Fight On, Sim! Iness Set World Record In 1953
Something was missing when Sim Iness of Southern California threw a world record 190-0⅞ (57.93m) at the 1953 NCAA Track & Field Championships in Lincoln, Nebraska.
“Iness got off his throw with such ease he omitted his usual grunt,” reported Cordner Nelson of Track & Field News.
“The discus left my hand so easy I figured it wasn’t going very far,” explained Iness, repeating his title from 1952. “I never spun in the ring as fast as I did today.”
The ease of the throw belied the difficulty Iness experienced during the 1953 season.
Earlier in the year Iness – whose first name of “Sim” is actually short for “Simeon” – was dominating his collegiate competition much the way a 1952 Olympic gold medalist would be expected to. But a fall down some steps set him back some 25 feet from when he threw 185-5¼ (56.52m) in April – merely the longest by an American on U.S. soil.
Then, a week before the NCAA Championships, Iness was hit squarely in the mouth by a flying disc, leaving him questionable for the meet. But, when he eventually arrived in Nebraska and launched a meet record of 183-0 (55.78m) in the trials, everybody knew he was good to go.
The WR effort came on his third and final effort the next day in the finals as Iness successfully defended his NCAA title. Second place – for the second-straight year – went to teammate Parry O’Brien, who would go on to win repeat as NCAA shot put champion.
Fun fact: Iness was a high school teammate of Bob Mathias. Both graduated from Tulare (California) High School in 1948 and Mathias went on that summer to win the first of two Olympic golds in the decathlon. As the 10-eventer would not become part of the NCAA meet until 1970, Mathias was NCAA runner-up for Stanford in the 1951 discus and 1952 120-yard 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.