Walt Murphy News and Results Service ((email protected))
This day in the field of athletics – April 22
1967– Texas A&M’s Randy Matson broke his own world record in the shot put with a 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 HS in Gainesville, won the inaugural Women’s 1,500 (later the mile) at the Penn Relays in a field that included future stars. Joan Benoit (4:28.3), Cheryl Toussaint (4:35.8), and 15 t Lynn Jennings.
1979— Deby LaPlante ran 13.10 at the Mt.SAC Relays to set an American record in the 100-meter hurdles. La Plante won two indoor titles (’76, ’78) and two outdoor (’78, US titles.
1988– Jude Logan set 9th (and last) his career American record with a throw of 268-8 (81.88) at Penn State. He passed away in 2022 after a long career as a coach Ashland University.
2007– Finishing at 7th At the London Marathon, Ryan Hall ran 2:08:24, the fastest US debut at 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 the Kenyan Martin Lel (2:07:41).
Among the men who dropped out in the hot conditions were some of the biggest names in marathon sports; 2004 Olympic medalists Stefano Baldini (Gold/Italy) and Meb Keflezig (Silver/USA), former world record holder Khalid Khanush and Haile Gebrselas (ETH). World record holder Paul Tergat (KEN) could only finish 6th.
The winner of the women’s race was Chinese Chunxiu Zhu (2:20:38).
http://www.marathonguide.com/news/exclusives/LondonMarathon_2007/LondonMarathon2007PostRace.cfm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_London_Marathon
Features: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgpnUgz__6Q
Born on this day*
Grant Fisher 29 (1997) — 2024 Olympic bronze medalist in 5,000 and 10,000 meters, 9:00th In the year 5000, 5th 10,000 at the Tokyo Olympics
In February 2025, set indoor world records in the 3000 (Millrose-7:22.91) and 5000 (BU-12:44.09) one week apart.
“Earned” $100,000 to win the inaugural Grand Slam in Kingston in April 2025… given that GST is going through bankruptcy, it’s unclear how much of that money will actually end up.
6:00th 5000, 4th in the 10,000 at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene
Follow-up meeting
January 23, 2026
Boston, MA, USA
Missed the 2023 World Cup after finishing 4thth Championships in the US in the 10,000 (was injured)…8th 5,000 and 10,000 in the world in 2025.
Set the current American record of 26:33.84 for 10,000 meters in 2022.
Also set 8:03.62 airspeed 2 miles at 2024 Millrose Games (behind Josh Carey WR)
2017 NCAA Champion – 5000m (Stanford)
Completed 2:th Wisconsin’s Morgan McDonald 3,000 meters at the 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships, 5,000.
Outdoors and the 2018 X-Country Championship.
Two-time National Scholastic Champion in the Mile (2014, 2015/Grand Blanc, MI) … Was on his way to a sub-4 minute performance in 2015 when he burst into the field coming out of 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 USA), 4:49.48i (2026/#2 USA), 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
Returning WRs. https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/04/sport/grant-fisher-running-usa-spt-intl/index.html
Videos:
World indoor records. 3000 5000 Post race
10k AR (Full Race). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FgbqviewKNE
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 (Leg 3)… Finished a disappointing (for him) 7th in the 100 meters in Rio; 4×100 silver medalist of the Tokyo Olympic Games (1St round), two-time US 100m champion (2013, 2016 (Olympic Trials))
Winner 2USU.S. Olympic Trials — ran a personal best 10.74 in the finals (#5 All-TUS US)
2USU.S semifinalist. Olympic trials
Completed 2:th 100 meters 2USU.S. the championships… suffered hip injury midway through
Run through the semi-finals at the World Championships in Doha
disappointment. was hoping to medal in the finals… it was the latest in a string of injuries to plague his career
It was out of line 13 months after injuring his right knee in the 4×100 race in Monaco.
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 soccer game
2008 (torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), torn medial collateral ligament (MCL) and torn
meniscus). He underwent surgery to repair the injury and was out for the whole of 2009
In 2019 he said: “I’m like (horror movie characters) Freddy and Jason in this sport. You can’t kill me.”
The former Oregon Duck was the 2012 NCAA champion in the 60 meters and a two-time NCAA outdoor champion in the 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
One of the concession stands is located at Hayward Field in Eugene (photo is included in the attached file)
April Steiner Bennett 46 (1980) 2 US Olympic – pole vault (8th); All-American at Arkansas
11 years in a row (2004-2014) ranked in the top ten of the USA. PB: 15-2 ¼ (4.63/’08)
2004 Fear Factor Thanksgiving Day Show Winner ($50,000 1St award).
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/114787
T&F News rating. 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 Half Marathon Champion
4-time X-Earth World Champion (1998-2001)
X-Country individual 3-time medalist – silver (1999), bronze (1998, 2000)…2001 (5)th)
7:00th At the 1999 World Cup in Splash Chase, 7:00 p.mth Among 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); 1 US Champion
1999 World Indoor Championships silver medalist — 60m hurdles; 2-time US champion (1997, 1999)
PBs: 7.38 (’99), 13.03 (’98)
Currently is the development coordinator for the athletic department at the University of Wisconsin
Daughter Ana-Lise Toryan ran 12.81 in the 100m hurdles and is currently a junior at Auburn
’93 HS State Meet (won 110 and 300 hurdles and Triple Jump/2th 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
Gary Bjorklund 75 (1951) – 1971 NCAA Champion 6 Mile (Minnesota);
1 US Olympics – 10,000m (13:00)th) Despite losing a shoe at mile 4-1/2 at USU.S. In the tests, he made a 25-yard deficit
Last lap to beat Bill Rogers for the team’s last spot. (Frank Shorter and Craig Virgin finished 1-2).
Completed 2:th Steve Prefontaine at the 1971 NCAA X-Country Championships
The Minnesota native won Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth in 1980. The run’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
Yevgeny Arzhanov – Ukraine 78 (1948) 1972 Olympic silver medalist — 800 … leading the final until passed by Dave Wattle at the finish line.
1971 European champion; 2-time European indoor tournament champion, 1970, 1971
Trying to survive the Russian invasion of Ukraine
PBs: 1:45.3 (1972), 3:44.4 (1970)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LHid-nC45k
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yevhen_Arzhanov
Dead
Sharon Collier-Danville — Great Britain 69 (November 17, 1955. 2024) 2-time Olympic 100m hurdles semi-finalist in 1976 and 1984…also competed in 2th 100th round in 1976, also running for the 8th place teamth 4×100 in size
At the 1978 Commonwealth Games, he won gold in the 4×100 and bronze in the hurdles.
from Boston University.
“A native of Manchester, England, Collier-Danville was one of the most dominant athletes to grace the Terriers’ track and field.
earned his place in the BU Athletic Hall of Fame as a first-ballot inductee in 1988. Indoors, he broke the 55-meter dash.
55 meter hurdles and 200 meter dash while running the 4×400 meter relay. On the outdoor track, he dominated
100 and 400 meter hurdles, as well as 4×100 meter relay and sprint medley relay. Colyear-Danville still maintains the school
records in the three hurdle events (55, 60, 100) and are the longest standing records in program history. When competing for
At the 1980 AIAW Athletics Championships, Collier-Danville set a UK record for women in the 60 metres.
obstacles. He ran a record time of 8.22 in his semifinal and finished second in the final, earning All-America honors.
Colyear-Danville won 13 Greater Boston and New England individual titles for the Terriers.”
The indoor meet at BU that bears his name has become a traditional season opener for many athletes and has seen some fast times in recent years (see above for details on this weekend’s meet).
PBs: 11.35 (1977), 23.98 (1974), 13.11 (1976)
BU Hall of Fame. https://goterriers.com/sports/2016/6/13/hallfame-colyear-danville-sharon-html.aspx
