Arnold Sowell

Oldest #1 Marks

Have you ever wondered what are the oldest marks in the four lists that Colorado Track Stats have?  Well without you going thru every event I did the research.

We will start with the Colorado High School List.

In the Women’s we have Wendy Koenig of Estes Park HS in the 400 meter hurdles March 25th 1973.  Her mark of 59.08 is not only the oldest Women’s Colorado High School mark on record but was also a World and American Record at the time!!   The mark was achieved at the Phoenix Invite.  Koenig became the first women under 60 seconds in the event…WOW!!   Later that year (July 12th) she ran 2:03.03 in the 800 meters in Munich Germany, where she was bested by World record holder and 1972 Olympic Champion, Hildegard Falck (2:01.40).  The meet was the US vs East Germany.  That 800 meters would have been the oldest HS record if she had not run that 400mh earlier that same year.  Koenig as a junior in high school was in the 1972 Olympics in the 800 meters.  Koenig was competitive in just about any event she entered.

In the Men’s we have Ken McClendon of George Washington HS in the triple jump.  His mark of 51-9 3/4 at the Easter Races March 23rd 1974 was at the Air Force Academy.  That mark at the time was a Indoor High School Record!!   Oddly enough that record beat the previous years’ Easter Races triple jump winner Don Duvall of Denver North which at the time also set the Indoor High School Record (51-8 1/4)!!  WOW!!   McClendon later in 1974 went on to jump a slightly wind aided 52-2 at the Golden West Meet in Sacramento, CA.  After high school McClendon went on to jump for Arizona State University and Duvall went on to jump for Colorado University.

Now in the Colorado After High School List.

In the Women’s we have Sharon Burrill of Kennedy HS in the high jump.  Her mark of 6-3 at the US Indoor Nationals February 29th 1980 in New York, NY,  is the Women’s Colorado After High School List oldest record.  She was second at that meet jumping for the University of Nebraska.  That mark of 6-3 was one of the best in the World indoors for 1980!!   Burrill is still the current record holder for the Colorado High School List at 6-1 from the Pikes Peak Invite in Colorado Springs, CO., April 29th 1978.

In the Men’s we have the speedy Howard Henley of Denver South HS.   At the UCLA/Pepsi Invite May 10th 1981 in Westwood, CA., he laid down a fast 44.92 in the 400 meters for first place!!  Running for Arizona State that year and the following years he put down,  10.30 100 meters,  20.58 and 20.43w 200 meters, which are top-10 marks in the Colorado After High School Lists!!

Now in the Colorado College/University List

In the Women’s list,  Wendy Knudson of Colorado State University on July 23rd 1976 at the Olympic Games in Montreal Canada, became the second American women to brake the 2:00.00 barrier in the 800 meters.  In the third heat she ran a 1:59.91 for 3rd place to advance to the semi. She did not advance to the final however.  This is still the oldest Colorado College/University mark.  If you are wondering if this is the same women as in the HS list, you are correct.  She married the World famous track coach, Lyle Knudson.

In the Men’s list,  Marcus Walker of the University of Colorado at the National AAU meet in Bakersfield, CA June 26th 1970 in a photo finish, hurdled 13.43 in the 110 meter hurdles for second place.   According to Track & Field  News World Rankings for 1970, Walker was ranked #2 in the World!!  Walker was also part of a 4×100 relay for the University of Colorado on June 12th 1971 in 39.44 at the USTFF Championships in Wichita, KS.  That mark is still the fastest on the Colorado College/University list.  They were first at that meet.  Many of us including me wonder with someone as great as Walker was as a track star, what would their offspring be like as a track stars, if they even wanted to participate in track.  Well,  Walker’s kids did great in track!!  His son JT Walker (Montbello HS) is still #1 in the 400 meter hurdles in the Colorado High School List from 1997.  His daughter Beau Walker (Montbello HS, Alabama U.) is all over the Colorado High School List and the Colorado  After High School List!!  Now you know.

Now in the Colorado Soil List

In the Women’s list,  Olympian Jodi Anderson of the LA Naturite TC on July 23rd 1981 jumped 22-10, the US longest long jump that year at the USOC invite in Colorado Springs.  According to Track & Field News World Rankings for 1981,  Anderson was ranked #3 in the World!!

Now is the big one.  In the Men’s list,  as according to Track & Field News at the time, reported at the 67th annual AAU Championships June 25th 1955 in Boulder Colorado on a dirt trackArnie Sowell of Pittsburg University ran what was called the greatest half-mile race ever run.  I have converted his 880 to the 800 meters for ranking…1:47.0!!   In my rankings for the 800 meters #2, #3, #7, and #8 all come from that incredible race.  By the way also in Boulder, Colorado the 1959 AAU meet was held again in our state and the #6 and #15th Colorado Soil 800 meter marks came from that race.  And they say you can not run a fast 800 in the high altitude of Colorado.  C’mon man, as Joe Biden would say,  let us take down this over 65 year old soil record!!

Past this blog on to others

Have a great 2021 New Year and GOD Bless

Tim Rutherford

 

 

 

 

 

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