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By Walt Murphy News and Results Service (wmurphy25@aol.com), used with permission
This Day in Athletics – December 25 (Merry Christmas)
Born on this day*
Kelyon Knibb-Jamaica 31 (1993) Florida State All-American (2014-5th, 2015-2nd)th2017-3rd)
3-time Penn Relays Champion (2014, 2016, 2017) … set a relay record of 203-7 (62.07) in 2017 (also
Jamaican Record) Improved his national record to 205-9 (62.73) while winning his first Jamaican title in 2017.
4-time ACC champion (2013, 2014, 2015, 2017);
He participated in the qualifying round of the 2016 Olympic Games and the 2017 World Championship. Last time he participated in 2018
(May, 2017).
https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/jamaica/kellion-knibb-14413519
College statistics: https://www.tfrrs.org/athletes/4210209/Florida_State/Kellion_Knibb.html
Japheth Kato 34 (1990) 2017 US Indoor Champion Heptathlon (2th-2016)
Runner-up in heptathlon at 2012 and 2013 NCAA Championships (Wisconsin)
4-time Big-10 indoor heptathlon champion
PBs14.04 (2012), 7-2 ½ (2.20/2015), 18-2 ½ I (5.55/(2013), 6165(2013), 7616 (2012)
Currently Assistant Athletic Director and Operations Manager– Crystal Springs Uplands School (CA)
College statistics: https://www.tfrrs.org/athletes/3273742/Wisconsin/Japheth_Cato
https://uwbadgers.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/japheth-cato/1286
Martin Matathi-Kenya 39 (1985) Bronze medalist in the 10,000 at the 2007 World Championships (5th 2005 and 2011)
2006 X-Country World Championships bronze medalist, team event gold medalist (long course)
7:00th In the 10,000 at the 2008 Olympics
PBs3:38.57 (2006), 7:55.68 (2009), 13:03.84 (2005), 26:59.88 (2009), 2:07:16 (Dec. 2013)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Mathathi
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/114964
Mark Wieczorek 40 (1984) 2006 NAIA Indoor Championships Champion – 800m (Mid-America Nazarene University)
5-time US Indoor Championship finalist (2:th 2009)
7:00th at the 2012 US Olympic Trials
“Hare” selected in many major matches for several years.
He was the coach at Gig Harbor (Wa) HS when they won the boys team title at the 2013 Nike Cross Nationals.
PBs1:45.46 (2013), 1:47.09i (2013), 3:43.68 (2015); Retired after 2016 season; Works at Google
https://twitter.com/wizzo800?lang=en
2015 Wanamaker Mile: http://www.usatf.tv/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=45365&do=videos&video_id=133688
Camille Herron 43 (1981) 2019 World Champion IAU 24 Hour World Champion (International Ultrarunners Association)
2015 World Champion — 50k, 100k
Thought to have broken his own world record (12:42:40) over 100 miles when he ran 12:41:11 in February 2022,
but, in a controversial move, the USATF later ruled the course short.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/07/sport/camille-herron-100-mile-world-record-usatf-spt-intl/index.html
Guinness World Record holder for fastest marathon dressed as a superhero, running 2:48:51 while dressed.
Winner of 20 marathons 2010-2017 (2:37:14/2012 best)
Attended Marshfield HS in Coos Bay, Oregon (Steve Prefontaine’s school).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camille_Herron
https://worldathletics.org/news/report/iau-24-hour-world-championships-2019-albi-her
Online trainer: https://www.runwithcamille.com/coach-camille-herron
https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a30361143/camille-herron-ultrarunning-success/
May 2021: https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/camille-herron-distance-running-world-record-interview
Career Stats (up to 2017): https://more.arrs.run/runner/25461
Qu Yunxia-China 52 (1972)
1993 World Champion — 3000m (led the Chinese sweep); 1992 Olympic Games bronze medalist — 1500 m
Former 1500m World Record Holder – 3:50.46 (1993)
Member of “Ma’s Army”.
WR video (highlight): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuOSbU4N-AE
WC 3000: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUO_PA8Tw_s
The Rise and Fall of Ma’s Army
https://worldathletics.org/athletes/pr-of-china/yunxia-qu-14265434
Andy Keith – Great Britain 53 (1971) 1992 NCAA Indoor Champ-Mile (Providence/2th in 93, 94; 2:th (NCAA 1500-’94)
PBs1:47.59 (1995), 2:20.05i (’94), 3:39.06 (’93), 3:57.96 (’95)
Providence Hall of Fame: http://www.friars.com/genrel/021808aab.html
Chioma Ajunwa-Nigeria 54 (1970) Gold medalist of the 1996 Olympic Games – long jump (1St An African woman will win gold on the field
event): 100 semifinal at the Atlanta Olympics
Silver medalist – 1997 World Indoor Championships (4th in 60 meters);
12:00th At the 1997 World Outdoor Championships
PBs7.02i (1998), 10.84 (1992/questionnaire), 11.06 (1992), 22.93 (1992), 23-4 ½ (7.12/1996)
Won Olympic gold in 1992 after serving a 4-year ban for failing a drug test.
has knowingly taken any performance-enhancing drugs Became an advocate of clean sports and
Empowering Nigerian youth through his foundation.
The former footballer participated in the 1991 World Cup as part of the Nigerian national team
http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/10/sport/chioma-ajunwa-nigeria-long-jump/index.html
http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/73945
Fund: https://chiomaajunwafoundation.org
Fred Onyancha-Kenya 55 (1969) 1996 Olympic Games bronze medalist – 800 m; PB:-1:42.79 (1996 AND)
Video (AND): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzJhUhM7_Yk&feature=player_embedded
https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/frederick-onyancha-14209565
Kathy Franey-Fleming 57 (1967) 1994 US indoor champion – 3000m; 8 o’clockth At the 1993 World Indoor Championships
2-time NCAA champion: 4×800 (Villanova/1987,1988)
2nd scorer at Villanova’s 1stSt NCAA Championship X-Country Team (1989)
Winner of seven Penn Relays clocks
1988-4×800, DMR-10:48.38 (WR- Franey 3:30.9, Michelle Bennett 52.9, Celeste Halliday 2:04.7, Vicki Huber 4:29.9)
1989-4×1500 17:23.58 (CR-Michele DiMuro 4:26.3, Sonia O’Sullivan 4:16.4, Franey 4:21.3, Vicki Huber 4:18.6);
DMR:-3:22.2 progress
1990-4×800, 4×1500-17:18.10 (CR-Nnenna Lynch 4:25.8, Sonia O’Sullivan 4:13.5, Cheri Goddard 4:21.6, Franey 4:17.2);
DMR-Anchor-4:32.8
PBs4:07.18 (1996), 4:33.50 (1997), 8:46.04 (1994), 15:35.05 (1993)
Husband Jack Fleming is executive director of AA in Boston
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathy_Fleming
Roy “Robot” Martin 58 (1966) One of the greatest HS sprinters in US history…ran 20.13 twice in 1985…
US high school record for 31 years until Noah Lyles ran 20.09 in 2016 … also ran 10.18 in the 100m.
1985, 2:th at the time, only Houston McTeer’s prep record was 10.16.
1986 NCAA Champion — 4×400 (SMU)
3:01.62 (Harold Spells 46.0, Rod Jones 45.4, Roy Martin 45.7, Kevin Robinson 44.5)
Semi-finalist in the 200 at the 1988 Olympics…was 4 years oldth 200 before the 1984 US Olympic Trials
entering his senior year at Roosevelt HS in Dallas
Put on a show at the 1985 Texas Relays in Austin – won the 100 in 10.18 (beating Joe DeLoach, who would win
200 at the 1988 Olympics), anchored Roosevelt to victory in the 4×100 (41.10) and ran 44.9 as anchor
his team finished in 2nd placeth 4×400 (3:10.49) His effort in the 4×400 was not enough to catch Henry Thomas,
whose 44.5 anchor led Hawthorne (CA) to the current US high school record of 3:07.40.
T&F News HS Athlete of the Year in 1984 and 1985
PBs10.12 (1986), 20.05 (1988), 46.42 (1988)
Member of the National HS T&F Hall of Fame
1986 Article: upi.com/Archives/1986/06/14/Roy-Martin-seen-as-Carl-Lewis-rival/8440519105600/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Martin_(sprinter)
HS Hall of Fame.
http://nationalhighschooltrackandfieldhof.org/roy-martin/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VLPtbVpm44
Dwayne Evans and Roy Martin: https://www.runnerspace.com/video.php?video_id=270039
Kaarlo Maaninka – Finland 70 (1953) Two-time Olympic medalist in 1980 — silver (10,000), bronze (5,000)
PBs13:22.00 (1980), 27:44.28 (1980)
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/67716
AND-10k: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrbyEgA49a8
Dead
Basil Heatley – Great Britain 85 (1933 – August 3, 2019) 1964 Olympic Silver Medalist – Marathon (behind Abebe Bikila)
Set a world record of 2:13:55 in 1964 (the previous mark of 2:14:28 was set by Buddy Edelen in 1963)
Winner of the 1961 X-Country International, predecessor to the World X-Country Championship
Died on August 3, 2019 at the age of 85
Racing past: http://www.racingpast.ca/john_contents.php?id=169
http://www.englishcrosscountry.co.uk/news/basil-heatley-hall-of-fame/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_Heatley
WR progress: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon_world_record_progression
A tribute: https://www.athleticsweekly.com/athletics-news/distance-legend-basil-heatley-dies-1039924131/
Bill Richardson 66 (1903 – Dec. 28, 1969) 1924 US Olympic – 80 0 (5:th)
All-American at Stanford. NCAA-1925 (880y-2:th)
PB:1:53.1 h (1926)
http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78947
Dolores Dwyer 76 (1934 – October 29, 2011) 1953 US Champion-200
3-time US champion – 60 years old (1949, 1950, 1952)
1951 All-American Games Champion-4×100
1952 US Olympic 200 (1:St round-DNF)
World record team member 4x220y (1:40.0/1952)
