From The Professional Level To High School, Track And Field And Cross Country Continued To Make History

By David Woods for DyeStat

Photos by USA Today Sports and DyeStat Archives

Here are 24 memorable moments of 2024 track and field, eight each from pro, college and high school categories. Listings are chronological:

PROFESSIONAL

1, New mother outruns world record-holders

March 2, Glasgow, Scotland – There have been few global golds in American women’s distance running to match what Elle St. Pierre did at the World Indoor Championships. Exactly 364 days after giving birth to a son, the 29-year-old won the 3,000 meters in 8:20.87 and beat two world record-holders, Gudaf Tsegay and Beatrice Chepkoech. St. Pierre’s time was a championship and American record, making her No. 3 all-time indoors. She was eighth in the 1,500 at the Paris Olympics after holding fourth with a lap to go. She recently announced she is pregnant again.

2, Mahuchikh breaks 37-year-old record

July 7, Paris – Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh took down one of the oldest world records, leaping 6 feet, 10.75 inches (2.10m) at a Diamond League meet. Previous record was 6-10.25 (2.09m) by Bulgaria’s Stefka Kostadinova at Rome on Aug. 30, 1987. “Now I’m fighting for my country at every competition,” said Mahuchikh, an inspirational figure in Ukraine, which is at war against Russia. The 22-year-old went on to win a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

3, Lyles is world’s fastest man – by .005

Aug. 4, Saint-Denis, France – As much as can be measured, it was the closest 100-meter final in Olympic history. Noah Lyles, in seventh place at 50 meters, surged to win the gold medal. He and Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson were each credited with times of 9.79 seconds. Carried further, it was 9.784 to 9.789. Lyles was third at 60, 70 and 80 meters, second at 90 . . . and first at 100. Seven men were under 9.90. Previously, the most were four.

4, Olympic stage for Mondo world record

Aug. 5, Saint-Denis, France – Mondo Duplantis set three world records in 2024, including one on the biggest stage. The 24-year-old, born in Louisiana and representing Sweden, became the first pole vaulter to clear 20 feet at an Olympic Games and second to win two gold medals. On his final attempt, Duplantis vaulted 20-6.25 (6.25m), one centimeter higher than his vault at Xiamen, China, on April 20. The world record had not been broken at an Olympics since 1980 at Moscow, where Poland’s Wladyslaw Kozakiewicz made 18-11.5 (5.78m). Duplantis raised the record a 10th time – to 20-6.25 (6.26m) – on Aug. 25 at Chorzow, Poland.

5, Hocker shocker

Aug. 6, Saint-Denis, France – One Seabiscuit outran two War Admirals. In one of the biggest upsets of this or any Olympic Games, Cole Hocker, a 21-to-1 longshot, won the 1,500 meters over defending gold medalist Jakob Ingebrigtsen and reigning world champion Josh Kerr. As the two favorites eyed each other, they lost sight of Hocker, the former University of Oregon star. His time of 3:27.75 was an Olympic record and the equivalent to a 3:44.3 mile. "I just felt like I was being carried by the stadium and God," he said. Kerr was second in 3:27.79, a British record. Another American, Yared Nuguse, took bronze in 3:27.80. Ingebrigtsen was fourth in 3:28.24, faster than his Olympic record. Seven of the 12 finalists had won a collective 15 global medals. Before this race, Hocker had a career record of 0-7 vs. both Ingebrigtsen and Kerr.

6, Hall closes like chariot on fire

Aug. 7, Saint-Denis, France – It was 100 years ago that British sprinter Eric Liddell won the 400 at the Paris Olympics because he would not run heats of the 100 on a Sunday. That story was dramatized in a movie, Chariots of Fire. This time, it was Quincy Hall on fire. The 26-year-old American – a former hurdler, football player and wrestler from Kansas City, Mo. – rushed to victory in 43.40. He relegated Matthew Hudson-Smith to silver in 43.44, preventing the British sprinter from re-creating history. Hall was fifth at 200 meters, fourth at 250 and 300, third at 350 . . . and first at 400.

7, McLaughlin-Levrone does it again

Aug. 8, Saint-Denis, France – If it is a championship, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is breaking a world record. For the sixth time since June 2021, she set a world record in the 400 hurdles, this time at 50.37 in an Olympic final. Remarkably, she has lowered the record at nationals and worlds in 2021 and 2022, Olympic Trials and Olympics in 2024. Most world records ever set by a man in this event was four, by Edwin Moses, and it took from 1976 to 1983 to do so. “Rio, I didn’t medal, and in Tokyo nobody was there. This was my first real Olympics,” McLaughlin-Levrone said. According to World Athletics scoring tables, Florence Griffith-Joyner’s 100 meters of 10.49 is worth 1,313 points. McLaughlin-Levrone’s 50.37 is 10 points greater, 1,323.

8, Historic women’s marathons

Aug. 11, Paris, and Oct. 13, Chicago – Superwomen or supershoes? Both? The Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan, after bronze medals at 5,000 and 10,000, beat a field of legends and took gold in the marathon in an Olympic record of 2 hours, 22 minutes, 55 seconds. Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa, then the world record-holder, was three seconds behind. The two collided late in the race and exchanged shoves as Assef tried to cut off Hassan, who was along the fence. Two months later in Chicago, Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich broke Assefa’s world record by nearly two minutes in an unimaginable 2:09:56 (worth 1,339 points).

COLLEGE

9, Morales Williams denied world mark in 400

Feb. 24, Fayetteville, Ark. – Georgia’s Christopher Morales Williams, a 19-year-old Canadian, bettered the world indoor record for 400 meters with a time of 44.49 at the SEC Championships. World Athletics did not ratify the time as a world record – it lists 44.57 by Kerron Clement from 2005 – but does put 44.49 atop its all-time list. (Michael Norman’s 44.52 from 2018 also was not ratified.) To the public, at least, it's Morales Williams' record.

10, Young a champion at last

March 8-9, Boston – Nico Young was a teen phenom in Newbury Park, Calif., but could not complement his fast college times with titles - until the NCAA Indoor Championships. The Northern Arizona runner twice outkicked North Carolina’s Parker Wolfe, winning the 5,000 in 13:25.29 and 3,000 in 7:41.01, a meet record. Young’s respective last 400s were 54.39 and 55.76. A week later, he set a collegiate record of 26:52.72 for the 10,000 at San Juan Capistrano, Calif., and he was 12th at that distance at the Paris Olympics.

11, Ross exceeds 20 meters

May 23, Fayetteville, Ark. – Oregon shot putter Jaida Ross became the first college woman to exceed 20 meters, hitting 20.01 (65-7.75) at the NCAA West Regional. The Bowerman Award finalist from Medford, Ore., won the NCAA title and nearly seized an Olympic medal, finishing fourth.

12, Neugebauer nearly hits 9,000

June 5-6, Eugene, Ore. – Texas’ Leo Neugebauer broke his own collegiate record in the decathlon, scoring 8,961 points at NCAAs. The 23-year-old German, nearly the fifth to reach 9,000, won silver at Paris and the Bowerman Award.

13, Cohen’s worst-to-first 800

June 7, Eugene, Ore. – Shane Cohen could not break 1:53 for 800 meters for U. of Tampa in 2023, but Virginia took a chance on the Division II transfer anyway. Stunningly, he went from last to first over the closing 150 meters at NCAAs, stealing victory in 1:44.97. Cohen lowered his PB to 1:44.65 in finishing sixth at the Olympic Trials.

14, Triple for Long, quadruple for Arkansas

June 8, Eugene, Ore. – Little more than four months after losing her mother, McKenzie Long delivered an uplifting triple at NCAAs. In a span of 95 minutes, she ran second leg in the 4x100 relay (won by Mississippi in 42.34), took the 100 in 10.82w (+2.2) and ran a world-leading 21.83 in the 200. The Mississippi sprinter – the sixth woman to win such a triple --  was not among the three Bowerman finalists but did make it to the Olympics, where she was seventh in the 200. In the 400, Arkansas’ Nickisha Price (collegiate record of 48.89), Kaylyn Brown (49.13), Amber Anning (49.59) and Rosey Effiong (49.72) finished 1-2-3-4. It was the first time in NCAA history, men or women, one team swept the top four in any event.

15, Yes, Valby was that good

June 29, Eugene, Ore. – By the Olympic Trials, Florida’s Parker Valby was queen of NCAA running. She held collegiate records at 5,000 and 10,000 meters and won five NCAA titles in the school year. How would the 21-year-old fare vs. pros? She secured an Olympic spot, finishing second to Weini Kelati (by a half-second) at 10K. She went on to finish 11th at Paris and win the Bowerman Award.

16, Blanks repeats; BYU sweeps

Nov. 23, Vernoa, Wis. – Harvard’s Graham Blanks made his farewell to collegiate cross-country emphatic and historic. At NCAAs, the 22-year-old Blanks became the youngest American champion back-to-back since Oregon’s Steve Prefontaine, who won his second at age 20 in 1971. (Pre won a third title in 1973.) With a 10K of 28:37.2, Blanks smashed Wisconsin’s course record by 31 seconds in building an insurmountable lead over New Mexico’s Habtom Samuel, who finished with one shoe. BYU was the first to sweep men’s and women’s team titles since Colorado in 2004.

HIGH SCHOOL

17, Texas team sub-39 in 4x100 relay

March 23, Houston -- Atascocita High of Humble, Texas, broke one of the oldest national records. Tory Blaylock, Landon Tontenot, Jordan Parker and LSU football recruit Jelani Watkins ran the 4x100 relay in 38.92 – a time that would have secured fifth at NCAAs. Wyatt of Forth Worth had held the record of 39.76 since 1998. In Texas’ state meet May 4, Atascocita ran the No. 2 time ever, 39.14. Atascocita would also go on to be named DyeStat Dual Meet National champion for boys track and field. 

18, Miller’s 9.93

April 20, Clermont, Fla. – Christian Miller of Creekside High, St. Johns, Fla., ran 100 meters in 9.93, a national high school record. Miller, then 17, also broke the American under-20 record of 9.97 set by Trayvon Bromell in 2014. Trentavis Friday of Cherryville NC had set the prep record of 10.00 in 2014. Only U20 time faster is 9.91 by Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo at high altitude of Cali, Colombia, in 2022. Miller was fifth at the Olympic Trials in 9.98 (after a 9.94w semifinal) but was not chosen to the relay pool. He signed a Puma pro contract.

19, Arcadia’s epic 3,200

April 6, Arcadia, Calif. – Daniel Simmons of American Fork UT won the 3,200 meters in 8:34.96, highlighting another avalanche of fast times at the Arcadia Invitational. Nathan Neil of Bozeman MT was second in 8:35.32 and miler Drew Griffith of Butler PA third in 8:37.43. There were six state records, a record 27 boys under 8:50 and a record 69 under 9 minutes among all six sections.

20, Back-to-back mileposts

May 30, St. Louis – Allie Zealand of Lynchburg, Va., and Sadie Englehardt of Ventura, Calif., broke the national high school record in successive mile races 10 minutes apart. First, Zealand won the prep division of the HOKA Festival of Miles in 4:30.38. Then, Englehardt finished second in the pro mile in 4:28.46, closing with a 63-second lap. (Mary Cain ran a 4:28.25 indoor mile in 2013 and Addy Wiley’s 1,600 meters was worth 4:27.71 in 2022.)

21, Union Catholic twice breaks 4x800 record

June 15, Philadelphia – Union Catholic NJ obliterated its own national record in the girls 4x800 relay, lowering it to 8:34.20 at New Balance nationals. That was seven seconds faster than the time from the Penn Relays.  Splits were Jimmiea King, 2:09.22; Peyton Hollis, 2:09.01; Sophia Thompson, 2:10.46; Paige Sheppard, 2:05.53. Only Hollis was a senior.

22, Quincy Wilson sprint spree

June 21, Eugene, Ore. – We must remind ourselves Quincy Wilson is 5-foot-9 and was a 16-year-old high school sophomore in 2024. He broke Darrell Robinson’s 42-year-old prep record for 400 meters, clocking 44.66 in the first round at the Olympic Trials. Wilson lowered that to 44.59 in a semifinal two days later, and to 44.20 at Gainesville, Fla., on July 19. He divulged he was injured thereafter, and it took heroic legs after his  slow 47.27 leadoff for the United States to make the 4x400 relay final at the Paris Olympics. Because he ran in prelims, Wilson became the youngest male gold medalist ever in track and field.

23, Two prep records at U20 worlds

Aug. 29 and Aug. 31, Lima, Peru --  Coming when they did on the calendar and where they did on the globe, marks by Karson Gordon and Vance Nilsson might not be overlooked. The U20 World Championships were continuation of their high school seasons. Gordon, a UCLA football signee from Episcopal High of Bellaire, Texas, leaped 54-11.25 to win a silver medal in the triple jump. He bettered the 20-year-old prep record of 54-10.25 set by Kenny Hall of Tara, Baton Rouge, La. Two days later, Nilsson, of Gilbert, Ariz., won gold in the 400 hurdles in 49.26 – out of the inside lane 2. Kenneth Ferguson of Mumford High, Detroit, has held the record of 49.38 since 2002. (Now he's Allyson Felix's husband). Nilsson set a prep record of 34.83 in the 300 hurdles at Arizona’s state meet May 10. Because both had already enrolled in college, and classes had started, their high school records are not counted by Track and Field News.

24, Hedengren dominates Nike xc

Dec. 7, Portland, Ore. – Jane Hedengren of Timpview, Utah, dominated the Nike Cross Nationals, winning by 41 seconds in 16:32.7 and breaking Katelyn Tuohy’s course record on a wet layout. This was the first NXN for the BYU recruit, who did not qualify in 2022 and was injured last year. In the Southwest Regional at Mesa, Ariz., she clocked 15:50, fastest ever for a high school girl in cross country. In the team-focused event, it was an unprecedented sweep for Colorado, with Mountain Vista's girls and Niwot's boys hoisting the big trophies.

Contact David Woods at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.