Rono Rolls Into The Record Books

Celebrating A Century of NCAA Track & Field Championships

Rono Rolls Into The Record Books

June 1, 1978

On this day in 1978, Henry Rono of Washington State became the first (and still only) man to set two different NCAA Championships meet records in distance races on the same day, doing so in the steeplechase and 5000 Meters on a warm, windy day at Hayward Field.

It was such an impressive display that none other than Track & Field News co-founder Bert Nelson was “thoroughly convinced I just had the pleasure of witnessing as an amazing performance our sport has produced – including, if you will, Bob Beamon’s astounding 29-2½ long jump.”

Rono, who earlier in the season had set world records in both events, won both races by more than 20 seconds in times of 8:18.63 (steeplechase) and 13:21.79 (5000 Meters). Perhaps even most unbelievable was that these were achieved in preliminary heats!

A sore foot convinced him to scratch the final of the 10,000 Meters the next day (He already had the world lead at 27:46.6), but he came back to win the steeple in an even more impressive 8:12.39 — which remains the meet record 42 years later — before sitting out the 5K final.

Rono’s unbelievable season continued as the month of June would find him setting two more world records – 10K at 27:22.47, winning by half a minute during intermission of a soccer match in Vienna, Austria, and the 3000 at 7:32.1 in Oslo, Norway, for his fourth WR in 81 days.

posted: June 1, 2020
1921-2021
The NCAA's First Championships

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.

Memorable Moments
Tough Keeping Up With This Jones

Jolanda Jones won three heptathlon titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships and scored more than 6000 points twice.

Peters At Head Of Jav U’s Class

Anderson Peters won back-to-back javelin titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships and broke and bettered the meet record twice.

Fitzgerald Hurdled Into The Record Books
June 4, 1983

Benita Fitzgerald won back-to-back 100H titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in 1982 & 1983, setting a collegiate record and meet record with her time of 12.84 in 1983.

An Illustrious Career For Charlie Craig

Charlie Craig won the triple jump at the 1964 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Then, after a long coaching career, he was inducted into the USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame!