Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service ([email protected])
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This Day in Track & Field–April 8
1967—Texas A&M’s Randy Matson, better known for his exploits in the Shot Put, threw the Discus 213-9 (65.15) on his home-field in College Station, Texas, to break Jay Silvester’s American Record of 210-6 (64.16). Matson’s throw was the 2nd longest in history behind Ludvig Daněk’s World Record of 213-11 (65.20). He also threw the Shot 70-5 ½ (21.47/twice), just shy of his World Record of 70-7 ¼ (21.52) to complete the greatest one-day double in the two events. Matson would win his 2nd consecutive NCAA Shot-Discus double in June. The silver medalist in the Shot at the 1964 Olympics, he would win gold at the 1968 Games in Mexico City.
1972—Sweden’s Kjell Isaksson cleared 18-1 (5.51) at the Texas Relays to break Christos Papanikolaou’s World Record in the Pole Vault (18-0 [5.49]). Isaksson, a 3-time Olympian (1968-1976), would raise the record to 18-2 (5.54) the following week at UCLA, and then to 18-2 ½ (5.55) in Sweden in June
WR Progression: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men’s_pole_vault_world_record_progression
Wiki Bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kjell_Isaksson
18-2 Vault: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeBBYSZW7_8
1978–Pushed by Washington State teammates (and fellow Kenyans) Josh Kimeto and Samson Kimobwa (the World Record holder at 10,000-meters) in the early part of the race, sophomore Henry Rono set his first World Record, running 13:08.4 for 5,000-meters at a tri-meet against Cal and Arizona State at Edwards Field in Berkeley, California. Rono would also set World Records in the 10,000, Steeplechase, and 3000 in the next 2-1/2 months. His 5000 mark would remain the “absolute” Collegiate Record until Arizona’s Lawi Lalang ran 13:08.28 indoors in 2012, and the Outdoor CR until Northern Arizona’s Abdi Nur ran 13:06.32 in 2022.
Many of the 5,000 fans in attendance had come just to watch a good track meet, but veteran announcer Bob Steiner picked up on the early fast pace, and alerted the fans to the potential for a record. “I don’t know why I did it”, said Steiner. “I’ve never called a World Record after three laps.”
In the aftermath of Rono’s great run, Cougars coach John Chaplin was bombarded with interview requests and invitations to speak at clinics. Said the ever-quotable Chaplin, who had been taking heat over his recruiting policies, “I tell them, ‘What do I know about distance running? I’m just a recruiter of foreign athletes. Call Oregon or Kansas, they’re supposed to know all about distance running’ ”.. (From Track and Field News)
1995–Virtually unknown at the time, 20-year old Maurice Greene ran a very wind-aided (+5.03) 9.88 to win the 100-meters at the Texas Relays over Jamaica’s Olympic veteran Ray Stewart (9.89), 2-time Olympic 100-champion Carl Lewis (9.94), and another young sprinter, Tim Montgomery (9.95). He would become one of the best sprinters in the world, winning Olympic gold in the 100 in 2000 and 4 individual World titles (1997-100, 1999-100, 200, 2001-100).
2017—Senior Sydney McLaughlin (Union Catholic, NJ) set a National H.S. Record of 38.90 in the 300-meter hurdles at the Arcadia Inv. The previous mark of 39.98 was set in 2001 by Lashinda Demus, who went on to become one of the world’s best 400-meter hurdlers (and former American Record holder—52.47). McLaughlin, of course, has done the same, setting World Records and winning Olympic (2021, 2024) and World (2022, 2023) titles.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/highschool/varsity-times/la-sp-arcadia-invitational-20170408-story.html
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15GALXeRJMk
Post-Race Interview: http://www.arcadiainvitational.org/eprofile.php?event_id=63&do=videos&video_id=205172
Demus: https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/lashinda-demus-14308886
2023—Sha’Carri Richardson ran a sensational 10.57 for 100 meters in Miramar, Florida, although she did have the benefit of a very strong tailwind (+4.1 m/s). Wind-aided or not, it was the 4th-fastest time in history
10.57: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05st6xiedCM
All-Time List/All Conditions
10.49 Florence Griffith Joyner (US) 7/16/88
10.54w ————Griffith Joyner 9/25/88
10.54 Elaine Thompson-Herah (Jamaica) 8/21/21
10.57w Sha-Carri Richardson (US) 4/08/23
10.60w ————Griffith Joyner 7/16/88
10.60 Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica) 8/26/21
Born On This Day*
Patrick Rono 34 (1992) All-American at Arkansas
NCAA: 800 (2013-7th, 2014-3rd [i], 4th);
PBs: 1:47.66 (2013), 3:46.11 (2014), 4:01.79 (2013); H.S. PBs (Lyndhurst,NJ): 1:50.10, 4:10.11 (1600m)
Son of Peter Rono, the 1988 Olympic gold medalist at 1500-meters
No Pressure
Evans Rutto-Kenya 48 (1978) 2-time winner of the Chicago Marathon (2003, 2004)
Also won the London Marathon in 2004
1999 World X-Country Champion (Team)
PBs: 7:36.38 (2000), 13:02.71 (2000), 27:21.32 (2000), 1:00:30 (2001), 2:05:50 (2003)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evans_Rutto
https://worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/evans-rutto-limo-14209716
Pascal Dobert 53 (1973) 1997 NCAA Champion-Steeplechase (Wisconsin/2nd in 1996)
3-time U.S. Champion (1998-2000); Competed in the first round of the1999 World Championships and 2000
Olympics: PB:8:15.77 (2000)
Former assistant coach with the Bowerman Track Club. Among the athletes he has coached is Evan Jager, the
American Record holder in the Steeplechase
Curreently works for PUMA as a Senior Sports Marketing Manager
https://www.si.com/olympics/2016/08/05/evan-jager-pascal-dobert-steeplechase-2016-rio-olympics
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/89120
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascal-dobert-258a57a
Wisconsin Hall-of-Fame
Congrats from Jager: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4cz0Bt9s9s
Sylvia Mosqueda 60 (1966) 1988 NCAA Champion—10,000m (Cal.St.-L.A./set a Collegiate Record of 32:28.57);
5000-1987 (3rd), 1988 (6th), 1987 NCAA Div.II X-Country Champion
#4 scorer (44th) on the U.S. team that won the silver medals at the 1992 World X-Country Championships
Competed in the Marathon at the 2003 World Championships (DNF)
Competed in 5 U.S. Olympic Trials: Marathon-1988, 10,000-1992 (4th), 1996-DNF, 2000 (6th), 2004-DNF
PBs: 31:54.03 (1996), 71:20 (2000), 2:33:10 (2003 NYC/10th)
Ranked among the top-10 Americans in the 10,000 seven times from 1988-2004 (age 38); high of #3 in 1990
Remained active as a Masters runner.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvia_Mosqueda
Rankings: https://trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/rankings
Tom Petranoff 68 (1958) Set a monster World Record of 327-2 (99.24) for the “old” Javelin at the 1983 Pepsi meet
at UCLA; 2-time U.S. Olympian (’84,’88); 2-time U.S. Champion (’85,’86)
Suspended by the U.S. for competing in South Africa when that country had yet to be cleared for international
competition. Became a South African citizen, but was denied a chance to compete at the 1992 Olympics in
Barcelona (see NY Times link).
Creator of the TurboJav training implement,
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78890
T&F News Cover(June): https://trackandfieldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/1983_06.jpg
T&F News Interview(1983): https://trackandfieldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/tom_petranoff.pdf
Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Petranoff
www.nytimes.com/1992/07/22/sports/olympics-petranoff-is-barred-from-javelin-event.html
1997 Interview https://www.turbojav.com
Deceased
Bill Tidwell 91 (1932-March 6, 2023) 4-time NAIA Champion while at Kansas State Teachers College (Now Emporia
State)—won the 880y and Mile in 1955 and 1956. PB-1:47.4 (1955)
5th in the 800 at the 1956 U.S. Olympic Trials;
Beat Wes Santee to win the Mile at the 1950 Kansas H.S. State meet.
Was the Athletic Director at Oberlin College from 1959 to 1971 and then at Emporia State until 1994.
https://www.kshof.org/team/bill-tidwell
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Tidwell
Dave Romansky 86 (1938-October 31, 2024 ) 1968 U.S. Olympian-50k Walk (26th)
Won every U.S. walk title between 10km and 40km in 1970, winning six titles that year. He also placed eighth
that year at the IAAF Race Walking World Cup.
3-time U.S. Indoor Champion-Mile Walk (1969, 1970, 1972)
Member of the U.S. Masters Hall of Fame
Elliott Denman Tribute
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Romansky
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78973
