USATF News & Notes: April 24, 2023

USATF MOURNS LOSS OF 1948 OLYMPIC BRONZE MEDALIST DOUGLAS

Herb Douglas, the men's long jump bronze medalist at the 1948 London Olympic Games, died Saturday in Pittsburgh. He was 101. At the time of his death, Douglas was the oldest U.S. Olympic medalist and oldest Olympic track and field medalist. Douglas won three AAU titles in his career, taking the 1945 outdoor long jump crown and adding the 1947 and 1949 indoor golds. He was second in the NCAA long jump for Pittsburgh in 1947.
 
Just before his 91^st birthday in 2013, Douglas shared his story with USATF in a Legend Spotlight that can be found here.

WEEKEND WRAPUP

• Big throws highlighted the Virginia Challenge in Charlottesville, topped by Brooke Andersen's 79.80m/261-10 in the women's hammer. Andersen, the gold medalist at last summer's World Athletics Championships in Eugene, moved to third on the world all-time performer list with her mark, trailing only Poland's world record holder Anita Wlodarczyk and American record holder DeAnna Price.
  • Virginia's Ethan Dabbs, the 2022 USATF champion, had the year's best throw by an American in the men's javelin with an 80.82m/265-2.
• Returning to her home track for the LSU Alumni Gold meet, USATF indoor 60m champion and American record holder Aleia Hobbs zipped to a 10.86 to win the women's 100m. Her time was a world leader but was bettered later that evening by Jamaica's Shericka Jackson. Just behind Hobbs, Tamari Davis finished in 10.89, also a season best.
  • In the men's 400m, Vernon Norwood clocked a season best 44.80 for the win, and in the women's one-lapper Makenzie Dunmore lowered her lifetime best to 50.35. Hurdles wins went to World Championships fourth-place finisher and 2022 NCAA 100H champion Alia Armstrong (12.77 100H) and Anna Cockrell, who took the 400H in a season best of 55.06.
• Baylor's Michael Johnson Invitational had a sprinkling of Team USATF stars competing, including Abby Steiner, who won the women's 200m in 22.30 and was the 100m runner-up in 11.19. Christian Coleman won the men's 200m in 20.11, just ahead of a lifetime best 20.15 from Elijah Morrow. Kentucky's Masai Russell continued her hot hurdling streak with a 12.50 win in the 100H, and USATF indoor 60m champion J.T. Smith of Texas A&M-Commerce won the men's 100 in a PB 10.18.
• In other track and field action, Devon Allen returned to the track after his first season with the NFL Philadelphia Eagles and won the 100m (10.34) and 110m hurdles (13.39w) at the Navy Spring Invitational in Annapolis. Keturah Orji had an outdoor world-leading 14.36m/47-1.5 in the women's triple jump at South Carolina.

Photo Credit: Nathan Ott