Ryun Raced To Only NCAA Outdoor Title In 1967
In honor of Election Day, today’s moment features Jim Ryun, the last NCAA track & field champion elected to the U.S. Congress, serving for Kansas 1996-2007.
Jim Ryun of Kansas was about as big a favorite as could be to win his first NCAA outdoor title at the 1967 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Provo, Utah. He had set world records in both the mile and 880 yards in an undefeated 1966 outdoor season.
Ryun’s first collegiate season – which came before the NCAA allowed freshmen to compete on the varsity level – was so spectacular that Track & Field News named him 1966 World Athlete of the Year.
The excitement when Ryun ran at the 1967 NCAA Outdoor Championships boiled down to when he would unleash his killer kick, especially since no one expected a fast pace with the meet being held at high altitude. Ryun waited until the last lap to raise the heat, burning a 52.5 last quarter, with 23.9 coming on the final 220 to win easily in 4:03.5.
Ryun’s winning margin that day of 2.5 seconds seemed large, but not compared to his world records from 1966 – including a 6.7-second victory when, at 19, he became (and remains) the youngest man to set a world record in the mile (3:51.3).
Ryun had some early pacesetting help in that 1966 mile WR effort, but he chose to do all the work himself a week after the 1967 NCAA Championships. The situation of the AAU national championships in Bakersfield seemed unlikely for a record attempt, but Ryun went after it – storming home with a 53.7 last quarter to win by five seconds in a 3:51.1 that would last as the global standard until 1975.
Two weeks later, Ryun added the 1500 meters to his WR collection, running a last lap of 53.3 to win by 4.1 seconds in 3:33.1. That record stood until 1974.
Ryun, who became the first repeat World Athlete of the Year by T&FN with his 1967 season, finished his collegiate career with five combined indoor/outdoor NCAA titles, then the most by a middle-distance runner. The longest-lasting of his all-time collegiate bests was his first WR of 1:44.9 for 880 yards in 1966 – the converted 1:44.3 for 800 meters was finally surpassed 50 years to the day in 2016.
NOTES: The only other NCAA champion elected to the U.S. Congress was Marquette’s Ralph Metcalfe (Illinois, 1971-78). While not an NCAA champion, Stanford’s Bob Mathias also served in Congress (California, 1967-75), but the two-time Olympic decathlon gold medalist competed before the decathlon was included in the NCAA Championships (Mathias was second in the 1951 discus and 1952 110-meter hurdles).
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.
SIU’s Roggy Dominated The Javelin In 1978
Bob Roggy won the javelin title at the 1978 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships by more than 20 feet. Roggy qualified first for the final with a MR heave of 89.30m (293‑0).
Makusha Made History In Bowerman Year Of 2011
Ngoni Makusha became just the fourth man in meet history to win individual titles in both the 100 and LJ. It was his 3rd career LJ crown and he set a CR in the 100 of 9.89.
George Mason’s Gage Shocked The NCAA LJ In 1988
Nena Gage won the long jump at the 1988 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in a shocking upset over Gail Devers.
Texas’ Thompson Marveled In NCAA Distance Events
Jerry Thompson won three career distance titles at the NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships. His first came in 1943. Then he won again in 1947 & 1948 after serving in World War II.
Grinnell’s Paulu Sprinted To NCAA History
Leonard Paulu was the first athlete to complete the 100-200 double in NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships history in 1922. That also made him the 1st to win back-to-back 100 titles, too.
Scott Won Back-To-Back NCAA Hammer Titles
Candice Scott won back-to-back hammer throw titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 2003 & 2004. Scott set a meet record of 69.77m (228-11) in that first year.
Drouin Soared To The Bowerman In 2013
Derek Drouin won two career HJ titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. When Drouin won in 2013, he was only the fourth man to clear 2.34m (7-8) in meet history.
Watts Made Quick Work Of NCAA 400
Quincy Watts set a meet record in the 400 of 44.00 at the 1992 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships. It lasted 25 years until 2017.
Iowa State’s Koll Rolled To 5K-10K Crowns
Lisa Koll won three career titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in dominant fashion. Her average margin of victory in those 5K & 10K races was 37.73 seconds.
LSU’s Hardin Completed Unique 440-220H Double Twice
The nearly unheard of 440-220H double was so nice that Glenn Hardin did it twice! Hardin became the first to do so in meet history in 1933 and then swept them again in 1934.