https://www.worldathletics.org/news/report/lagat-montano-and-sowinski-set-us-records-at
Results: https://ny.milesplit.com/meets/126486-millrose-games-2013/results
Videos:
www.usatf.tv/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=45365&mgroup_event_id=574&do=videos&folder_id=recent&year=2013
2014—Florence Kiplagat set a World Record of 65:12 for the Women’s ½-Marathon in Barcelona. She would improve the record to 65:09 the following year on the same course.
https://www.worldathletics.org/news/report/florence-kiplagat-half-marathon-world-record
2019—An Ethiopian broke the World Record in the Men’s 1500-meters at the IAAF World Indoor Tour meeting in Birmingham, England, but it wasn’t pre-race favorite Yomif Kejelcha, who had come oh-so-close to breaking Hicham El Guerrouj’s record (3:48.45) for the Mile the week before when he ran 3:48.46 in the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games at NY’s Armory. Instead, it was his countryman, Samuel Tefera, the 2018 World Indoor Champion at the distance, who overtook Kejelcha with 100-meters to go to win in 3:31.04, breaking El Guerrouj’s 22-year old mark of 3:31.18. Kejelcha finished 2nd in 3:31.58, the 3rd-fastest time in history (at the time).
The pacers did an excellent job in setting up the record, with the Netherlands’ Bram Som, 4 days short of his 39th birthday, taking the field through 400-meters in 55.69, and former Villanova star Jordy Williamsz leading at the 800m (1:52.70) and 1000m (2:21.27) splits.
It was “only” a British Record, but Scotland’s Laura Muir won the Women’s Mile in 4:18.75, good for the #3 position on the All-Time indoor list (at the time, now #8 performer). Along the way, she also lowered her British Record for 1500-meters to 4:01.83
IAAF/World Athletics Report: https://www.worldathletics.org/news/report/world-indoor-tour-birmingham-tefera-record
Video(1500): https://www.runnerstribe.com/latest-news/video-samuel-tefera-3-31-04-1500m-indoor-wr-birmingham-2019/
2021—Baylor’s K.C. Lightfoot cleared 19-5 ¾ (5.94) in the Pole Vault in Lubbock, Texas, breaking South Dakota’s Chris Nilsen’s Collegiate Record of 19-5 ½ (5.93).
2021—Texas A&M frosh Athing Mu made her collegiate debut on her home track, running 2:01.07 for 800-Meters to break Sammy Watson’s American Junior Indoor Record of 2:01.78.
2023—Anna Hall got the U.S. Indoor Championships in Albuquerque off to a rousing start by setting an American Record of 5004 points in the 5-event Pentathlon. She smashed the previous mark of 4805 that was also set in Albuquerque in 2014 by Sharon Day-Monroe
Hall, the bronze medalist in the Heptathlon at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene (she would win silver in 2023), needed to run 2:05.10 in the final event, the 800m, to break the World Record of 5013, set by Ukraine’s Nataiya Dobrynska in 2012. She went for it in Albuquerque’s thin air, but fell just short with her time of 2:05.70. She’s now #2 on the All-Time World list, moving ahead of Great Britain’s Katrina Johnson-Thompson (5000).
Albuquerque, New Mexico 2023-02-16
photo credit: © 2023 Kevin Morris
“I knew the altitude was going to be a little bit of a factor (in the race),” Hall said. “I know I’m going to notice it, but I was just telling myself that the adrenaline makes up for it and it just means that it’s going to hurt more, but it doesn’t mean that I have to run slower. I ran it the same way I would no matter where I was in the world and I just gave it everything I had and waited to see what happens.”
The former Florida Gator, who still trains in Gainesville, got off to a good start by setting personal bests in the 60m-Hurdles (8.04) and the High Jump (6-3 ¼ [1.91]. She followed with a decent throw of 45-3 ½ (13.80) in the Shot Put, and a leap of 20-9 ¾ (6.34) in the Long Jump.
https://www.usatf.org/news/2023/hall-shatters-american-record-in-pentathlon-on-day
(There are some reports stating that she had indoor bests in the SP and LJ, but that’s not the case).
Interview: https://www.dyestat.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=videos&video_id=349691
Videos(for subscribers): https://www.usatf.tv/gprofile.php?do=videos&mgroup_event_id=25&mgroup_id=45365&year=2023
From Hall’s Twitter account
Anna Hall@annaahalll
5004.
# 2 in world history and not going to lie it stings
but American Record ️
the best is yet to come!!
2024—It was quite the first day at the U.S. Indoor Championships.
Daniel Haugh won his 3rd U.S. title in the 35lb-Weight Throw in stunning fashion, throwing 86-5 ½ (26.35) in the 4th round to break Lance Deal’s 29-year old “World” and American Record of 85-10 ¼ (25.86). Also the winner in 2019 and 2022, all 4 of Haugh’s fair throws would have been good enough to win.
(83-1 [25.43], F, 82-9 ¾ [25.24], 86-5 ½ [26.35], 82-1 [25.02], F)
While Albuquerque’s 5,300’ elevation certainly didn’t help Haugh, it does deserve an assist for the World Records in the Women’s and Men’s 60-meter hurdles—in the qualifying rounds!
Tia Jones won her heat in 7.67 to equal the week-old World Record set by the Bahamas’ Devynne Charlton at the Millrose Games. And she thankfully took down the controversial American Record, which had been retroactively awarded to Susanna Kallur, who had dual-citizenship when she set a World Record of 7.68 while representing Sweden at the 2008 European Indoor Championships!
Jones, with a best of 7.72 coming into the meet, almost matched the WR when she came back to win the final in 7.68! (after two false starts by other finalists). Jasmine Jones (7.78) finished 2nd to also make the team that would compete at the following month’s World Indoor Championships in Glasgow.
Not to be outdone, Grant Holloway won his heat in 7.27 to better his own World Record of 7.29 (2021, 2022). Knowing he had a bye into the Indoor Worlds, he withdrew from the final. He will be joined in Glasgow by Trey Cunningham (7.39) and Cameron Murray (7.45).
Other highlights:
Tara Davis-Woodhall won the Women’s Long Jump with a lifetime best of 23-6 ¾ (7.18), replacing Jackie Joyner-Kersee as the #2 performer on the All-Time U.S. Indoor list! (Brittney Reese is #1 [23-8 ¾]/ 7.23]). The former Texas star is also #6 on the A-T World Indoor list.
Chris Nilsen won the Men’s Pole Vault with a Meet Record clearance of 19-8 ¼ (6.00). Making his 3rd World Indoor team was Sam Kendricks (19-6 ¼ [5.95]). KC Lightfoot, the American Outdoor Record holder, went out of the competition after missing his 3 attempts at 19-1/4 (5.80). Kendricks and Lightfoot were members of the wedding party at Nilsen’s recent marriage.
Elle St. Pierre (8:54.40) and Yared Nuguse (7:55.76) won the 3000s.
Results: https://results.usatf.org/2024Indoors/
NBC Report (includes both WR videos):
2024—The University of Washington women set a Collegiate Record of 10:43.39 in the Distance Medley at the BU DMR Challenge at Boston University. The Huskies ran with a lineup of Chloe Foerster (3:15.29), Anna Terrell (54.74), Marlena Preigh (2:03.34), and Carley Thomas (4:30.02). Providence (10:44.07) and Brigham Young (10:44.67) were also under the previous record of 10:46.62, which was set by another Washington team, which included Preigh-400 and Thomas-800, on the same track in 2023. Stanford wasn’t far behind in 4th (10:47.03).
Providence-10:44.07: Shannon Flockhart (3:18.37), Jillian Fenerty (55.56), Alex O’Neill (2:04.30), Kimberley May (4:25.84)
BYU-10:44.67: Sadie Sargent (3:16.71), Sami Oblad (53.09), Meghan Hunter (2:05.18), Riley Chamberlain (4:29.69)
In a special 5000, Grant Fisher, who set an American Record in the 2-mile just 5 days earlier at Millrose, ran by himself for the last 3000-meters (except for some lapped runners), running 12:51.84 to fall just short of Woody Kincaid’s year-old American Indoor Record of 12:51.61. With a previous indoor best of 12:53.73, he moved from 6th to 5th on the All-Time World indoor list. At the time, that is—he’s now #1 after setting a World Record of 12:44.09 on Friday (Feb.14)—his 2nd WR in less than a week after running 7:22.91 for 3000-meters last Saturday at the Millrose Games.
Results: http://live.lancertiming.com/meets/209/events
Fisher Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKUqBBywo3o
https://trackandfieldnews.com/tfn-lists/
2024—While the Washington women were doing their thing in Boston, the men of UW had earlier set an American Record of 9:18.81 in the DMR in Fayetteville at the Arkansas Qualifier. The previous record of 9:19.93 was set by a U.S. team in 2015
Their lineup consisted of four in-state residents, three of whom were recent NCAA Champions!
Joe Waskom (2:51.34)—2022 NCAA 1500m
Daniel Gaik (46.37)
Nathan Green (1:46.57)–2023 NCAA 1500
Luke Houser (3:54.53)–2023 NCAA Indoor Mile
Green gave Washington the lead on the 800 leg, while Houser stayed in front the rest of the way, holding off Virginia (9:18.95), which was also under the previous AR. The Cavaliers were anchored by sophomore Gary Martin, who ran a great 3:51.94 split. He was preceded by Conor Murphy (2:51.73), Alex Sherman (46.54), and Alex Leath (1:48.74).
Results: https://flashresults.com/2024_Meets/Indoor/02-16_ArkQualifier/index.htm
Significant Birthdays
Born On This Day*
Susanna & Jenny Kallur-Sweden 44 (1981)
Susanna—3-time Olympian—100m-hurdles (semi-finalist in 2004 & 2008, 1st round-2016)
2000 World Junior Champion;
Set a World Indoor Record of 7.68 for the 60-meter hurdles in 2006…since she had dual-citizenship at
the time, the mark was also recognized by USATF as the American Record!
All-American at Illinois (100h):NCAA-2001 (4th), 2002 (3rd)
PBs: 7.68 (2006/#3 All-Time), 12.49 (2007)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susanna_Kallur
IAAF Report(60h): https://www.worldathletics.org/news/news/kallurs-absolutely-unbelievable-world-60m-hur
https://hurdler49.wordpress.com/category/hurdles-2/susanna-kallur/
Jenny
All-American at Illinois (100h): NCAA-2001 (7th); PB:12.85 (2005)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenny_Kallur
Sisters were born in Huntington, NY (Long Island). Their dad Anders played on four Stanley Cup
championship teams for the NY Islanders.
Cathy Freeman-Australia 52 (1973) Withstanding the pressure of competing in front of a home-crowd in Sydney, an
entire nation watching at home, and representing native Aboriginals, Freeman won the 400 at the
2000 Olympics; 2-time World Champion (1997,1999); 1996 Olympic silver medalist; PB: 49.11 (’00)
OG Followup: Freeman, seemingly overcome by the enormity of the moment (or was she?-see below!), lay on the
track for several minutes as the other finalists came over to offer their congratulations. Then, carrying both the
Aboriginal and Australian flags, she embarked on a joyous victory lap.
Misunderstood: As for Freeman’s post-race reaction, she revealed in 2019 that she wasn’t overcome by emotion
when her race ended. Instead, she was disappointed she hadn’t run faster!
As she told broadcaster Mark Howard in a podcast, “I actually crossed the line, looked across at the time — 49.11
(seconds) — I was immediately disappointed because I would have loved to have run 48 (seconds).
“I just remember leaning over, putting my hands around my knees and just shaking my head.”
Howard asked: “So that head shake was disappointment at your time?”
“Yeah,” Freeman replied. “I was not happy. “It’s a mighty occasion. I don’t mean to sound like a Debbie Downer,
but that’s just who I am.”
Lit the Olympic flame at the 2000 Opening Ceremony
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2012/jan/11/olympic-moments-cathy-freeman
Videos(Comments from Michael Johnson): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNmuyxlZ9Kk
Race: http://www.olympic.org/videos/cathy-freeman-takes-gold-in-sydney
http://ia.anu.edu.au/biography/freeman-catherine-cathy-15410
Fermín Cacho—Spain 56 (1969) 1992 Olympic gold medalist—1500m (in Barcelona/50.5 last 400)
1996 Olympic silver medalist; 2-time World Championships silver medalist (1993,1997)
PBs: 3:28.95 (1997), 3:49.56 (1996)
Video(OG): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMFuwadzDi4
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferm%C3%ADn_Cacho
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/67175
Sharrieffa Barksdale 64 (1961) 1984 U.S. Olympian-400m Hurdles (5th); 1983 U.S. Champion;
Former American Record holder–55.78 (1983);
All-American at Tennessee: NCAA-1983 (2nd), 1984 (7th)
USATF ‘s Manager of Alumni Relations:
https://www.usatf.org/resources/alumni
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/77753
