This Day in Track & Field, July 18, IImari Salminen breaks Nurmi’s WR at 10,000m (1937), Arne Andersson runs 4:01.6 WR mile (1944), Wohlhuter defeats Fiasconaro’s (1973), photo by Walt Murphy News and Results Services

This Day in Track & Field–July 18

(Chi Cheng, ’73 US-Italy, ’88-O.T./Lewis-Myricks, Godina, Edwards, ’04 O.T./Born On This Day-Noah Lyles, Dan O’Brien, Janis Klecker, Hemery/R.I.P.-Shirley Strickland, Mack Robinson)

1937—Ilmari Salminen ran 30:05.6 for 10,000 meters in Kouvola to break the 13-year World Record of 30:06.2, which was set by fellow Finn Paavo Nurmi in 1924. Ironically, Salminen was being coached by Nurmi at the time (according to one report). Salminen had led a Finnish medal sweep in the 10,000 at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

Olympic Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D_CHIZuckE

WR Progression: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10,000_metres_world_record_progression

1944–Sweden’s Arne Andersson ran 4:01.6 in Malmö to break his own World Record in the Mile by a full second.

WR Progression: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mile_run_world_record_progression

Racing Past: http://www.racingpast.ca/john_contents.php?id=126

Steve Cram Remembers Andersson:

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2009/apr/07/steve-cram-athletics-mile-andersson-bannister-hulatt

1953—Bud Held raised his American Record in the Javelin to 250-8 (76.4) in Pasadena, CA. Held won three NCAA and six U.S. titles.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bud_Held

1959—Parry O’Brien regained the American Record in the Shot Put from Dallas Long, winning with a toss of 63-2  ½ (19.265) on the first day of the USA-Soviet Union dual meet at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.

1970–Chi Cheng, a native of Taiwan, ran 11.2 in Vienna to equal Wyomia Tyus’ World Record in the 100-meters. It was the 6th World Record of the season for Cheng, who had earlier set new standards in the 100y (10.0/10.10 auto), 200m (22.4), 220y (22.7,22.6), and 100m-hurdles (12.8). Cheng, the bronze medalist in the 80-meter hurdles at the 1968 Olympics, was coached by her American husband, Vince Reel, who also gained recognition for his pioneering publication, Women’s T&F World. Cheng went on to win the 100y and Long Jump at the 1971 AIAW Championships while competing for Cal-Poly Pomona. She also won U.S. titles in the 100m-hurdles (1969) and 100y and 220y dashes (both 1970).

WR Progressions: 

(100) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women’s_100_metres_world_record_progression

(200)  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women’s_200_metres_world_record_progression

(100h)   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_100_metres_hurdles_world_record_progression

1972–The…