Walt Murphy’s Information and Outcomes Service (wmurphy25@aol.com), used with permission.
This Day in Observe & Subject–February 20
1960—Befitting the early levels of an Olympic yr, a minimum of 4 World Information had been set on the AAU Indoor Championships in New York.
Australia’s Al Lawrence, a sophomore on the College of Houston, hoped to impress his nation’s Olympic selectors and did so with a bang, profitable the 3-mile in 13:26.3 to take greater than 10 seconds off Invoice Dellinger’s earlier mark of 13:36.9.
Lawrence, who had set a 2-mile document of 8:46.0 the week earlier than in Los Angeles, was the 1956 bronze medalist within the 10,000-meters on the 1956 Olympics and gained NCAA and U.S. X-Nation titles in 1959 and 1960.
One other sophomore, Boston College’s John Thomas, had one dangerous miss at 7-2 (2.184) earlier than clearing on his 2nd try to higher his personal Excessive Soar mark of 7-1 ½ (2.17).
The threerd document at Madison Sq. Backyard was set by former Cornell soccer and T&F star Bo Roberson, who gained the Lengthy Soar with a leap of 25-9 ½ (7.86) to take down one of many sport’s most venerable marks, Jesse Owens’ 25-9 (7.84) that was set at this meet in 1935!
The 4th document happened earlier within the day, uptown on the Squadron A Armory in Manhattan, the place Hal Connolly, the 1956 Olympic champion within the Hammer Throw, gained the 35-pound Weight Throw with a toss of 71-2 ½ (21.70), properly above the earlier finest on document, the 68-8 (20.93) that he threw the week earlier than in Los Angeles. Connolly’s win ended the 6-year reign as U.S. Champion of his pleasant rival, Bob Backus.
https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1960/02/21/99478268.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0
Roberson: http://ivy50.com/blackhistory/story.aspx?sid=1/24/2007
https://vault.si.com/vault/1960/03/14/now-i-can-beat-those-chaps
1965—Invoice McClellon (DeWitt Clinton,NYC) set a meet document of 6-10 (2.085?) on the AAU Interscholastic Championships at Madison Sq. Backyard. McClellon cleared 6-8 (2.03) earlier within the competitors to interrupt John Thomas’s earlier meet mark 0f 6-7 5/8 (1958), then cleared 6-9 (2.06) earlier than getting over his profitable top. He missed twice at 7-feet (2.135), believed to be the primary makes an attempt ever by a prep to clear that still-significant barrier. McClellon would ultimately change into the primary prep to clear 7-feet on the U.S. Outside Championships in June.
Two of the legends of the NY Metropolis monitor scene connected within the 440y, with Vince Matthews edging Andrew Jackson teammate Julio Meade, 51.3-51.4.
Jim Meehan (Oliver Ames,Ma-2:15.5) gained the 1000y over Byron Dyce (Erasmus,NYC-2:16.2) and Jim Jackson anchored Boys Excessive (NYC) to a win within the 2-mile relay (7:59.6).
Climb to 7-feet: https://www.runnerspace.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=information&news_id=645265
1975–Tony Darden, a junior at Norristown (Pa), H.S., ran 30.6 on the Philadelphia Coaches meet at Princeton to set a Nationwide Excessive Faculty Report for 300-yards.
Darden went on to be ranked #3 on this planet within the 400 in 1979 and #4 in 1981. Darden beat the good Alberto Juantorena to win the gold medal within the 400 on the 1979 Pan-American Video games. His daughter, Dominique, was a 3-time All-American within the 400-meter hurdles whereas on the College of Miami.
1976–John Radetich, competing within the skilled Worldwide Observe Affiliation (ITA) meet in Salt Lake Metropolis, cleared 7-6 (2.29) to higher Dwight Stones’s World Report within the Excessive Soar (7-5 3/4 [2.28]). Radetich’s celebration ended rapidly after he was advised that Stones had jumped 7-6 1/4 (2.295) the identical day in New York!
Dwight Stones’ “Combo Platter”
20/21 1975 (21)–After convincing meet director Jesse Abramson to arrange the excessive soar strategy at Madison Sq. Backyard to accommodate his flop fashion, Dwight Stones made good on his promise to set a World Report, clearing 7-5 ¾ (2.28) on the Olympic Inv. to higher his earlier mark of 7-5 ½ (2.275). Abramson was the legendary NY monitor and discipline journalist who’s the namesake for a lot of journalism awards.
1976(20)–Feeling listless earlier within the day, “Massive D” wanted all of his vitality to combat off a powerful problem from Rory Kotinek (7-5 [2.26]) and went on to set one other world document on the Olympic Inv. (7-6 1/4). His mark additionally bettered the skilled better of 7-6 (2.29) that John Radetich had set earlier within the day in Salt Lake Metropolis. The Pole Vault produced one other world finest as Dan Ripley jumped 18-3 ¾ (5.58) to regain the World Report within the Pole Vault. Ending 2nd (17-10 [5.435]) was Poland’s Wladyslaw Kozakiewicz, who had set the earlier mark of 18-3 ½ (5.575) the week earlier than in Toronto.
1976(21)–Touring again to his native California for the Jack-in-the-Field meet in San Diego, a drained Stones set his 2nd World Report in 24 hours, his 7-6 ½ (2.30) clearance netting him his seventh (and remaining) Indoor mark. It additionally matched his out of doors World Report.
T&F Information Cowl
https://trackandfieldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/1976_03.jpg
1981–A document try within the mile “was on”, because the runners would say, on the Jack-in-the-Field meet on San Diego’s quick 11-lap monitor, however who would win the race? Steve Scott had already overwhelmed Eamonn Coghlan, the current document holder (3:52.6 on this similar monitor), twice earlier within the season, and the sphere additionally included John Walker and Ray Flynn. These had been the 4 quickest indoor milers in historical past at this level.
Phil “Tiny” Kane, Coghlan’s former teammate at Villanova, was the designated rabbit and he took the sphere via the 1/2-mile in 1:55.4. Scott then took over and led on the 3/4-split in a slower-than-expected 2:55.4, permitting Coghlan to regroup. (“I used to be working backwards and forwards like a yo-yo [in the first half]”.
Beginning his kick with two laps to go, Coghlan, who had been pointing in the direction of this race all season, handed Scott and pulled away to win in an incredible 3:50.6, smashing his earlier mark by a full 2-seconds. Scott held on for 2nd, setting a since-broken American document of three:51.8, Walker adopted in 3:52.8, and Flynn accomplished the best indoor mile mass-finish in historical past along with his time of three:53.6.
Coghlan, whereas thrilled by his nice effort, admitted later that he was truly hoping to get underneath 3:50–one thing he would lastly do two years later when he ran 3:49.78 on the Meadowlands in New Jersey.
Sports activities Illustrated Vault—Proper Omen’s For Eamonn
https://www.nytimes.com/1981/02/21/sports activities/coghlan-sets-mile-record-of-3-50.6.html
http://villanovarunning.blogspot.com/2012/02/eamonn-coghlans-wr-3506-indoor-mile.html
1981–The mile wasn’t the one massive occasion on today in 1981. 19-year outdated Carl Lewis, a sophomore on the College of Houston, received his first World Report when he long-jumped 27-10 ¼ (8.49) on the Southwest Convention Championships in Fort Value, Texas, to interrupt Larry Myricks’s earlier mark of 27-5 ¾ (8.375). It was the 2nd convention title for Lewis, who had earlier gained the 60-yard sprint in 6.06, solely .02s off the world document. Mentioned Houston coach Tom Tellez, in what would show to be fairly an understatement, “Individuals simply didn’t imagine in Carl Lewis. I believe they’ll now”.
1981—Margaret Groos set a World Report of 15:34.5 for 5000-Meters in Blacksburg, VA.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Groos
1987—Maren Seidler’s 9-year outdated American Indoor Report of 61-2 ¼ (18.65) within the Ladies’s Shot Put took a pounding from Ramona Pagel on the Los Angeles Instances meet in Inglewood, California.
Pagel, already the U.S. Outside Report holder at 62-9 ¼ (19.13), raised the Indoor finest to 62-2 ¼ (18.95) within the first spherical and went to a different degree together with her subsequent two places of 63-11 ½ (19.49) and 64-1 ¾ (19.55). She “slacked off” to 63-2 ¼ (19.26) within the 4th spherical, fouled within the 5th, then broke one other barrier together with her remaining toss of 65-3/4 (19.83)!
Earlier than her profession was over, Pagel would change into a 4-time U.S. Olympian (1984-1996) and would win seven Indoor and 5 Outside U.S. titles. The 65-3/4 would stay her indoor finest, however improved her American Outside Report to 66-2 ½ (20.18) in 1988. That mark lasted for 25 years till Michelle Carter threw 66-5 (20.24) in 2013.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramona_Pagel
1988–Bulgaria’s Stefka Kostadinova raised her World Report within the Excessive Soar by 1/4-inch to 6-9 (2.06m) in Piraeus, Greece.
1994—41-year outdated Eamonn Coghlan grew to become the primary man over 40 to run a sub-4 minute mile when he ran 3:58.15 throughout a highschool meet on Harvard’s super-fast 220-yard banked monitor.
Coghlan had fallen quick in his earlier makes an attempt to place this remaining contact on his nice profession and he knew, because the 1994 indoor season was drawing to an in depth, that he was working out of time and meets. He had initially deliberate to make use of this race, which had been swiftly organized by native meet promoter Invoice Clark, as a warmup for an all-out effort on the U.S. Indoor Championships in Atlanta, the place he would run within the “open” mile. However prodding from Clark and photographer Victor Sailer satisfied Coghlan to offer it his all right here at Harvard.
World-class 800 runner Stanley Redwine, Coghlan’s Foot Locker teammate, was recruited to set the tempo. It was definitely a special setting than Coghlan had been accustomed to through the peak years of his profession, when he would run in entrance of packed homes at Madison Sq. Backyard and the opposite indoor arenas across the U.S. However PA announcer Larry Newman made positive the 3000 or so highschool runners, coaches. and oldsters, and a handful of fortunate followers, knew precisely what was happening and the roar was Backyard-calibre because the gun went off. With Redwine doing a superb job of pacing via splits of 59, 1:59, and a couple of:59, a hurting Coghlan, struggling at occasions to take care of shut contact, rode the encouragement of the gang as he ran alone during the last two laps.
Marc Bloom, who had organized a few of Coghlan’s earlier Masters races, wrote in Runner’s World, “Coghlan couldn’t afford to avoid wasting something, and he didn’t. This was his remaining indoor race. ‘Run your coronary heart out for this one lap,’ he advised himself. ‘Fear in regards to the final lap later.’ Coghlan’s legs wobbled, however he held type and ran the seventh lap in 29.38, his quickest for the reason that opener. One lap extra to go. He wanted a 31.39”…..”Going into the primary activate the ultimate lap, Coghlan dug deeper. He pumped, he grimaced, he pumped some extra. Did he have sufficient left? He was nonetheless flying when he got here off the remaining flip and sprinted for the tape.” All of his arduous work, the bodily remedy wanted to get his 41-year outdated physique to simply accept the coaching essential to run a 4-minute mile, had paid off when the clock stopped at 3:58.15. ‘It was like outdated occasions,’ he mentioned later. ‘These final two laps introduced all of it again to me. My eardrums damage from all of the cheering, however my legs responded.’
The next day, on the weekly assembly of the NY Observe Writers, Coghlan, a local of Dublin, was greeted by the Irish Consulate Common, who learn letters of congratulations from Eire’s President and Prime Minister.
He later revealed that he then turned down a profitable supply to run in opposition to Noureddine Morceli on the U.S. Indoor Nationals in Atlanta the next week, saying with a smile, “I obtained my masters diploma at Harvard, and I’d like to finish my profession on that observe”.
Bernard Lagat, who had damaged Coghlan’s Wanamaker Mile Report and his document for many wins within the famed race, took a 3rd document away from his pal by setting a brand new Masters mark of three:54.91 on the 2017 Millrose Video games!
RELATED LINKS:
NY Instances Protection: http://tinyurl.com/y9f2hre
http://college.randolphcollege.edu/tmichalik/4min.htm (scroll down)
http://villanovarunning.blogspot.com/2010/01/running-sub-400-past-40.html
1997—Australia’s Emma George, one of many pioneers within the Ladies’s Pole Vault, edged nearer to 15-feet by clearing 14-11 (4.55) in Melbourne, topping her earlier World (Outside) Report by 2 inches. It was the 7th of her 11 World Information.
WR Development: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladiespercent27s_pole_vault_world_record_progression
https://worldathletics.org/athletes/australia/emma-george-14272068
1997–Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrselassie grew to become the primary man to interrupt 13-minnutes indoors for 5000-meters by working 12:59.04 in Stockholm. https://trackandfieldnews.com/article/25-years-ago-today-the-5ks-first-indoor-sub-13/
2000–Denmark’s Wilson Kipketer, the holder of the World Indoor (1:42.67) and Outside (1:41.11/since damaged) Information within the 800, improved his personal 2-week outdated document (2:15.25) within the 1000-meters by working 2:14.96 in Birmingham, England.
Ethiopia’s Hailu Mekonnen ran 8:09.66 for 2-miles to interrupt the 27-year outdated World Indoor Report of 8:13.2, set by Belgium’s Emiel Puttemans in 1973.
2004–Ethiopians stole the present on the Norwich Union meet in Birmingham, England. 21-year outdated Kenenisa Bekele gained the 5000-meters in 12:49.60 to interrupt countryman Haile Gebrselassie’s World Indoor Report of 12:50.38. And Meseret Defar edged Tirunesh Dibaba in a terrific Ladies’s 3000-meters, 8:33.44-8:33.56.
Nationwide Information had been set within the Ladies’s 1000-meters as Nice Britain’s Kelly Holmes (2:32.96) beat American Jen Toomey (2:34.19).
Bekele’s document within the 5000 stood for 21 years till Grant Fisher ran 12:44.15 on February 14, 2025
IAAF Report:
https://www.worldathletics.org/information/information/bekele-dips-inside-1250-to-break-the-world-in
2011–France’s Teddy Tamgho broke his personal World Report (58-8 ¼ [17.90]) within the Triple Soar by leaping 58-9 ¼ (17.91) in Aubière, France. Tamgho would enhance the document to 58-9 ½ (17.92) two weeks later in Paris.
https://worldathletics.org/information/information/tamgho-triples-to-1791m-world-indoor-record-i
2016—Some veteran observers known as the 2017 NYRR Millrose Video games the perfect for the reason that venerable meet moved to the Armory in NY in 2012, however, as thrilling as that meet was, the argument might be made that the 2016 version was even higher! Contemplate the next:
Matthew Centrowitz gained an exciting Wanamaker Mile over New Zealand’s Nick Willis and set a Meet Report of three:50.63, which turned out to be the quickest time on this planet in 2016. Willis set a Nationwide Report of three:51.06, and he was adopted throughout the end line by Scotland’s Chis O’Hara (3:52.91), Robby Andrews (3:53.16), and Cory Leslie (3:53.87).
For the primary time within the comparatively quick historical past of the occasion, two girls cleared 16-feet within the girls’s Pole Vault, with Greece’s Katerina Stefanidi getting the win over Demi Payne on fewer misses, with each clearing 16-3/4 (4.90). 3rd at 15-5 (4.70) was Sandi Morris, who went on to win the silver medal on the Rio Olympics (Stefanidi gained the gold).
There was nice depth within the Males’s 3000, with Ryan Hill (7:38.82) profitable a photo-finish over Hassan Mead (7:38.85), whereas Eric Jenkins completed an in depth 3rd in 7:39.43. Subsequent had been Evan Jager (7:40.10), Mo Ahmed, who set a Canadian Report of seven:40.11, and Oregon junior Edward Cheserek, who ran a private better of of seven:40.51.
The Males’s 60-meter hurdles featured a battle between Olympic Champions-to-be, Jamaica’s Omar McLeod (110h) beating Ashton Eaton (Decathlon), 7.46-7.53.
Ajee’ Wilson gained the Ladies’s 800-meters for the threerd yr in a row and ran a private finest of two:00.09. A detailed 2nd was Brenda Martinez (2:00.14/PB), whereas Laura Roesler (2:00.49) and Oregon soph Raevyn Rogers (2:00.90) additionally ran PBs.
The Ladies’s 5000 offered one other shut (and deep) race, with Kenya’s Betsy Saina (14:57.18), who gained 3 NCAA titles at Iowa State, beating Molly Huddle (14:57.31), Emily Sisson (15:00.91), Marielle Corridor (15:06.05), Shelby Houlihan (15:06.22), and Abbey D’Agostino (15:24.44), with all setting PBs. Huddle, Sisson, Corridor, and Houlihan moved to 2-3-4-5 on the All-Time U.S. Indoor listing (on the time).
Operating at Millrose for the primary time since she completed 4th within the Ladies’s 60 in 2004 and 2005, when the meet was held at Madison Sq. Backyard, Allyson Felix (7.15) gained the 60 over Tianna Madison (7.20). It was Felix’s first look on the Armory since 2002, when she gained the 60 on the Nationwide Scholastic Indoor Championships (and completed 2nd to Sanya Richards within the 200)!
Johnny Gregorek, whose dad John was an Olympic steeplechaser, gained the Invitation Mile with a private finest time of three:56.57, however the massive information was the 4th-place end of Drew Hunter, who ran 3:57.81 to interrupt his personal U.S. Excessive Faculty Report of three:58.25, which he had set on the Armory the earlier month. Hunter additionally received credit score for a brand new document within the 1500-meters—3:41.93.
Fairly powerful to prime that array of performances! (At the least that’s how I felt on the time—later editions can be even higher!)
Outcomes: http://www.armorytrack.com/gprofile.php?do=view_event&event_id=574&mgroup_id=45586&yr=2016
Vital Birthdays
Born On This Day*
Elinor “Elle” Purrier-St.Pierre 30 (1995) 2024 World Indoor Champion-3000 Meters—beat Gudaf Tsegay and set an
American Report of 8:20.87…silver medalist on the 2022 World Indoor Championships
2-time Olympic finalist within the 1500-Meters—2021 (10th), 2024 (8th)
Gained the 1500 on the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials, 3rd in 2024
Gained the 5000 on the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials—solely ran the 1500 on the Paris Olympics
2018 NCAA Indoor Champion—Mile (New Hampshire)
2-time U.S. Indoor Champion-3000m (2022, 2024)…
3rd within the 1500 on the 2022 U.S. Championships—eradicated within the semi-finals on the 2022 World Championships
Gained her 3rd Wanamaker Mile on the Millrose Video games on Feb.11, 2024—improved her American Indoor Report to
4:16.41…former AR holder within the 2-Mile (9:10.28/2021)
Competed within the 1st spherical of the 5000-Meters on the 2019 World Championships
4th within the steeplechase on the 2017 NCAA Championships (7th-2015, 3rd-2016);
Additionally 2nd within the Indoor Mile (3rd-2017)
2-time ECAC Champion—Steeplechase (2015,2016)
2014 U.S Junior Champion—Steeplechase (9th-World Juniors)
Coached by Mark Coogan
PBs: 1:59.99 (’21), 4:00.20i (‘20/#2 All-Time U.S.), 3:55.99 (’24), 4:16.41i (‘24/NR/#3 All-Time), 8:20.87
(’24/NR/#3 A-T), 9:10.28i-2m (#2 A-T U.S., #6 A-T World), 14:34.12 (’24/#5 A-T U.S./ind-out),
School PBs:4:10.21i (‘18), 4:26.55i (’18/#11 A-T), 8:55.68i (Dec.’17), 9:43.65sc (’17)
Married Jamie St.Pierre in September, 2020….gave start to son Ivan in March, 2023…couple is anticipating their 2nd
youngster in Might, 2025
https://www.runnersworld.com/information/a63249630/elle-st-pierre-expecting-second-child/
Pronounces Elle as “Ellie”
2024 WIC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMQmYX23JWg
From the Farm to the NCAA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLqxyCA_8dA
https://www.tfrrs.org/athletes/4533092/New_Hampshire/Elinor_Purrier.html
All-Time Lists: https://trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/lists
School Stats: https://www.tfrrs.org/athletes/4533092/New_Hampshire/Elinor_Purrier.html
2021 Trials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWHDvK_mePM
Brigid Kosgei—Kenya 31 (1994) 2021 Olympic silver medalist-Marathon…damage saved her out of the 2024 Olympics
Set a World Report of two:14:04 on the 2019 Chicago Marathon (since damaged/now #4 All-Time)…additionally gained in
Chicago in 2018
2-time winner of the London Marathon (2019, 2020)
2024 SB: 2:19:02
WR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn3y50MRGjY
https://worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/brigid-kosgei-14730790
Dennis Mitchell 59 (1966) 1992 Olympic gold medalist—4×100 (1996-silver); 2-time World Champion—4×100
1992 Olympic bronze medalist—100m (1988-4th,1996-4th); Additionally the bronze medalist on the 1991 and
1993 World Championships; 1989 NCAA Champion—200m (Florida)
Ran the threerd leg on 4 World Report 4×100 groups
PBs: 9.91 (1996). 20.09 (1989), 45.26 (1986); ran 46.02 as a senior at Edgewood(NJ) H.S.
Twin sister Denise had a better of 51.72 for 400-meters
Among the many athletes he presently coaches is sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson
Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Mitchell
WR Development(4×100)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menpercent27s_4_×_100_metres_relay_world_record_progression
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78798#
Deceased
Reverend Bob Richards 97 (1926-February 26, 2023) Solely man to win two Olympic gold medals within the Pole Vault—1952,1956 (bronze in
1948)
9-time U.S. Champion (1948-1952,1954-1957)
8-time U.S.Indoor Champion (1948,1950-1953,1955-1957)
3-time U.S. Champion—Decathlon (1951,1954,1955)
1947 NCAA Champion (Illinois/6-way tie for 1st/tied for twond in 1946)
Winner on the Millrose Video games 11 years in a row (1947-1957)
Had 4 sons who had been additionally vaulters—Brandon set a U.S. Excessive Faculty Report of 18-2 (5.54) in 1985, Bob,Jr. was ranked #7 within the
U.S. in 1973, Tommy was a 2-time All-American within the Decathlon (S.F.Austin). Grandson Riley has vaulted 17-10 ½(5.45).
Ranked #1 on this planet 8 years in a row from 1947-1956); Ranked #1 on this planet within the Decathlon in 1951 & 1954
Mentored by fellow vault nice Cornelius “Dutch” Warmerdam early in his profession
97 on the time of his passing in 2023, he had been the oldest residing Olympic gold medalist in Observe & Subject
Inducted into the Nationwide Corridor of Fame in 1975
Often known as the “Vaulting Vicar”…ran for President of the U.S. in 1984 on the Populist Social gathering ticket
First athlete to look on containers of Wheaties
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Richards
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78946
’52 OG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTiue4naosQ
2015 Tackle(Nice!): https://vaultermagazine.com/bob-richards-addresses-crowd-at-zero-g-elite-pv-2015/
T&F Information Rankings: https://trackandfieldnews.com/rankings/
