Bakewell’s Winding Road To 800 Meter Glory
Karen Bakewell’s Road to 800-Meter Glory wasn’t a straight shot.
It had multiple twists and turns, not to mention a detour from Oxford, Ohio, back to Jamestown, New York, when she withdrew from Miami University in Ohio to attend a hometown community college after disagreements flared with a new coach the RedHawks hired.
“You’re going to do his workouts, because he said so,” Bakewell told The Cincinnati Enquirer back in 1986. “That’s just how it is. I was used to doing my own pace.
“I guess I needed an attitude adjustment. I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to say so far away from my home – and I wasn’t sure I wanted to dedicate myself to track.”
Bakewell returned to campus rejuvenated and prepared to face all adversity head-on.
As it turns out, head coach Richard Ceronie – the same coach Bakewell butted heads with as a sophomore – had a new challenge for her. Ceronie wanted to turn Bakewell, the 1984 Mid-American Conference outdoor champion at 400 meters, into an 800-meter specialist.
“We talked about it over the winter and I was excited, because it is a new race for me,” Bakewell said. “I’ve always done the 200, 400 and relays before.”
Bakewell made her two-lap debut at the Domino’s Pizza Relays, hosted by Florida State in late March. After finishing a close second to Alabama’s Evelyn Adiru, who competed for Uganda at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, it was off to the 800-meter races for Bakewell.
“I thought she would run maybe a 2:09, which is a good time,” Ceronie said after the meet. “But she ran a 2:06.9, which is comparable to the best times being run in the country … Then I realized how really good she could be.”
Bakewell lowered her PR to 2:04.18 in early May and turned her attention to that year’s NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships that were being held in Indianapolis. For her to be crowned NCAA champion, Bakewell would probably need to run another massive PR.
You know what happened next.
Bakewell pushed the tempo from the start, using her 400-meter speed to make the rest of the competitors uncomfortable. By the time she accelerated with 300 meters to go, no one else had enough endurance to go with her as she crossed the finish line in a collegiate- and meet-record-setting time of 2:00.85.
To this day, Bakewell is one of just 15 women who have gone sub-2:01.00 in collegiate history outdoors. Twelve of those women did so at the NCAA Championships; Bakewell was the first.
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.
Providence’s Smith Left Field In The Dust
Kim Smith won the 5000 meters at the 2004 NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships by 36.04 seconds in 15:48.86 for the largest margin of victory in meet history.
Gatlin Doubled Up In Back-To-Back Years
Justin Gatlin completed back-to-back 100-200 doubles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 2001 & 2002. He went 10.08/20.11 & 10.22/20.18 in those respective years.
UTEP’s Hoglund First To Crack 70-Foot Barrier
Hans Hoglund was the first man to touch the 70-foot barrier in the SP at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. He also won by more than 4 feet with his 21.33m (70-0) heave in 1975.
LSU’s Hobbs Couldn’t Be Caught In 2018
Aleia Hobbs anchored LSU to a 4×100 relay MR of 42.25 & then doubled back to win the 100 by 0.23 seconds at the 2018 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships.
Michael Johnson Had 1990 NCAAs To Remember
All eyes were on Michael Johnson of Baylor in the 4×400-meter relay at the 1990 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Riley Completed Unprecedented Double In 2012
Andrew Riley completed the only 100-110H double in NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships history in 2012. Riley won the 100 in 10.27 & then captured the 110H crown in 13.53
Leatherwood Rolled To Back-To-Back 400 Titles
Lillie Leatherwood won back-to-back 400-meter titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships in 1986 & 1987. She set a meet record of 50.90 in that second year.
Iowa’s Jones Made Distance History
Charles “Deacon” Jones set a meet record in the 2-mile at the 1957 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships with his time of 8:57.6.
Locke Doubled Up On Sprint Titles In 1926
Roland Locke entered the 1926 NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships as the WR holder in the 220. He left with the meet record in that event (20.9) & also won the 100 in 9.9.
McLain Bounded To All-Conditions TJ Best
Erica McLain won the triple jump at the 2008 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships by nearly two feet! McLain bounded to an all-conditions meet best at 14.60m (47-11).