Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service (wmurphy25@aol.com)
This Day in Track & Field–June 11
1927—Auburn senior Weems Baskin (14.9) won the 120y-Hurdles at the NCAA Championships at Chicago’s Soldier Field.
He would become the long-time coach at the University of South Carolina
Other winners included:
Washington junior Herman Brix Shot Put 46-7 ¼ (14.20); Would win the silver medal at the 1928 Olympics
Michigan State senior Fred Alderman 100y (9.9) 220y (21.1/straight)
Butler senior Hermon Phillips 440y 48.5 MR
Illinois senior John Sittig 880y 1:54.2 MR
Iowa State senior Ray Conger Mile 4:17.6 MR
Georgia Tech sophomore Ed Hamm Long Jump 24-1
https://trackandfieldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/1927.pdf
http://www.ustfccca.org/awards/weems-baskin-ustfccca-special-inductee
1932—Marquette sophomore Ralph Metcalfe was a double winner at the NCAA Championships in Chicago. He set an American Record of 10.2 for 100-meters (timed in 9.5 for 100-yards) and a World Record of 20.5 for 220-yards on the straightaway (AR of 20.3 for 200-meters). Metcalfe would go on to win silver in the 100, bronze in the 200, at the Los Angeles Olympics later in the season.
Another sophomore, Kansas’ Glenn Cunningham, got credit for two American Records–winning the Mile in 4:11.1 and being timed at 1500-meters in 3:53.1.
Iowa’s George Saling set a Collegiate Record of 14.1 in the 120-Yard Hurdles.
Results: https://trackandfieldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1932.pdf
Metcalfe: https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/ralph-metcalfe
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Metcalfe
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Cunningham_(athlete)
1949–The great Emil Zátopek set a World Record of 29:28.2 for 10,000-Meters in Ostrava.
WR Progression: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10,000_metres_world_record_progression
1954–Parry O’Brien had the greatest series in history in the Shot Put at the Southern Pacific AAU meet in Los Angeles.
The former USC Trojan opened with a modest 57-3 (17.45), then improved to 59-1/2 (17.99+) with his 2nd toss. Next was a throw of 60-5 ½ (18.42+), just ¼” short of his World Record of 60-5 ¾ (18.43). He got his 1st WR of the day with his 4th throw of 60-6 (18.44) before backing off to 60-1/2 (18.30) in the 5th round. The 1952 Olympic Champion saved his best for last, improving the World Record to 60-10 (18.54) on his final throw. He would set a total of 10 official World Records during his career and would win a 2nd Olympic title in 1956.
WR Progression: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men%27s_shot_put_world_record_progression
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parry_O%27Brien
1955–UCLA’s Rafer Johnson scored 7,985 points in the Decathlon in Kingsburg, California, to break Bob Mathias’s 3-year old World Record of 7,887. Kingsburg is home to Rafer Johnson Junior H.S.
WR Progression: http://www.decathlon2000.com/eng/844/
1966–Tommie Smith set a World Record of 20.0 for 220-yards in Sacramento. Henry Carr set the previous mark of 20.2 in 1964. Smith had set a WR of 19.5 for 220-yards on the straightaway the previous month.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men%27s_200_metres_world_record_progression
1966–Jim Grelle matched his personal best with his 3:55.4 winning time in the Mile at the San Diego Inv., while 3rd-placer Dave Bailey ran 3:59.1 to become the first Canadian to break 4-minutes. Bailey was followed across the line by Tim Danielson of nearby Chula Vista H.S., who ran 3:59.4 to become the 2nd prep to get under the magical barrier.
Bailey reportedly had to beg his way into the race and had to use coach Fred Foote’s plane ticket to make his way to San Diego.
U.S. Sub-4 Club: https://trackandfieldnews.com/u-s-sub-400-milers-club-chronologically/
Canadian Sub-4 Club(thru Feb.10, 2024) http://broadwayrunclub.com/2013/canadian-sub-4-milers/
1977(Updated)–Running out of lane 2, Edwin Moses lowered his World Record in the 400-Meter Hurdles from 47.64 to 47.45 at the U.S. Championships in Los Angeles.
Other notable winners/highlights
100-1.Don Quarrie (JAM) 10.12, 2.Steve Williams 10.24
1500-1.Steve Scott 3:37.3
5000 (6-10)-1.Marty LIquori 13:41.6
10,000-1.Frank Shorter 28:19.8
High Jump-1.Dwight Stones 7-6 ½ (2.30)
Discus (6-10)-1.Mac Wilkins 227-0 (69.18?)
http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016350.html
WR Progression: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men’s_400_metres_hurdles_world_record_progression
1978–Henry Rono ran 27:22.4 in Vienna to break the year-old World Record in the 10,000-Meters (27:30.5), which was set by his fellow Kenyan and Washington State teammate, Samson Kimobwa. Setting the pace for Rono was Jos Hermens, who is now one of the top athlete managers in the world.
Rono had already set World Records in the 5000-meters (13:08.4/April 8) and Steeplechase (8:05.4/May 13), and would set a 4th in the 3000 (7:32.1) in Oslo on June 27 in one of the most amazing stretches of record-setting in the history of the sport.
A 26-year old sophomore at Washington State at the time, he had won the Steeplechase at the NCAA Championships just 8 days prior to his record run in Vienna.
WR Progression: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10,000_metres_world_record_progression
http://www.runnersworld.com/elite-runners/henry-was-great-in-78
1979–Jesse Abramson, considered by many to be the greatest T&F writer of all-time, passed away at the age of 75. In addition to his writing skill, Abramson, whose name is attached to many current journalism awards, was also the first director of the U.S. Olympic Inv. meet in Madison Square Garden.
http://www.jewishsports.net/BioPages/JesseAbramson.htm
1983–China’s Zhu Jianhua cleared 7-9 ¼ (2.37) in Beijing to set the first of his 3 World Records in the High Jump. East Germany’s Gerd Wessig set the previous WR of (7-8 ¾[2.36]) in 1980.
WR Progression: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men’s_high_jump_world_record_progression
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhu_Jianhua
1988--In Leningrad, the Soviet Union’s Galina Chistyakova first tied the World Record of 24-5 ½ (7.45m) in the Long Jump (co-held by Heike Drechsler and Jackie Joyner-Kersee), then improved it to the current mark of 24-8 ¼ (7.52m).
WR Progression:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_jump_world_record_progression
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlQrnP1DN7Q
1988 Carol Cady threw 192-0 (58.52) in Los Gatos(CA) to set the 6th of her 7 American Records in the Hammer.
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/77780
2000--Stacy Draglia jumped 15-5 (4.70) at a special “beach-vault” in Santa Barbara and earned $100,000 for bettering the official World Record of15-1 (4.60).
2004—While construction was going on in its traditional home stadium in Oslo, the Bislett Games moved to Bergen, Norway, for one year and a sellout crowd of 15,000 was treated to a World Record in the Women’s 5000 by Turkey’s Elvan Abeylegesse, who ran 14:24.68. 2nd was Tirunesh Dibaba, the winner of the 2003 World title when she was still just 17 years old, who set a World Junior Record of 14:30.88. She would set a World Record of 14:11.15 in Oslo in 2008!
Breaux Greer won the Men’s Javelin with a throw of 286-8 (87.39) to set his first American Record. The previous Record of 285-10 (87.12) was set by Tom Pukstys in 1997.
From Jeff Gorski: That American record throw by Breaux Greer in 2004 was impressive, besides the record, he blew out his left ACL on that throw. He told me he first landed on the outside of his left foot at plant and totally tore the ligament. He kept competing thru the season, as you know, and had a big throw in Q round of the 0lympics that year, a distance that would have won the final. Unfortunately for him, his knee did not allow him to follow up with a similar effort in the final.
IAAF Report: https://www.worldathletics.org/news/news/abeylegesse-obliterates-the-womens-5000m-worl
WR Progression: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5000_metres_world_record_progression
2005—Three Collegiate Records were set at the NCAA Championships in Sacramento. UCLA Senior Monique Henderson won the Women’s 400 in 50.10, Florida sophomore Kerron Clement ran 47.56 while winning his 2nd title in the Men’s 400-meter hurdles, and LSU won the Men’s 4×400 in 2:59.59.
In other men’s highlights, Texas freshman Leo Manzano won the 1500 (3:37.13), Arizona Junior Robert Cheseret, Bernard Lagat’s brother, won the 10,000 (6-9) in 28:20.11 over Oregon Freshman Galen Rupp (28:23.75), Stanford got a 1-2 finish in the 5000 from Junior Ryan Hall (13:22.32) and Senior Ian Dobson (13:22.54), with Michigan Junior Nick Willis (13:27.54) getting 3rd, and USC Junior Jesse Williams won the High Jump (7-6 [2.29]).
Team titles were won by Texas (W) and Arkansas (M).
Results(Finals)
Men: https://trackandfieldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/2005.pdf
Women: https://trackandfieldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/2005w.pdf
Complete: https://www.flashresults.com/2005_Meets/outdoor/ncaa1/index.htm
2005—19-year old Usain Bolt won the 200-Meters in 20.31 at the Reebok Grand Prix at Icahn Stadium on NY’s Randall’s Island.
Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba won the Women’s 5000 in 14:32.42, the fastest ever run in the U.S.
Results: https://ny.milesplit.com/meets/11836/results/25414/raw#.XP647S2ZPNA
2006—Jamaica’s Asafa Powell ran 9.77 in Gateshead, England, to match his own year-old World Recod in the 100-Meters. He would match it again 2 months later in Zurich.
WR Progression: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men’s_100_metres_world_record_progression
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asafa_Powell
2011–Lukas Verzbicas (Carl Sandburg H.S.) ran 3:59.71 at the adidas Grand Prix at Icahn Stadium on NY’s Randall’s Island to become the 5th high school runner in the U.S. to break 4-minutes for the Mile. Verzbicas, a native of Lithuania, was the winner over the deepest field ever in a high school mile (2.Austin Mudd [Center Grove,IN] 4:01.83, 3.Elias Gedyon [Loyola,CA] 4:02.08, 4.Edward Cheserek-Soph [St.Benedict’s Prep,NJ] 4:03.29).
Complete Results: http://www.runblogrun.com/2011/06/2011-adidas-grand-prix-nyc-live-live-live-by-larry-eder.html
2016—It was all Women’s finals on the last day of the NCAA Championships in Eugene (June 8-11), with 4 Collegiate Records falling by the wayside during the 4 days of competition.
Georgia sophomore Keturah Orji won the 2nd of her 4 NCAA titles in the Triple Jump and set Collegiate and American Records with her winning jump of 47-8 (14.53). The previous AR of 47-5 (14.45) was set by Tiombé Hurd in 2004, while Orji broke her own CR of 46-10 ¾ (14.29), which was set earlier in the season.
Mississippi sophomore Raven Saunders won the Shot Put (6-9) with a toss of 63-5 (19.33) to break the previous mark of 62-3 ¾ (18.99), set by Arizona’s Meg Ritchie in 1983.
New Mexico senior Courtney Frerichs, a transfer from Missouri-Kansas City, won the Steeplechase in 9:24.41, breaking the previous CR of 9:25.54 that was set by Colorado’s Jenny Barringer (Simpson) in 2009.
The 4th CR was set by Texas A&M senior Maggie Malone, who won the Javelin with a throw of 204-0 (62.19), breaking the former mark of 202-10 (61.82), set in 2003 by Indiana’s Irina Kharun.
Ariana Washington, a redshirt freshman at Oregon, was a double winner, finishing 1st in the 100 (10.95w) and 200 (22.21).
Senior Courtney Okolo won the 400 (50.36) and anchored Texas to a win in the 4×400 (3:27.64).
Another double champion was Dominique Scott, a senior from South Africa, who won the 5000 (15:57.07) and 10,000 (6-9/32:35.69) and helped Arkansas (and coach Lance Harter) win their first Outdoor team title by 10 points over Oregon (62-52).
Results(Finals)
Women: https://trackandfieldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/2016w.pdf
Complete: https://www.flashresults.com/2016_Meets/Outdoor/06-08_NCAA/
Arkansas History: https://arkansasrazorbacks.com/pdf/wtrack/2018-19/arkansas-womens-tf-guide-online.pdf
2020—Competing in front of “substitute” fans in this Covid-era “Impossible Games” in Oslo, Norway’s Karsten Warholm won the 300-Meter Hurdles in 33.78, breaking the “World Record” of 34.48 that was set by Great Britain’s Chris Rawlinson in 2002. It was not an official WR event at the time, but it is now, and Warholm improved his best to 33.05 on April 26, 2025.
Mondo Duplantis won the Pole Vault (19-2 ¾ [5.86]) over Renaud Lavilennie (19-3/4 [5.81]), who competed remotely on his home runway!
Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen ran 4:50.01 for 2000-Meters to move to #7 on the All-Time world list. He was followed across the line by his brothers Henrik (4:53.72) and Filip (4:56.92) as they won this team event over a Kenyan lineup that was running in Nairobi! (led by Timothy Cheruiyot-5:03.05).
Pre-Meet: https://worldathletics.org/news/preview/impossible-games-bislett-oslo-2020
“Fans” were respectfully quiet before the start of Warholm’s race!
2021—Terrance Laird scored 20-1/2 points within the span of 95 minutes to help LSU win the Men’s team title at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon. He started the final day of competition by anchoring the winning 4×100 (38.48), won the 100 (10.05), and then finished 2nd in a hot 200 to Florida’s Joe Fahnbulleh (19.91-19.94).
Another key contributor to the Tiger’s lopsided win over Oregon (84-53) was JuVaughn Harrsion, who won the High Jump (7-7 ¾ [2.33]) and the Long Jump (6-9/27-1 ¾ [8.27]).
Host Oregon got wins from Cole Hocker (3:35.35), who beat Notre Dame’s Yared Nuguse (3:35.60) in a quick 1500-Meters, and Cooper Teare, who set a Meet Record of 13:12.27 in the 5000-Meters.
Arizona State’s Turner Washington won the Discus (208-1 [63.42]) two days after winning the Shot Put (69-2 ¾ [21.10]). He would win a 2nd title in the Discus in 2023.
Randolph Ross won the 400-Meters in 43.85, then came back with a 43.8 split on the 2nd leg to help North Carolina A&T win the 4×400 in 3:00.92.
LSU freshman Sean “Squirrel” Burrell, in his first year in the event, won the 400-Meter Hurdles in 47.85, a World Junior (Under-20) Record.
(The women would finish up on June 12)
https://www.flashresults.com/2021_Meets/Outdoor/06-09_NCAA/
https://www.ncaa.com/live-updates/trackfield/d1/LSU-men-USC-women-win-2021-di-outdoor-track-field-championships
https://www.letsrun.com/events/2021-ncaa-outdoor-track-field-championships/
Videos:
100: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6w1FR9RcmE
200: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzdZXazBFCQ
1500: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq1zp8XCpY4
800: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHpOmoWOXFs
2022—A day after the men’s events finished up at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, it was the women’s turn to take center stage.
4 Collegiate Records were set, 2 on the track, 2 in the field.
Kentucky Junior Abby Steiner won the 200 in 21.80 after finishing 3rd in the 100 (11.08), a race won by Texas soph Julien Alfred in 11.02. She also ran the 2nd leg on Kentucky’s 4×100 team that finished 2nd to Texas (42.44-42.55), and ran a sensational 48.92 split (3rd leg) on the Wildcats’ winning 4×400 team (3:22.55).
BYU senior Courtney Wayment repeated as the winner of the Steeplechase, running 9:16.00 to break her own year-old record of 9:24.41.
Ohio State’s Adelaide Aquilla was another repeat winner, finishing first in the Shot Put (6-9) with a toss of 64-5 ¼ (19.64). Finishing 2nd was Arizona State’s Jorinde Van Klinken (60-11 ½ [18.58]), who won the 2nd of her 3 titles in the Discus (203-11 [62.16]).
The 4th record was set by Cal’s Camryn Rogers, a senior from Canada, who won her 3rd title in the Hammer and broke her own CR with a throw of 254-10 (77.67). She would win gold at the 2023 World Championships.
Other Highlights
Florida sophomore Jasmine Moore copied her Indoor double by winning the Long Jump (6-9: 22-3/4 [6.72]) and Triple Jump (46-11 ¾ [14.32]). She would repeat the Indoor double in 2023, and won the TJ outdoors.
Another Gator soph, Talitha Diggs, won the 400 in 49.99. Her mom, Joetta Clark, was a 2-time NCAA Champion in the 800-meters while at Tennessee (1983, 1984).
North Carolina State’s Katelyn Tuohy (15:18.39) won the 5000-meters over Florida frosh Parker Valby (15:20.10, who would win this event in 2023 and then win 5 additional titles during the 2023-2024 school year (XC, Indoor 3000 and 5000, and outdoor 5000 and 10,000!
Florida’s Anna Hall (54.87) finished 2nd to Arkansas’ Britton Wilson (53.86) in the 400-meter hurdles, then, less than 25 minutes later, finished off her winning performance in the Heptathlon (6385) by running 2:21.23 in the 800-meters!
Florida won the team title over Texas (74-64).
Finalists: https://trackandfieldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2022w.pdf
Complete Results: https://flashresults.ncaa.com/Outdoor/2022/index.htm
Florida
https://www.letsrun.com/events/2022/06/2022-ncaa-outdoor-track-field-championships
Videos: 200 400 Steeple 400h Hep-800 SP HT
NCAA History
Past Team Champions
Men: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Division_I_Men%27s_Outdoor_Track_and_Field_Championships
Women: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Division_I_Women%27s_Outdoor_Track_and_Field_Championships
USTFCCCA: http://www.ustfccca.org/meets-results/meet-history?series=3369
T&F News: https://trackandfieldnews.com/historical-results/a-history-of-the-ncaa-championships-1921-2018/
Born On This Day*
J.J. Clark 61 (1964) Director of T&F at Stanford. Previously coached at Tennessee and UConn
Had a best of 3:41.50 for 1500-meters during his own running career–member of one of the
premier running families in T&F history. Wife is Jearl Miles, the 1993 World Champion at
400 meters and a 2-time Olympic gold medalist in the 4×400 relay, and the former American
record holder at 800-meters (1:56.40)…sisters are 4-time Olympian(800) Joetta and 3-
time NCAA Champion (800) Hazel. All three women made the 2000 U.S. Olympic team in
the 800. Joetta and Jearl are members of the National Hall of Fame.
https://gostanford.com/sports/track-and-field/roster/coaches/j-j-clark/3887
Maren Seidler 74 (1951) 4-time U.S. Olympian—Shot Put (1968-11th, 1972-qual.round, 1976-12th, 1980-boycott)
Won 20 U.S. titles (11-outdoor, 9-indoor); Set 10 American Records, best of 62-7 ¾(19.09/1979)
During a training trip in Germany, became the first American woman to put the shot more than 60-feet when she reached out to
60-1 (18.31) at an All-Comers indoor meet in Munich.
“After finishing 4th at the inaugural World Cup in Dusseldorf, West Germany, in September, she decided to spend some time in
Munich to train with noted coach Christian Gehrmann, who had worked with American stars Al Feuerbach and Mac Wilkins.
Gehrmann’s rigorous training regimen led to Seidler losing 25 pounds, but the hard work obviously paid off. ‘Christian was
available, good, and had issued a standing invitation to come and be coached’, said Seidler. ‘I’d had another blah year. I just
finally got tired enough of the same old thing that I was either going to do it right or stop. I didn’t want to stop, so I floated a
loan from my father and went to Munich. My 10-year vacation was through’.”
Inducted into the U.S. Hall of Fame in 2000.
Was only 15 when she won her first outdoor title in 1967! Still only 17 when she competed in her first Olympics in Mexico City,
she was looked after in the Olympic Village by veterans like John Carlos!
HOF Bio:
Photos:
https://vault.si.com/vault/1968/09/02/dolls-on-the-move-to-mexico
Deceased
Yuriy Sedykh—Russia 66 (1955-Sep.14, 2021) 2-time Olympic gold medalist—Hammer Throw (1976,1980/silver1988);
1991 World Champion (2nd-1983); Set 6 World Records, best of 284-7 (86.74/Current WR)
3-time European Champion (1978, 1982, 1986)
Made T&F News’ Top-10 World Rankings 18 times between 1976 and 1994 (missing only
1993). Ranked #1 eight times. Member of the IAAF Hall of Fame
Wiki Bio:
WR Video:
WR Progression:
Rankings:
https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/hall-of-fame
https://apnews.com/article/track-and-field-sports-europe-russia-moscow-62f7dd55278ba992439adf63ddfb0af1
https://forum.trackandfieldnews.com/forum/historical/1724048-r-i-p-yuriy-syedikh-1955-2021
Hugo Wieslander—Sweden 86 (1889-May 24, 1976) 1912 Olympic “gold medalist”—Decathlon
Actually finished 2nd at the Stockholm Olympics, but was awarded the gold medal after winner Jim Thorpe was
declared a professional for playing minor-league baseball. Once Thorpe was reinstated, the two were named
“co-Olympic champions”, but Thorpe is now recognized as the sole champion.
OG Report: https://www.olympedia.org/results/56970
Kim Gallagher 38 (1964-November 18, 2002) 2-time Olympic medalist-800m (1984-silver, 1988-bronze/1500-11th)
1984 U.S. Champion-800m, 1500m (when the U.S. Championships were separate from the Trials)
Won the 800 at the 1984 & 1988 U.S. Olympic Trials
2-time Penn Relays H.S. Champion-1500 (1979, 1981/Upper Dublin H.S.,PA)
Former U.S. High School Record holder (all 1982)-800m (2:00.07/still #4 All-Time), 1500 (4:16.6),
4×800 (8:58.43/anchor)…800 record stood for 31 years until Mary Cain ran 1:59.51 in 2013!
Member of the National High School T&F Hall of Fame
Followed her brother Bart into the sport
Diagnosed with colon cancer after the 1988 Olympics…died of a stroke in 2002 at the age of 38
PBs: 1:56.91 (1988), 4:03.29 (1988), 4:36.94 (H.S.-1982), 16:34.7 (H.S.-1982)
HOF Induction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFn43aeJ8PI
https://pennrelays.com/honors/wall-of-fame/kim-gallagher/51
