This Day in Track & Field, January 4, Grete Waitz Could a , Should a had the 3000m WR at Runners World Classic (1980), by Walt Murphy

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by Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service (wmurphy25@aol.com), used with permission

This Day in Track & Field-January 4

1980—Norway’s Grete Waitz was already the world record holder in the Women’s Marathon and was now going after the record in the indoor 3000-meters at the Runner’s World Classic(Daly City,CA).

        Waitz  had distanced herself from Jan Merrill, the existing record holder (8:57.6), and was well on her way to smashing the record when officials, perhaps confused by the lapped runners in the field, forced her to run an extra 160-yards on the 11-lap track. One alert timer did clock her in 8:50.8 at the proper mark on the track, but that wasn’t enough to merit record status.

        Houston freshman Carl Lewis beat a strong field to win the Men’s Long Jump with a leap of 26-1  ½ (7.96m).

(From Track and Field News).

Significant Birthdays

Born On This Day

Nick Ponzio—USA/Italy (’21/1995) 30  Finalist at the 2022 World Indoor (7^th) and Outdoor (9^th) Championships

         California native obtained Italian citizenship on June 15, 2021, in time for him to be eligible to represent Italy at the

              Tokyo Olympics (didn’t make the final)

         Was coached by Ryan Whiting, the 2-time World Indoor Champion in the Shot Put

         Former USC Trojan was 6^th at the 2017 NCAA Championships…spent his first year of college at the University

              of  Florida, but didn’t compete for the Gators.

      PB:71-7  1/2 (21.83/2022), 70-10  3/4i (21.61/2022/Italian Record)

        Was hit with an 18-month ban for “whereabouts violations” (Feb. 28, 2023-August 27, 2024)

           Aware of his impending suspension, he announced his retirement after competing at the 2023 Drake Relays…his

           “retirement” was short-lived as he returned to competition the day after his ban ended on August 27,

            2024…threw 70-6  ½ (21.50), which wound up as his best mark of the season.