This Day in Track & Field History: April 13, Allyson Felix and Natasha Hastings win at 2002 Arcadia Invitational! curated and written by Walt Murphy

This Day in Track & Field–April  13

(1^st Drake Relays, Warmerdam, Melissa Price, Felix/Hastings, Gatlin, Radcliffe/Born On This Day-Ryan Bailey, de Reuck, Hopp-St.Geme/R.I.P.-Plucknett, Ed Hamm, Harold Osborn, Albritton, Joie Ray)

1910–The first edition of the Drake Relays was held in a snowstorm. A chilled group of 82 competitors was barely outnumbered by a “crowd” of 100 fans.

Drake Site: https://godrakebulldogs.com/index.aspx?path=dr

1940–Cornelius “Dutch” Warmerdam got the first of his seven “World Records” in the Pole Vault and became the first man in history to clear 15’, getting over that exact height (4.572) in Edwards Stadium in Berkeley, California.

While there was nothing wrong with any of his seven record vaults, only 3 were ratified by the IAAF for administrative reasons.

Dutch’s WRs (bold-ratified)

15-00           4.57     Berkeley, CA  April 13,1940

15-01  1/8  4.60    Fresno, CA  June 29, 1940

15-02  5/8   4.64     Stanford, CA  April 12, 1941

15-04  ¼      4.68     Compton, CA  June 6, 1941

15-05  ¾    4.72    Compton, CA June 6, 1941

15-06  7/8   4.74     Berkeley, CA May 2, 1942

15-07  ¾    4.77    Modesto, CA  May 23, 1942  (The last WR set with a bamboo pole!)

NY Times Obituary

1996—Fresno State frosh Melissa Price, one of the early stars of American pole vaulting, jumped 13-5  ¼ (4.10) in Fresno to set the 9^th (and last) American Record of her career.  he 5’-2” Price had set her first seven records the year before as a senior at Kingsburg(CA) H.S.

            Price was ranked #1 in the U.S. by Track & Field News in 1994 and 1995, but then the Stacy Dragila era kicked in later in 1996, relegating Price to the #2 position that year and in 1997 (She would remain in the top-10 through 2000).

Video:13-1  ¾ [4.10] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2kV-3OCiM8

In The Beginning

2002—Among the winners at the Arcadia (CA) H.S. Inv. were junior Allyson Felix (L.A. Baptist) in the 100 (11.54) and 200 (23.08) and sophomore Natasha Hastings (A.P. Randolph, NYC) in the 400 (53.42).

Both would have exemplary careers, and both became moms—Felix’s daughter Camryn was born on November 28, 2018, and Hastings’ son Liam was born on August 6, 2019.

Felix: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allyson_Felix

Hastings: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natasha_Hastings

DyeStat Coverage: http://archive.dyestat.com/us/2out/arcadia/index.htm

Stats Courtesy of Mirko Jalava  (https://www.tilastopaja.eu)

Felix

7 Olympic Golds–2008: 4×4; 2012: 200, 4×1, 4×4; 2016: 4×1, 4×4; 2021: 4×4

14 World Titles—’05: 200 ‘07: 200, 4×1, 4×4 ‘09: 200, 4×4 ‘11: 4×1, 4×4 ‘15: 400 ‘17: 4×1, 4×4; ’19:4×4(1^st round),

Mixed 4×4; ’22-4×400 (1^st round)

4 x 400m World Indoor Champion 2010

3 Olympic Silvers–2004: 200 2008: 200 2016: 400

3 World Championships Silvers–2011: 400 2015: 4×1, 4×4

1 Olympic Bronze—2021: 400

3 World Championships Bronzes–2011: 200, 2017: 400, 2022: mixed 4×400

PBs:7.10(2012), 10.89(2012), 21.69 (2012/#5 All-Time U.S., #9-World), 49.26 (2015/#10  All-Time U.S.)

Hastings

2 Olympic Golds–2008: 4×4 2016: 4×4

4 World Titles–2007: 4×4 2009: 4×4 2011: 4×4 2013: 4×4

3 World Indoor Titles–2010: 4×4 2014: 4×4 2016: 4×4

4 x 400m World Championships Silver Medalist 2015

4 x 400m World Indoor Silver Medalist 2012

400m World Indoor Bronze Medalist 2012

2007 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Champion-400m (South Carolina)

PBs:11.24 (2013), 22.57 (2016), 36.25i (2016), 49.84 (2007), 50.80i (2007)

2002—A day after winning the 100 (10.00w) and 200 (20.06) on his home-track at the Sea-Ray Relays in Knoxville, Tennessee, sophomore Justin Gatlin helped the Vols win the 4×100 (39.08/2^nd leg) and 4×400 (3:02.14/44.2-3^rd leg) relays.

South Carolina set a Collegiate Record of 3:26.98 in the Women’s 4×4 0. Texas set the previous Record of 3:27.08 in 19.  (Tiffany Ross 53.2, Lashinda Demus 51.4, Lisa Barber 51.5, Demetria Washington 50.9)

2003–Great Britain’s Paula Radcliffe ran 2:15:25 in London to set a World Record in the marathon. Radcliffe had set the previous mark of 2:17:18 in Chicago the previous year. Finishing 3rd was Deena Drossin (Kastor), who ran 2:21:16 to break Joan Benoit Samuelson’s 18-year-old American Record of 2:21: 1. The first congratulatory call she received after the race was from Benoit Samuelson!

      Confusion led to an uproar in the running community when it was feared those records would be wiped out after the IAAF ruled in 2011 that women’s world records could not be set in mixed competitions.  But the IAAF allayed any fears when it said the ruling would only apply to future record alterations.

            David Monti’s Report: http://www.flotrack.org/article/30894-flashback-paula-radcliffe-s-marathon-wr

Video(last 90 seconds): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLLSKmpMKe4

http://tinyurl.com/MarathonRecords

NYRR Hall of Fame: http://www.nyrr.org/about-us/nyrr-hall-of-fame/paula-radcliffe

Radcliffe: http://www.paularadcliffe.com/

            (2013): http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/apr/20/paula-radcliffe-london-marathon-record

            Send-Off:

www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2015/apr/19/paula-radcliffe-london-marathon-rousing-send-off-final-race

www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-3056114/Paula-Radcliffe-ends-illustrious-marathon-career-emotional-run-London.html

Records Controversy

            http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/22/sports/for-womens-road-records-only-women-only-races-will-count.html?_r=0

            http://espn.go.com/espnw/news/article/7009299/commentary-negating-existing-records-punishes-heroic-women

            http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/14342/radcliffe-claims-iaaf-world-marathon-record-change-qunfairq

            www.espn.go.com/olympics/trackandfield/story/_/id/7212726/paula-radcliffe-keep-women-marathon-record-iaaf-reverses-decision

2007—Shalane Flanagan set an American Record of 14:44.80 for 5000 meters at the Mt.SAC Relays

https://www.letsrun.com/2007/shalanerecord1444.php

2025(New) —A day after Valarie Allman (now Sion) set an American Record in the Women’s Discus in Ramona, Oklahoma, it was the men’s turn to take advantage of the favorable wind conditions.

Cal’s (and Lithuania’s) Mykolas Alekna broke his own World (and Collegiate) Record of 243-11 (74.35), set in Ramona in 2025, twice, first throwing 245-8 (74.89), and then 247-11 (75.56).

2^nd was Australia’s Matt Denny, who improved his National Record to 245-4 (74.78), and 3^rd was Sam Mattis, who moved to #2 on the all-time U.S. list with his throw of 233-10 (71.2 ). Mattis would return to Ramona in 2026, setting an American Record of 237-8 (72.45).

https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-continental-tour/news/mykolas-alekna-discus-world-record-7556m-ramona

Analysis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKKoydRONZo:

Born On This Day*

Sinclaire Johnson 28 (1998)  2019 NCAA Champion—1500m (Oklahoma State)

          Set an American Record of 4:16.32 in the Mile in London in 2025

              2022 U.S. Champion…Finished 6th at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene…2025 (13^th)

              6^th in the 1500 at the 2025 World Indoor Championships

              12^th at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials, 4^th in 2024

              PBs: 1:59.76 (2023), 2:31.30/1000m (2025/#2 All-Tim U.S.), 3:56.75 (2024/#6 A-T U.S),

                   4:01.30i (2026/#5 A-T U.S.), 4:16.32NR (2025), 4:23.58i (2025), 8:35.48i (2026); 2026 SB: 4:24.55i

              https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinclaire_Johnson

              https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/sinclaire-johnson-14620126

              https://www.instagram.com/p/DWCFNMxDWCz/

              Post-AR: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1h42kTpQDT0

              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvEZF6rxC5k

Denis Kudryavtsev-Russia 34 (1992)  Silver medalist in the 4400 m hurdles at the 2015 World Championships;

                       2013 (1^st round)

              PBs: 45.86 (2015), 48.05 (2015/NR)

              https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Kudryavtsev

              https://worldathletics.org/athletes/russia/denis-kudryavtsev-14442508

Ryan Bailey  37 (1989)  4^th in the 100 at the 2012 Olympics in London;

              2008 World Junior Champion—4×400; PBs: 9.88 (’12), 20.10 (’10)

              Had been training to make the 2018 U.S. Olympic bobsled team when the Court of Arbitration for Sport

                   (CAS) reinstated a full two-year drug ban that had previously been reduced to six months by the

                   American Arbitration Association. Bailey admitted to taking an over-the-counter supplement without

                   checking the ingredients, which included a banned substance.

              https://www.usada.org/cas-extends-sanction-length-ryan-bailey-doping-violation/

              http://olympics.nbcsports.com/2017/12/01/ryan-bailey-doping-ban-olympics/

              Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Bailey_(sprinter)

Nastassia Mironchyk-Ivanova, Belarus, 37 (1989)  Bronze medalist in the Long Jump at the 2011 World Championships

                 WC-2009 (10^th), 2015 (9^th), 2019 (5^th)

              2-time Olympian—competed in the qualifying round in 2012 & 2021

              Served a 2-year doping ban (June 10, 2016-June 9, 2018)

              PB: 23-2  ¾ (7.08/2012)

              https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nastassia_Mironchyk-Ivanova

              https://worldathletics.org/athletes/belarus/nastassia-mironchyk-ivanova-14269729

AJ Acosta  38 (1988)  2005 Foot Locker X-Country Champion; 2006 U.S. Junior Champion—1500m;

              2-time NCA Indoor Champion—Distance Medley ( Oregon/’09,’10);

              PBs-3:36.41 (’12), 3:53.76 (’10);

              http://archive.dyestat.com/3us/5xc/footlocker/finals/index.htm

              AJ Nation:

              http://archive.dyestat.com/3us/5xc/footlocker/AJAcostaFeature.html

              www.dailyemerald.com/2011/06/01/a-j-acosta-and-his-nation-leave-a-legacy-behind-at-oregon/

              Oregon Bio: http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=653501

Johan Cronje, South Africa’s 44 (1982) Bronze medalist in the 1500m at the 2013 World Championships

                 WC-2005 (semi-finalist), 2009 (1^st round), 2015 (semi-finalist)

              Semi-finalist at the 2004 Olympics

              PBs: 1:45.64 (2013), 3:31.93 (2013NR), 3:50.70NR (2014), 13:59.52 (

              https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johan_Cronje

              https://worldathletics.org/athletes/_/14219872

Moushaumi Robinson 45 (1981)  2004 Olympic gold medalist—4×400 (1^st round)

              Bronze medalist in the 4×400 at the 2008 World Indoor Championships

              Texas All-American was 3^rd in the 400 at the 2001 NCAA Championships; 2003 NCAA Champion-4×400

              PB: 50.38 (2005)

              Chair, Team USA Council on Racial and Social Justice Leadership Member, Athletes’ Advisory Council

              Currently a teacher at Lake Silver Elementary School in Orlando, Florida

              https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/107779

              https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/moushaumi-robinson-14320082

              www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/A-Plus/2019/10/01/a-teacher-teacher-goes-for-the-gold-in-classroom-field

Colleen de Reuck  62 (1964) bronze medalist—2002 World X-Country Championships

              4-time Olympian (1^st 3 for South Africa, 4^th for U.S.)

                (’92/9^th-marathon, ’96/13^th-10,000, ’00/31^st-marathon, ‘04/39^th-marathon)

              11th at the 2017 Houston Marathon at the age of 52! (2:51:01), 64^th at the 2016 U.S.

                  Olympic Marathon Trials (2:49:56)

              Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colleen_De_Reuck

              http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/75230

              2008 Article:

              http://runnersworld.com/olympic-trials/an-interview-with-marathon-runner-colleen-de-reuck-from-runners

Ceci Hopp-St.Geme  63 (1963)  1994 U.S. Champion—5000m; 1982 NCAA Champion—3000m (Stanford);

              1980 Kinney (Foot Locker) X-Country Champion; 1981 U.S. Junior Champion—3000m;

              http://paloaltoonline.com/weekly/morgue/sports/1994_Jun_22.TRACK.html

              http://gostanford.com/fls/30600/halloffame/profile-chopp.html

              https://www.greenwichtime.com/news/article/Greenwich-running-legend-Ceci-Hopp-St-Geme-a-1448184.php

Bill Reifsnyder  64 (1962)  2-time U.S. Champion—Marathon (1989, 1991)

              https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Reifsnyder

Ed Caruthers  81 (1945)  2-time U.S. Olympian—High Jump (’64-8^th, ’68-bronze medalist);

              Ranked #1 in the World in 1967, #2 in 1968

               PB-7-3  ¼ [2.22] (1968)

              https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78211

              http://www.sacdons.com/hof/members/members/caruthers

              Rankings: https://trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/rankings

Klaus Lehnertz-Germany 87 (1938)  1964 Olympic bronze medalist—Pole Vault; 1968 (qual.)

              PB: 16-8  ½ (5.10/1967)

              https://worldathletics.org/athletes/fed-rep-german/klaus-lehnertz-14372840

              https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaus_Lehnertz

Deceased

Ben Plucknett  48 (1954-Nov.17, 2002) Threw the Discus  233-7(71.20) and  237-4 (72.34) in 1981, but the

                 marks weren’t accepted as World Records after an earlier drug test showed that he had used

                 anabolic steroids. However, the marks were accepted as American Records by the U.S.

                 f deration (TAC). The 237-4 remained the AR for 45 years until Sam Mattis threw 237-8 (72.45) on April 9,

                 2026.

              https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Plucknett

              www.nytimes.com/2002/11/22/sports/ben-plucknett-48-track-star-who-lost-record-after-drug-test.html

              T&F News Interview(1984):

              https://trackandfieldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/ben-plucknett.pdf

              https://mutigers.com/honors/hall-of-fame/ben-plucknett/122

              https://nebhalloffame.org/ben-plunknett-beatrice/

 Ed Hamm 76 (1906-June 25, 1982) 1928 Olympic gold medalist—Long Jump (Set an Olympic Record of 25-4  ½ [7.73])

              Set a World Record of 25-11  1/8 (7.90) at the 1928 U.S. Olympic Trials in Boston

              2-time NCAA Champion (Georgia Tech/1927,1928, 2^nd in 1930 after redshirting in 1929)

              3-time Penn Relays Champion (1927,1928,1930)

              Set a U.S. High School Record of 24-2  5/8 (7.38+) as a junior in 1924 (Lonoke H.S., Arkansas)

              https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Hamm

              https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78509

Harold Osborn 76 (1899-April 5, 1975) 1924 Olympic gold medalist—High Jump & Decathlon!

            The only decathlon medalist to also win an individual event at the Olympics

            Set World Records in both events: HJ (6-7  ¾ [2.03]/1924), DEC: 7710.775/1924 OG/6476-current tables)

            Among his 18 U.S. titles:

High Jump–1925, 1926; Indoors-1923-1926

            Decathlon–1923, 1925, 1926

            Charter member of the National Hall of Fame(1974)

            https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78864

Dave Albritton  81 (1913-May 15, 1994) 1936 Olympic silver medalist—High Jump…lost on misses to fellow American

Cornelius (Corny) Johnson both cleared the World Record height of 6-9  ¾ (2.07). First Olympic medalist to use

     the “straddle” technique

5-time U.S. Champion… won his first in 1937 and his last in 1950! 1944 U.S. Indoor Champion

3-time co-winner at the NCAA Championships (1936-1938/Ohio State)

Jesse Owens connection—both were born in Alabama, both attended East Tech H.S. in Cleveland, both were

      coached at Ohio State by Larry Snyder, both medaled at the 1936 Olympics

Inducted into the National Hall of Fame in 1990

https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78032

http://legacy.usatf.org/HallOfFame/TF/showBio.asp?HOFIDs=4

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Albritton

Joie Ray  84 (1894-May 15, 1978)  3-time U.S. Olympian: 1920-1500 (8^th), 1924-3000m/Team(Bronze),

     1928-10,000 (14^th), Marathon (5^th)…Only American to compete in the 1500 AND the Marathon at the

     Olympics

Among his 17 U.S. titles:

Mile:1915, 1917-1923

2-Miles(Indoors): 1916, 1923, 1924

10,000-Meters—1916, 1928

7-time winner of the Wanamaker 1-1/2 Mile at the Millrose Games (1917-1920, 1922-1924)

Set two World Indoor Records in MileMile—4:14.6 (1919), 4:12.0 (1925)

3^rd at the 1928 Boston Marathon

Ran 6:11.5 for Milemile (1600m?) on his 70^th birthday!

Inducted into the National Hall of Fame in 1976

PBs: 1:53.0(‘24), 3:57.0i/1500(‘20), 4:14.4(‘19), 8:31.2i(‘23), 9:08.4i(‘23), 31:28.4(‘28), 2:34:13.4(‘28)

https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78930

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joie_Ray_(runner)

           www.nytimes.com/1978/05/16/archives/joie-ray-84-dead-starred-as-runner-set-world-indoor-mile-mark-in-24.html

Charles Sherrill 69 (1867-June 25, 1936)  Credited with becoming the first man to use the “crouching” start in a sprint

   race (at least in the U.S.–see below).

In addition to winning 7 IC4A sprint titles in the late 1880s (4-100y/1887-1890, 3-220y/1888-1890), the Yale

    Grad was also the 1887 U.S. Champion in the 100-yard dash.

In 1894, he organized the first international collegiate track meet, a match between Yale and Oxford. Sherrill went

    on to have a distinguished career as a lawyer, a U.S. ambassador, and a pivotal member of the International

    Olympic Committee.

Reportedly learned the new starting  technique from famed coach Mike Murphy, who observed runners such as New

    Zealand’s Bobby MacDonald is using the innovative style on the professional circuit in Australia and New Zealand.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_H._Sherrill_(ambassador)

http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/899330

(For Subscribers) NY Times Obituary(1936): https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1936/06/26/87953037.html?pageNumber=19

Murphy: https://archives.upenn.edu/exhibits/penn-people/biography/michael-c-murphy/