Fight On, Clancy: Edwards Doubled Up With MRs
More than 40 years have passed since a man won both the 100 and 200 meters with meet records at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Clancy Edwards of Southern California did so in 1978 at Hayward Field in Eugene.
It was hard to tell which record triumph was more spectacular, as Edwards dethroned previous champions in both events in achieving other superlatives.
The 100 final had the most, if any, drama. Edwards got out of the blocks last but at around the 60-meter mark pulled even with two-time defending champ Harvey Glance of Auburn and rocket-starter Curtis Dickey of Texas A&M.
Edwards crossed the line first, his 10.07 MR time ahead of Dickey’s 10.11 as both were under Glance’s collegiate record of 10.15.
“That’s the way I run the 100,” said Edwards. “Always from behind.”
Edwards unleashed another hot finish in the 200, overtaking defending champ William Snoddy of Oklahoma in the homestretch to win in a meet-record 20.16 over Snoddy’s 20.28.
Edwards could claim even more than MRs as he finished the 1978 NCAA meet as CR holder in both the 100 and 200 – he had run 20.03 in earlier in the year, then the all-time low-altitude American best. Never since has a man held both the 100 and 200 CRs at any time.
Edwards had a third victory in that meet, running the third leg on Trojans’ winning 4 x 100 relay. USC had the most points among teams, but the team crown – a would-be record 27th for the program – and the 4×1 title were later vacated due to an ineligible athlete.
The NCAA and collegiate track & field will mark a momentous milestone in the spring of 2021 -- the 100th anniversary of the NCAA Championships and with that, the NCAA Track & Field Championships. In June 1921, the University of Chicago hosted the first track & field championships in NCAA history.
This point can’t be emphasized enough: Not only was the event the first for NCAA track & field, but the first championships for any sport under the sponsorship of the NCAA.
To celebrate, over each of the next 365 days, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) will celebrate moments, student-athletes, and coaches that have made a century’s worth of championships special. From humble beginnings to important historical milestones to the modern-day, collegiate track & field has evolved with the American society.
The 2021 edition of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships begin with preliminary round action on May 27-29 in Jacksonville, Fla., and College Station, Texas. The championships final site and culmination of the celebration is slated for June 9-12, 2021 at the newly rebuilt Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
Two Laps To Glory For Everett
Mark Everett set a meet record of 1:44.70 in the 800 Meters at the 1990 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Brooks Made NCAA Shot Put History
Tia Brooks won back-to-back shot put titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships and broke the collegiate indoor record in the event in 2013.
Scott One-Upped Himself In 1978
Steve Scott of UC Irvine won the 1500-meter title at the 1978 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships, one year after finishing runner-up at the same meet as an NCAA Division II athlete.
Sheffield Won An Incredible 400H Final
LaTanya Sheffield of San Diego State won the 400 Hurdles at the 1985 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships with an American record and collegiate record of 54.64.
Bjorklund Led Calvary Under 6-Mile MR In 1971
For someone who never raced longer than 2 miles in high school, Garry Bjorklund took an immediate liking to even longer distances when he arrived at Minnesota.
Okagbare Mined For History In 2010
Blessing Okagbare is the only woman in the history of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships to win both the 100 Meters and long jump!
Kiss The Competition Goodbye
Balazs Kiss won four consecutive hammer throw title at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships and still holds the collegiate record in the event!
LSU’s Duncan Roared To 200 History
Kimberlyn Duncan was the only woman in the history of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships to win three consecutive 200-meter titles, doing so between 2011 and 2013.
Brookins Hurdled To All-Time Marks
Charles Brookins won back-to-back 220H titles at the NCAA Outdoor Championships and clocked an all-time world best mark in 1923!
Flo Knows Winning Triple Jump Titles
Edrick Floréal won three consecutive triple jump titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships between 1988 and 1990.