1968 United States Olympic trials (track and field)

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1968 United States Olympic track and field trials
DatesSeptember 6–16
Host cityEcho Summit, California, U.S.
LevelSenior
TypeOutdoor
1964
1972

The men's 1968 United States Olympic trials for track and field were a two-tiered event. Athletes first met for semi-final Olympic trials in Los Angeles, from June 29 to 30. The final trials were held following a training camp at a specially constructed track at Echo Summit, California, between September 6–16. This was called the most bizarre location for an Olympic trials ever, selected to mimic the nearly identical high altitude location for the Olympics in Mexico City in October.

An all-weather polyurethane Tartan track, similar to the Olympic venue, was constructed for the men's trials at Echo Summit, west of South Lake Tahoe. Just off U.S. Route 50, it was built in the summer of 1968 in the parking lot of Nebelhorn ski area, at an elevation of 7,377 feet (2,249 m).[1]

After training at Echo Summit, the race walk trials was held at a similar high altitude location of Alamosa, Colorado, 20 kilometers on September 7, and 50 km on September 10. The process was organized by the AAU, and the athletes invited to the finals were selected based on the qualification at the semi-Olympic trials.

The AccuTrak photographic fully automatic timing system was used at this meet, in anticipation of its implementation at the Olympics. Fully automatic timing became mandatory for world records in 1977. Administrators had not yet figured out what to do with the slower automatic times so the world records at this meet were set using hand times.

The women's Olympic trials were held separately under less elegant, low altitude conditions at Hilmer Lodge Stadium on the Mt. San Antonio College campus in Walnut, California. The pentathlon took place in Columbia, Missouri during the AAU Championships. Both meets took place on August 24 and 25. The tight schedule also made doubling in individual events more difficult. American resident, but Taiwanese citizen Chi Cheng was allowed to participate in the pentathlon, but her dominant performance did not displace the American athletes in the trials.[2]

Men's results[edit]

Key:  Athlete without "A" standard, not selected. All events considered to be held at high altitude.

Men track events[edit]

Event Gold Silver Bronze
100 meters
Wind +0.0
Jim Hines 10.0 (10.11) Charlie Greene 10.1 (10.15) Mel Pender 10.1 (10.20)
200 meters
Wind +1.9
John Carlos 19.7 (19.92) WR[3] Tommie Smith 20.0 (20.18) Larry Questad 20.1 (20.28)
400 meters Lee Evans 44.0 (44.06) WR[4] Larry James 44.1 (44.19) WR Ron Freeman 44.6 (44.62)
800 meters Tom Farrell 1:46.5 Wade Bell 1:47.1 Ron Kutschinski 1:47.8
1500 meters Jim Ryun 3:49.0 Marty Liquori 3:49.5 Tom von Ruden 3:49.8
5000 meters Bob Day 14:37.4 Jack Bacheler 14:37.4 Lou Scott 14:53.2
10,000 meters Tracy Smith 30:00.4 Van Nelson 30:04.0 Tom Laris 30:09.8
110 m hurdles
Wind -2.7
Willie Davenport 13.5 (13.72) Leon Coleman 13.5 (13.77) Ervin Hall 13.6 (13.84)
400 m hurdles Geoff Vanderstock 48.8 (48.93) WR Boyd Gittins 49.1 (49.27) Ron Whitney 49.2 (49.36)
3000 m s'chase George Young 8:58.0 Bill Reilly 8:58.8 Conrad Nightingale 9:04.4
20K racewalk Larry Young 1:35:56.4 Goetz Klopfer 1:37:53.4 Tom Dooley 1:38:03
50K racewalk Larry Young 4:13:04.4 NR Bill Weigle 4:20:09.4 Steve Hayden 4:23:22.6
Marathon Kenny Moore 2:15:57.8 Frank Shorter 2:15:57.8 Jack Bacheler 2:20:29.2

Men field events[edit]

Event Gold Silver Bronze
High jump Ed Caruthers 2.21 m (7 ft 3 in) Reynaldo Brown 2.21 m (7 ft 3 in) Dick Fosbury 2.21 m (7 ft 3 in)
Pole vault Bob Seagren 5.41 m (17 ft 8+34 in) WR John Pennel 5.18 m (16 ft 11+34 in) Casey Carrigan 5.18 m (16 ft 11+34 in)
Long jump Bob Beamon 8.39 m (27 ft 6+14 in)w +3.2 Ralph Boston 8.26 m (27 ft 1 in)w +5.0 Charles Mays 8.16 m (26 ft 9+14 in)w +4.0
Triple jump Art Walker 16.81 m (55 ft 1+34 in) +1.2 NR Dave Smith 16.38 m (53 ft 8+34 in) Norm Tate 16.14 m (52 ft 11+14 in)
Shot put George Woods 20.73 m (68 ft 0 in) Dave Maggard 20.53 m (67 ft 4+14 in) Randy Matson 20.45 m (67 ft 1 in)
Discus throw Jay Silvester 63.25 m (207 ft 6 in) Gary Carlsen 62.54 m (205 ft 2 in) Al Oerter 62.39 m (204 ft 8 in)
Hammer throw Ed Burke 68.96 m (226 ft 2 in) Albert Hall 67.18 m (220 ft 4 in) Hal Connolly 65.13 m (213 ft 8 in)
Javelin throw Mark Murro 82.46 m (270 ft 6 in) Frank Covelli 81.66 m (267 ft 10 in) Gary Stenlund 81.62 m (267 ft 9 in)
Decathlon Bill Toomey 8222 Rick Sloan 7800 Tom Waddell 7706


Women's results[edit]

Women track events[edit]

Event Gold Silver Bronze
100 meters
Wind +1.9
Wyomia Tyus 11.3 Margaret Bailes 11.3 Barbara Ferrell 11.4
200 meters
Wind +0.1
Margaret Bailes 23.5 Wyomia Tyus 23.7 Barbara Ferrell 23.7
400 meters Jarvis Scott 53.5 Lois Drinkwater 54.0 Esther Stroy 54.3
800 meters Madeline Manning 2:03.0 Doris Brown 2:03.0 Jarvis Scott 2:04.5
80 m hurdles
Wind +0.1
Mamie Rallins 11.1 Patty van Wolvelaere 11.2 Janene Jaton 11.2

Women field events[edit]

Event Gold Silver Bronze
High jump Sharon Callahan 5 ft 714 in (1.7 m) Eleanor Montgomery 5 ft 714 in (1.7 m) Estelle Baskerville 5 ft 6 in (1.67 m)
Long jump Martha Watson 6.42 m (21 ft 34 in) Willye White 6.40 m (20 ft 11+34 in) Barbara Emerson 5.77 m (18 ft 11 in)
Shot put Maren Seidler 15.28 m (50 ft 1+12 in) Lynn Graham 14.03 m (46 ft 14 in) Sharon Shepherd 13.89 m (45 ft 6+34 in)
Discus throw Olga Connolly 53.35 m (175 ft 0 in) Carol Moseke 50.72 m (166 ft 4 in) Nancy Norberg 46.50 m (152 ft 6 in)
Javelin throw Barbara Friedrich 54.08 m (177 ft 5 in) Sherry Calvert 48.95 m (160 ft 7 in) RaNae Bair 48.16 m (158 ft 0 in)
Pentathlon Chi Cheng  Taiwan
Pat Winslow
4823
4481
Barbara Emerson 4327 Janis Glotzer 4319

References[edit]

  1. ^ Payne, Bob (August 16, 1968). "Olympic camp's press 'ban' unpopular". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 18.
  2. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-06-20. Retrieved 2019-12-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ Note:: Carlos' record was disallowed because of the brush type spikes he was wearing
  4. ^ Note:: Evans' record was disallowed because of the brush type spikes he was wearing