Joaquim Cruz’d To Meet Record, 800-1500 Double

Celebrating A Century of NCAA Track & Field Championships

Joaquim Cruz’d To Meet Record, 800-1500 Double

Joaquim Cruz caused Oregon’s Hayward Field fans to become uniquely vocal with what sounded like “Boo.”

Actually, it was the name “Cruz”, and it was heard proudly and loudly in two finals at the 1984 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships as the namesake stormed to a pair of impressive victories.

The first occurrence came in the 800 on Friday, when a normally front-running Cruz had to change his plans after Alabama’s William Wuyke took control at the break.

Cruz – whose first name is pronounced “Zho-ah-KEEM” – waited until the final backstretch before unleashing his speed to win in 1:45.10, the second-fastest time in meet history behind his own meet-record 1:44.91 from a year earlier.

A day later, Cruz took off from the gun in the 1500, forcing a swift opening lap of 57.6 seconds and led the entire way to a 3:36.48 PR, again the second-fastest time in meet history, this time behind the still-standing meet record set in 1981 by Sydney Maree of Villanova.

The 1500 results proved pivotal for the home team as fellow Duck sophomore Dub Myers followed in third with a 3:37.94 PR, and the duo’s 25 points on the 12-place scoring system clinched Oregon’s first team title in the meet since 1970.

Cruz was far from done for the year. In August, he won Olympic gold – the first for a Brazilian in a track event – and then later in the summer came within 0.04 seconds of the world record at 1:41.77, still the fastest by a collegian on an “all-dates” basis.

The Olympic 800 final helped to show the impressive strength of the NCAA race – Olympic bronze medalist Earl Jones was NCAA runner-up for Eastern Michigan, while Richmond’s Edwin Koech finished sixth in both finals.

Cruz’s 800/1500 double victory was the meet’s last by a man until 2010, when another Oregon star pulled off the same combination – Andrew Wheating.

posted: January 11, 2021
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
O-H-I- Oh, Reynolds Was Fast!
June 6, 1987

Butch Reynolds set a meet record in the 400 of 44.13 at the 1987 NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships. He barely missed his own collegiate record of 44.10.

Fynes Won NCAA Titles For Two Programs

Sevatheda Fynes won three career titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. What’s even more impressive is that she did it for two programs – Eastern Michigan & Michigan State.

El Moutawakel Had Legendary Year In 1984

Nawal El Moutawakel set a meet record in the 400 hurdles of 55.84 at the 1984 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships. She also won Olympic gold that year in the event.

Florida State’s England Kicked To 1500 CR
June 15, 2008

Hannah England set a collegiate record in the 1500 of 4:06.19 at the 2008 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships & led two other women under 4:08 in one of the meet’s fastest finals.