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.
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.
Cal’s Hudson Wins Epic Triple Jump With World’s Best
On this day in 1987, Sheila Hudson of California set world best in Women’s Triple Jump at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships when she bounded 13.78m (45-2½).
Track. Field. Houston’s Lewis Does It All!
On this day in 1981, Carl Lewis of Houston became the first athlete since Jesse Owens to win a track event and field event at the same NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
UCLA Men’s 4×400 Clocks NCAA’s First Sub-3
On this day in 1988, the UCLA men’s 4×400 relay team became the first collegiate quartet to break three minutes, clocking 2:59.91 with Steve Lewis, Kevin Young, Danny Everett and Henry Thomas.
LSU’s Sowell Dominates 1989 NCAA Championships
On this day in 1989, Dawn Sowell of LSU culminated one of the most dominant performances in the history of the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Givens’ Quad Leads Florida State to Team Title
On this day in 1984, Randy Givens of Florida State completed a remarkable – and still, unmatched – feat, winning a quadruple set of titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Ore.
Rono Rolls Into The Record Books
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.
Jackie Joyner Doubles Down On Multi Crowns
On this day in 1983, Jackie Joyner of UCLA became the first woman to win an event twice at the NCAA Championships, claiming her second consecutive crown in the heptathlon with a then-collegiate-record-setting score of 6390 points.
Connect Four: Prefontaine Makes History
Steve Prefontaine of Oregon became the first athlete to win titles in the same outdoor event four times, claiming the 3-mile/5000m from 1970-73.
Ralph Metcalfe Is Mr. Triple-Double
Ralph Metcalfe, who was born on this day (May 29) in 1910, won three consecutive 100 and 200 titles while at Marquette from 1932-34, becoming the first athlete to win three NCAA titles in two separate events.
Georgia’s Orji Jump-Starts Record-Breaking Career
On this day in 2016, Keturah Orji of Georgia set her first collegiate record in the triple jump of 14.29m (46-10¾) at the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round in Jacksonville, Florida.