This Day in Track & Field, July 26, Bob Mathias wins his second Olympic decathlon (1952), Steve Ovett wins 800m in Moscow(1980), compiled and edited by Walt Murphy

This Day in Track & Field-July  26

1934–Glenn Hardin ran 50.6 in Stockholm to shave a big 1.2-seconds off his own World Record in the 400-meter hurdles. Hardin set the first of his three World Records in 1932 (51.9) and his reign as record holder lasted until 1953 (World War II had something to do with that).

Percy Beard ran 14.3  in the 110-hurdles to break the previous World Record of 14.4 that he had shared with 5 others. Beard was the silver medalist at the 1932 Olympics and was a long-time coach at the University of Florida. The Gators’ track in Gainesville bears his name.

Both Hardin and Beard are members of the National Hall of Fame.

WR Progressions:

400-hurdles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men’s_400_metres_hurdles_world_record_progression

110-hurdles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men%27s_110_metres_hurdles_world_record_progression

Hardin: https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/glenn-hardin

Beard: https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/percy-beard

1952—Bob Mathias won his 2nd straight Olympic title in the Decathlon, scoring a World Record total of 7,887 points (7592/auto-current tables) in Helsinki. It was a sweep for Team USA, with Milt Campbell (6975/6986) and Floyd Simmons (6788/6954) winning the silver and bronze medals. Campbell would win Olympic gold 4 years later in Melbourne.

Luxembourg’s Josy Barthel was the shocking winner of the 1500 meters, while Bob McMillen finished a close 2nd to take the silver medal. Barthel, who had finished 9^th at the 1948 Olympics, was a clear winner, but both were given the same time of 3:45.2, with McMillen earning an American Record as a bonus. Finishing 3^rd was Germany’s Werner Lueg (3:45.4) and 4th was Great Britain’s Roger Bannister (3:46.0). Luxembourg’s National Stadium is named in Barthel’s honor. McMillen competed in the Steeplechase at the 1948 Olympics (1st round).

The Soviet Union’s Galina Zybina set a World Record of 50-1  ¾ (15.28) while winning the Women’s Shot Put over Germany’s Marianne Werner 47-9  ¾ (14.57) and teammate Klavdiya Tochonova 47-7 (14.50).

Australia’s Marjorie Jackson (23.7) won the Women’s 200 over the Netherlands’ Puck Brouwer (24.2) and the Soviet Union’s Nadezhda Khnik’ina (24.2).

Results: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1952_Summer_Olympics

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

Time Magazine: