Walt Murphy News and Results Service ((email protected))
This day in the field of athletics – October 26
1941Italian Adolfo Consolini threw the discus 175-0 (53.34) in Milan, breaking the 4-month world record.
174-8 3/4 (53.25), set by American Archie Harris. He would set two more world records during his career, win 15 Italian titles and compete in 4 Olympics, winning a gold medal in 1948 and a silver in 1952. At the 1960 Rome Games, at the age of 43, he recited the Athlete’s Oath during the opening ceremony before the end of the discus1.
WR progress: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men%27s_discus_throw_world_record_progression
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/71922
WikiBio:: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolfo_Consolini
1969–Ted Corbitt sets American 100-mile track record (from his son Gary)
On October 25-26, 1969, Ted Corbitt set the American 100-mile track record. His time at age 50 was 13:33:06.
*The race was held in Walton-on-Thames, England.
*This race came 4 weeks after his 2nd place London to Brighton 52.5 mile effort.
*Ted Corbitt finished 3rd in this race. Winner: Great Britain John Tarantset a world record of 12:31:10.
* The previous American record held by an amateur was James Saunders on February 21, 1882 at the American Institute Ring, New York Indoors. His time was 17:36:14.
National Hall of Famer Ted Corbitt wrote the following in a lengthy article about the race published in the December 1969 Long Distance Log entitled “The RRC Invitational 100 Mile Track Race for the Percy Cerutty Cup”, here is an excerpt:
“My 5 mile splits up to mile 50 were: 36:00, 1:12:07, 1:47:59, 2:24:26, 3:01:09, 3:38:02, 4:14:45, 4:52:49, 5:32:07, 1:47:59, 2:24:26, 3:01:09, 3:38:02, 4:14:45, 4:52:49, 5:32:32:10 and leaving me the seat.
Fatigue will affect every man depending on how his body reacts to the stress of running. It is obvious on the surface that every runner gradually slows down. In this sense, fatigue is insidious in a race where shortness of breath is not heavily induced.
In my own struggle to finish 100 miles, somewhere around 50 miles in, I became aware of a strange feeling surrounding my knees, not pain, but tiredness causing discomfort, a “beaten up” feeling. By mile 70 I had chafed my inner thighs a lot, especially on the left side; because of the friction of my shorts. That might have stopped me, but the alert refreshment team, led by Mrs. Peter Goodsell, who used to serve as a runner for her husband, found some Vaseline for me. A good application of Vaseline took all the pain away from my legs. I’m still surprised by this because I later sponged a lot of water on my body, most of which dripped down my shorts. One weird thing is that my right wrist hurt a lot during the last two hours of the run. This was due to the flexion and extension of this wrist joint when I ran. That was my discomfort.”
Gary Corbitt
Curated by Ted Corbitt Archives
HistorianNational Black Marathon Association
Hall of Fame Biography: https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/theodore-ted-corbitt
1980— Making his distance debut, Alberto Salazar, 22, won the men’s race at the NY City Marathon in 2:09:41 in cold and windy weather. Salazar, the 1978 NCAA X-Country champion, wore his University of Oregon uniform, fulfilling a promise to race director Fred Lebow that he would break 2:10 in his 1st.St marathon! 4-time defending champion Bill Rogers finished 5thth at 2:13:20 a.m.
for 3th In consecutive years, Grete Weitz of Norway won the women’s title in world record time (2:25:41.3/she ran 2:32:29.8 in 1978, 2:27:32.6 in 1979). Runner-up Patty Lyons-Catalano ran 2:29:33.6 to become the first American woman to break 2:30. 3:th In 2:34:24.9 was Norway’s Ingrid Christiansen of Weitz.
The men’s masters title was won by 41-year-old New Zealander Roger Robinson, who made his marathon debut with a time of 2:22:12. Husband of women’s pioneer Kathryn Switzer (they married in 1987), Robinson, who has covered the New York City Marathon every year as a journalist since 2000, shared his personal experience with the 2020 event, which marked 50 years.th The anniversary of the race.
Other notable graduates:
Men2. Rodolfo Gomez (Mexico) 2:10:13, 3. John Graham (Scotland) 2:11:46, 4. Jeff Wells 2:11:59… 9. Dick Beardsley 2:13:56… 21. Jerome Drayton (Canada) 2:11:46.
Starters/Finishers: 14,011/12,512; Men: 11646/10891, women: 2465/1621
https://results.nyrr.org/event/801026/overview
https://results.nyrr.org/event/801026/finishers
Top-25: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_New_York_City_Marathon
Videos::
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7Lh4kdbYKQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3qBsciCoZM
Past winners: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_winners_of_the_New_York_City_Marathon
Photo Gallery — New York City Marathon through the years
Born on this day*
Matthew Hudson-Smith – Great Britain 31 (1994) 2023 World Championships 400m silver medalist
and the 2024 Olympics… 8th at the 2016 Olympic Games
At the Paris Olympics, he beat American Quincy Hall, who was 3rdth European record of the season – 43.44
2022 World Championship bronze medalist…semi-finalist 2025 Worlds
Also 2017 World Championships and 2024 Olympics bronze medalist in 4×400
2-time European champion – 400 m (2018, 2022/2014 – silver); 2-time European champion-4×400 (2014, 2022)
2022 Commonwealth Games 400 silver medalist
Trained Christine Ohurugu2008 Olympic gold medalist in 400 meters
It was revealed after the 2022 World Cup that he attempted suicide in 2021 (See Ready For More link)
PBs: 20.34 (2024), 43.44 (2024/ER/#5 All Time); 2025 SBs22.52, 44.10
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Hudson-Smith
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/133975
2024 AND:: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=p2fbTCYB_44
https://matthewhudsonsmith.com
2022 EC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYV6PrtItSk
Ready For More: https://olympics.com/en/news/british-400m-star-matt-hudson-smith-comeback-suicide-attempt
Joe Dial 63 (1962) Two-time NCAA champion on bars (1984, 1985, 2nd-1983/Oklahoma State)
2-time NCAA champion (1984,1985); Two-time US champion (1985, 1987)
In 1986, set the indoor world record of 19-4 ¾ (5.91); Outdoors PB:19-6 ½ (5.96/1987)
Set 8 American records from 1985-1987
T&F News Athlete of the Year 1981
Set US high school record 17-4 ½ (5.30) in 1981
He was the head coach at Oral Roberts from 1993 until his retirement after the 2022 season. Son Tommy had a
best 17-1 3/4 (5.23)
WikiBio:: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Dial
Dead
Paul Pilgrim 74 (1883-January 7, 1958) 1904 Olympic Gold Medalist – 4 Mile Team Race (All NYAC Members)
Winner of 400 and 800 meters 1906
From 1914 to 1953, he worked as an athletic director at the New York Athletic Club
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78899
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Pilgrim
Janet Moreau 93 (1927 – June 30, 2021) 1952 Olympic gold medalist — 4×100 relay (2th round – 100 m)
Mae Feggs, Barbara Jones, Janet Morrow, Katie Hardy (team set world record 45.9)
1951 Pan American Games champion — 4×100
Frustrated that the Catholic Church would not allow women to become priests, she studied to become a lay priest and
He remained active in the Church throughout his life.
From Olympia. “…inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame (1968), Boston University Hall
Hall of Fame (1979), Rhode Island Aquatic Hall of Fame (1987/she was an All-State swimmer at Tolman(RI) HS),
and the Rhode Island Hall of Fame, and in 1986 became a charter member of the Pawtucket Hall of Fame.”
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/77919
4×100 report: https://www.olympedia.org/results/59185
Once an Olympian…: https://patch.com/rhode-island/barrington/once-an-olympian-always-an-olympian
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/providence/name/janet-stone-obituary?id=12159599
Jock Semple 84 (1903-March 10, 1988) Longtime co-director of the Boston Marathon
Famous (Infamous?) for trying to prevent Kathryn Switzer from running in Boston in 1967.
Marathon (“Get Out of My Race”)
Schweitzer and Semple would later become “best friends”
The Scots native ran the Boston Marathon not long after arriving in the US
From WikipediaHe was a masseuse and physical therapist for the Boston Bruins and Boston Celtics, and
coach for Olympic athletes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jock_Semple
(for Runner’s World subscribers?): Great photo sequence and flashback
Just Call Me Jock (Radio interview). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8grEVZwsnc
Sam Francis 88 (1913-April 23, 2002) 1937 NCAA Champion Shot Put (Nebraska/2th 1936)
4:th in the 1936 Olympics
4 seasons running in the NFL (Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers, Brooklyn Dodgers(!))
PB:53-6 (16.30/1937)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Francis_(American_football)
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78414
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/F/FranSa20.htm
