This Day in Track & Field History, April 22, Randy Matson sets WR (1967), Born this Day, Grant Fisher (1997)

Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service  ([email protected])

This Day in Track & Field-April 22

1967–Texas A&M’s Randy Matson bettered his own World Record in the Shot Put with his throw of 71-5 ½ (21.78) in College Station, Texas (Still #10 All-Time College/indoor-outdoor).

1976—Robin Campbell (4:24.0), a 17-year-old junior at Oak Hall H.S. in Gainesville, won the inaugural Women’s 1500 (later the mile) at the Penn Relays over a field that included future stars Joan Benoit (4:28.3), Cheryl Toussaint (4:35.8), and 15-year-old Lynn Jennings.

1979—Deby LaPlante ran 13.10 at the Mt.SAC Relays to set an American Record in the 100-meter hurdles. LaPlante won two indoor (‘ 76, ’78) and two outdoor (‘ 78, ‘USU.S. titles.

1988—Jud Logan set the 9^th (and final) American Record of his career with a throw of 268-8 (81.88) at Penn State. He passed away early in 2022 after a long run as the coach at Ashland University.

2007—Finishing 7^th in the London Marathon, Ryan Hall ran 2:08:24, the fastest US debut in the event. The previous best of 2:09:41 was jointly held by Alberto Salazar (1980) and Alan Culpepper (1992). The winner of the race was Kenya’s Martin Lel (2:07:41).

Among the men dropping out in the warm conditions were some of the biggest names in marathoning—2004 Olympic medalists Stefano Baldini (Gold/Italy) and Meb Keflezighi (Silver/USA), former World Record holder Khalid Khannouchi, and Haile Gebrselassie (ETH). World Record holder Paul Tergat (KEN) could only finish 6th.

The winner of the Women’s race was China’s Chunxiu Zhou (2:20:38).

http://www.marathonguide.com/news/exclusives/LondonMarathon_2007/LondonMarathon2007PostRace.cfm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_London_Marathon

Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgpnUgz__6Q

Born On This Day*

Grant Fisher 29 (1997)—2024 Olympic bronze medalist in the 5000- and 10,000-meters, 9^th in the 5000, 5^th in the 10,000, at the Tokyo Olympics

Set World Indoor Records a week apart in the 3000 (Millrose-7:22.91) and 5000 (BU-12:44.09) in February, 2025

“Earned” $100,000 for winning the inaugural “Long Distance” Grand Slam in Kingston in April, 2025…given that GST is going through bankruptcy, it’s unclear how much of that money will actually wind up with!

6^th in the 5000, 4^th in the 10,000, at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene

Missed out on the 2023 World Championships after finishing 4^th in the 10,000 at USU.S. Championships (had been injured)…8^th in the 5000 & 10,000 at the 2025 Worlds.

Set the current American Record of 26:33.84 for 10,000 Meters in 2022.

Also set an AIR of 8:03.62 for 2 miles at the 2024 Millrose Games (behind Josh Kerr’s WR)

2017 NCAA Champion-5000m (Stanford)

Finished 2^nd to Wisconsin’s Morgan McDonald in the 3000-meters at the 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships, the 5000

Outdoors, and the 2018 X-Country Championships.

2-time National Scholastic Indoor Champion in the Mile (2014, 2015/Grand Blanc, MI)…was on his way to a possible sub-4 minute performance in 2015 when he stumbled into the infield coming off the final turn. Finally got that sub-4 when he ran 3:59.38 in St.Louis on June 4, 2015.

PBs: 3:33.72i (2025), 3:34.90 (2024), 3:48.29 (2025/#6 All-Time U.S.), 4:49.48i (2026/#2 A-T U.S.), 7:22.91i

(2025/WR), 7:25.47 (2023), 8:03.62i (2024/NR), 12:44.09i (2024/WR), 12:46.96 (2022/NR), 26:33.84

(2022/NR), 1:00.53;

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

https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/grant-fisher-14591210

https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/147329

Back-to-Back WRs: https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/04/sport/grant-fisher-running-usa-spt-intl/index.html

Videos

2024 OG 10,000 5000

World Indoor Records: 3000   5000  Post-Race

10k AR(Full Race): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FgbqvewKNE

Millrose 2m: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHZbj-lssjw

Post Millrose (2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrtAynRC0uM

English Gardner 34 (1992)  2016 Olympic gold medalist in the 4×100 relay (3rd leg)…Finished a disappointing (to her) 7th in the 100-meters in Rio; Silver medalist in the 4×100 at the Tokyo Olympics (1^st round), 2-time U.S. Champion at 100 meters (2013, 2016 [Olympic Trials])

Winner at the 2USU.S. Olympic Trials—ran her personal best of 10.74 in the final (#5 All-TUS U.S.)

Semi-finalist at the 2USU.S. Olympic Trials

Finished 2^nd in the 100-meters at the 2USU.S. Championships…suffered a  hamstring injury midway

    through her semi-semifinal at the World Championships in Doha—pounded the track in

      frustration—had hoped to medal in the final….it was the latest in a series of injuries that have plagued her career

Was out of action  for 13 months after suffering an injury to her right knee in a 4×100 race in Monaco in

    July, 2017…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdVcj3F_GDY&feature=youtu.be&t=227

Suffered  potentially career-ending injuries to the same knee while playing in a charity football game in

    2008(torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), a torn medial collateral ligament (MCL), and a torn

    meniscus). Had surgery to repair the damage and sat out the entire 2009 season

Said in 2019: “I’m like (horror film characters) Freddy and Jason in this sport. You can’t kill me.”

Former Oregon Duck was the 2012 NCAA Indoor Champion at 60 meters and a 2-time NCAA Outdoor Champion at 100 meters

PBs: 7.10i (2019), 10.74 (2016/#6 All-TUSU.S.), 22.62 (2013), 53.73 (2012); 2025 SB: 11.04

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

https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/132029

Making it to Tokyo

One of the concession stands at Hayward Field in Eugene (photo included in attached file)

April Steiner Bennett  46 (1980)  2USU.S. Olympian—Pole Vault (8^th); All-American at Arkansas

Ranked in the U.S. top-ten 11 years in a row (2004-2014); PB:15-2  ¼ (4.63/’08)

Winner of the 2004 “Fear Factor” Thanksgiving show ($50,000 1^st prize).

https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/114787

T&F News’ Rankings: https://trackandfieldnews.com/rankings/

Fear Factor

http://www.gameshownewsnet.com/prime/fearfactor4/ff4-13.html

(Bug-Eating): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68Wc5-PSW-k

http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=30503

Paul Kosgei-Kenya  48 (1978) 2002 World Champion-Half Marathon

4-time World X-Country Team Champion (1998-2001)

  3-time Individual X-Country medalist-silver (1999), bronze (1998, 2000)…2001 (5^th)

7^th in the Steeplechase at the 1999 World Championships, 7^th in the 10,000 in 2001

2002 African Champion-10,000

PBs: 7:39.15 (2000), 13:05.44 (2000), 27:21.56 (2003), 59:07 (2006), 2:09:00 (2010)

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

https://worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/paul-kosgei-malakwen-14208765

Reggie Torian  51 (1975)  1997 NCAA Champion—110-meter hurdles (Wisconsin); 1USU.S. Champion

Silver medalist 1999 World Indoor Championships—60m hurdles; 2-time U.S. Indoor Champion (1997, 1999)

PBs: 7.38(’99), 13.03(’98)

Currently, the Development Coordinator in the University of Wisconsin Athletic Department

Daughter Ana-Liese Torian has run 12.81 in the 100 m hurdles and is currently a junior at Auburn

’93 H.S. State Meet (won the 110 & 300 hurdles and the Triple Jump/2^nd in the Long Jump):

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1993-05-30-9305300199-story.html

       https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-08-06-9708060024-story.html

Garry Bjorklund 75 (1951)—1971 NCAA Champion 6 miles (Minnesota);

1USU.S. Olympian—10,000m (13^th). Despite losing a shoe at 4-1/2 miles at USU.S. Trials, he made up a 25-yard deficit on the

    final lap to edge Bill Rodgers for the final spot on the team. (Frank Shorter and Craig Virgin finished 1-2).

Finished 2^nd to Steve Prefontaine at the 1971 NCAA X-Country Championships

Minnesota native won the Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth in 1980. The race’s companion event, the ½-marathon, has been named after him since 1991.

Member of the RRCA Hall of Fame

PBs:7:46.79 (1976), 13:32.33 (1976), 27:46.9 (1984), 2:10:20 (1980)

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

https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78115

Yevgeniy Arzhanov—Ukraine 78 (1948)  1972 Olympic silver medalist—800…leading the final until he was passed right at the finish line by Dave Wottle!

1971 European Champion; 2-time European Indoor Champion-1970, 1971

Trying to survive the Russian invasion of Ukraine

www.runblogrun.com/2022/03/i-am-a-patrioti-am-sure-we-will-win-ukrainian-track-legend-yevgeny-arzhanov-in-a-mortal-struggle-i.html

PBs: 1:45.3 (1972), 3:44.4 (1970)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LHid-nC45k

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

Deceased

Sharon Colyear-Danville—Great Britain 69 (1955-November 17,  2024) 2-time Olympian-Semi-finalist in the 100m Hurdles in 1976 & 1984…also competed in the 2^nd round of the 100 in 1976, as well as running on the team that finished 8^th in the 4×100

Won gold in the 4×100, bronze in the hurdles, at the 1978 Commonwealth Games.

From Boston University:

“A Manchester, England, native, Colyear-Danville was one of the most dominant athletes to grace the track for the Terriers and

earned her place in the BU Athletic Hall of Fame as a first-ballot inductee in 1988. Indoors, she excelled in the 55-meter dash, the

55-meter hurdles and the 200-meter dash, while also running the 4×400-meter relay. On the outdoor track, she dominated in the

100- and 400-meter hurdles as well as the 4×100-meter relay and the sprint medley relay. Colyear-Danville still holds the school

records in three hurdles events (55, 60, 100), and they are the longest-standing records in program history. While competing for the

Terriers at the 1980 AIAW Indoor Track & Field Championships, Colyear-Danville set a women’s United Kingdom mark in the 60-meter

hurdles. She ran a record time of 8.22 in her semifinal heat and placed second in the finals to earn All-America honors.

Colyear-Danville won 13 Greater Boston and New England individual titles for the Terriers.”

The indoor meet at BU bearing her name has become a traditional season opener for many athletes and has produced many fast times in recent years (see above for details on this weekend’s meet).

PBs: 11.35 (1977), 23.98 (1974), 13.11 (1976)

https://goterriers.com/news/2024/11/24/general-bu-athletics-mourns-passing-of-hall-of-famer-sharon-colyear-danville-83.aspx

BU Hall of Fame: https://goterriers.com/sports/2016/6/13/hallfame-colyear-danville-sharon-html.aspx