Walt Murphy News and Results Service ((email protected))
This day in the field of athletics – December 28
1974— Oregon State freshman Joni Huntley broke her American record in the women’s high jump (6-1/2 (1.84)) by clearing 6-1 ¼ (1.86) at the Knights of Columbus meet in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Unheralded Dan Ripley, a senior at San Jose State, entered the meet with only a personal best of 16-3 ½ (4.97), but jumped well in practice. His coach, Ernie Bullard, convinced meeting officials to allow Ripley to compete in the meet, and his persistence paid off as his prize pupil cleared 17-8 (5.385?) to set a college record.
Ripley proved her early season sweep was no fluke when she posted a world record 18-1 (5.51) three weeks later in Los Angeles. He would raise the record twice more in 1976, first to 18-1 ¼ (5.52) and then to 18-2 (5.54).
1985— Another jumper, wanting to see if his training was going the way he thought it would, Billy Olson decided to test himself in the Knights of Columbus traditional season opener in Saskatoon. After clearing 18-9 ¼ (5.72), Olson cleared her first attempt at 19-3/4 (5.81), which was ½” higher than her American record of 19-1/4 (5.80). Confident she was ready for the high jump, Olson raised the bar to a height of ¾, which she cleared for the first time in the world record of 6 (5-2). The previous record was 19-2 ¼ (5.85) was defined by the French Thierry Vigneron in 1984.
For Olson, who set seven World Indoor records in 1982-1983 but battled injuries and illness the next two years, it was a welcome sight. His WR in Saskatoon was just a hint of what was to come during a thrilling 1986 season when the record was broken 8 more times by him, Joe Dial and Sergey Bubka.
19-2 ¾ (5.86) Billy Olson Dec. 28, 1985 Saskatoon
19-3 (5.87) Sergey Bubka Jun. 15 1986 Osaka
19-3 ½ (5.88) Billy Olson January 17, 1986 Los Angeles
19-3 ¾ (5.89) Billy Olson January 25, 1986 Albuquerque
19-4 ¾ (5.91) Joe Dial Feb. 1 1986 Columbia, MO
19-5 (5.92) Sergey Bubka February 8, 1986 Moscow.
19-5 ½ (5.93) Billy Olson Pet. 8 1986 East Rutherford, NJ
It
19-6 ¼ (5.95) Sergey Bubka Feb. 28 1986 New York
WR progress
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men%27s_pole_vault_indoor_world_record_progression
Born on this day*
Nicola McDermott Ollislagers – Australia 29 (1996) 2025 World High Jump Champion… bronze medalist in 2023…
2017 (qual. stage-NH), 2019 (qual.), 2022 (=5)th)
Two-time Olympic silver medalist — 2021, 2024
2-time world champion in indoor sports — 2024, 2025
2025 Diamond League Champion
The best athlete in the world in 2025
Trained by Matt Horsnell since the age of 11, training at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.
After each jump in the competition, he does something unusual. Returning to his bag and took A
notebook, he begins to rate his performance in individual categories: flying, running, jumping, etc.
– from 10. He then discusses these assessments with his trainer, Matt Horsnell, before selecting a particular area.
improvement for the next jump. “I do this by faithfully tracking every jump,” he explains. “I’m there with myself
pen I never get 10 out of 10, there’s always something to work on.” He also crosses his fingers before each one
jump!
Deeply religious. co-founded a ministry group, Everlasting Crowns, to help athletes connect with fellow Christians
and local priests during an international competition.
PB:: 6-8 ¼ (2.04/2025/Oceania Record:)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicola_Olyslagers
https://worldathletics.org/athletes/australia/nicola-olyslagers-14455361
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/140579
https://worldathletics.org/awards/news/nicola-olyslagers-in-her-words
https://www.athletics.com.au/athlete/nicola-olyslagers/
https://www.instagram.com/nicola.olyslagers/?hl=en
Duane Solomon 41 (1984) Two-time US champion (2011, 2012) and outdoor (2013, 2014) 800m champion
Former American indoor record holder — 600 m (1:15.70/2013); 6′-3 ¼”
Finished 4th in a memorable 800 final at the 2012 London Olympics…ran a personal best 1:42.82…his
trainer Johnny Gray was the only American ever to run faster (at the time).
6:00th of the world in 2013
All-American at USC. NCAA-2006 (5:th), 2007 (7:th), 2008 (3:th) coached at USC Laszlo Tabor
Wanting to spend more time with his family, he raced less in 2017 and none at all in 2018. Despite his age
(33), he hoped to return to top form in 2019, but has only raced once (1:55.04). He declared himself
to retire in June 2020
In the 2012 Olympic final
“It was a time I never thought was possible that year, it will always be a special race for me because of that.
competition I ran that day. Every single person in that race deserved to be in that final. I literally lined up
the eight best runners i believe of that decade. It would be hard to find another high quality 800 field like this ever
again, every runner, including David Rudisha, at the start of their run.” (More in the “Dependent” link below)
PBs: 1:13.28 (600/2013, #2 All Time USA, #4 AT World/#3-#5 Indoor-Outdoor), 1:15.70i1:42.82 (#6 in the US)
Wife-Cindy He…married May 31, 2017…couple has 3 sons
2012 AND:: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKEOjWEzVGs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duane_Solomon
https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/duane-solomon-14251836
Hanging On (March 2019).
https://www.runnerspace.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=news&news_id=568263
Letter to Duane Jr: http://www.milesplit.com/articles/211016/dear-younger-me-duane-solomon
All time lists: https://trackandfieldnews.com/tfn-lists/
Retirement:
https://citiusmag.com/podcast/citius-mag-podcast-duane-solomon/
James Jett 53 (1972) 1992 Olympic gold medalist — 4×100
All-American at West Virginia. NCAA-1991/100 (7:th), 200 (5:th), 1992/100-2th200 (2:th)
PBs10.16 (1992), 20.33 (1992)
Played 9 seasons in NFL with LA/Oakland Raiders (Wide Receiver)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Jett
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JettJa00.htm
Football highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLYR-wgeBTw
James Trapp 56 (1969) In 1993 indoor sports world champion — 200 m
All-American at Clemson. NCAA-100 (1990-5th1991-4th1992-3th), 200 (1992-4:th), 4×100 (1991-2:th1992-6th)
PBs10.14 (1992), 20.17 (1992)
Spent 11 seasons in the NFL with the Raiders, Ravens and Jaguars, helping Baltimore to a Super Bowl victory.
XXXV in 2001 (defensive back) … One of his Raiders teammates was James Jett.
Appointed CEO of NFL Legends Community in 2017
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/TrapJa20.htm
A Changed Man: http://articles.latimes.com/2006/oct/13/sports/sp-nflcol13
https://clemsontigers.com/clemson-vault-james-trapp-a-true-clemson-champion/
https://richtakeonsports.com/episode-6-james-trapp-former-baltimore-raven/
Abdi Bile-Somalia 63 (1962) 1987 world champion — 1500 m (1993 – bronze); 6:00th In the 1996 Olympics
Two-time NCAA Champion (George Mason/1985, 1987) … Coach: John Cook
Won 800 and 1500 to lead George Mason to team title at 1985 IC4A Championships
World No. 1 in 1989 (1987-2, 1989-1, 1990-6, 1993-3, 1994-3)
Injuries kept him out of the 1988 and 1992 Olympics and the 1991 World Championships.
Donated the single worn during the 1987 World Cup SPEECH Heritage Collection 2022
World Championships in Eugene
https://worldathletics.org/heritage/news/abdi-bile-rome-1500m-mowa-donation
Son Ahmed ran for Georgetown — 2014. Big East indoor and outdoor championship champion — 800 m;
PBs1:43.60 (1989), 2:14.50 (1989), 3:30.55 (1988), 3:49.40 (1988), 4:59.70 (1987), 7:42.18 (1994)
Ranking tables: https://trackandfieldnews.com/rankings/
National hero:
Go Home (2011): https://www.runnersworld.com/website-only/abdi-bile-returns-to-somalia
1985 IC4A: http://www.nytimes.com/1985/05/20/sports/abdi-leads-mason.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdi_Bile
Dead
Charles Bennett – Great Britain 79 (1870 – Dec. 16, 1950)(other sources give 1948 as the year of his death)
Three-time medalist of the 1900 Paris Olympics.
Gold-1500, 5000-Team race, Silver-4000m-Hiking
Britain’s first Olympic gold medalist in athletics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Bennett_(athlete)
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68879
http://www.racingpast.ca/bob-philips.php?id=47
