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The US Olympic Trials is regarded as one of the best track and field meets where over 100 athletes take part in various athletic events to qualify for the Summer Olympics.
The USA has a rich history of producing the finest track and field Olympic athletes. They have won 802 gold medals in the Olympics, which includes 335 gold medals in athletic events. So it's no wonder why the US Olympic Trials are an event to watch out for.
The first US Olympic Trials took place in 1920, where the top three athletes from various track and field events made it to the US team for the Antwerp Olympics in Belgium. Since then, the Olympic Trials have served as a springboard for US athletes to qualify and excel at the biggest multi-sports event in the world.
The US Olympic Trials began to gain popularity and attention when several world records were set at the event. US athletic greats like Ralph Metcalfe, Jesse Owens, Michael Johnson, Florence Griffith Joyner, John Thomas, John Carlos, and others have made an impact at the Olympic Trials by shattering world records over the years.
The 2021 US Olympic Trials cum US National Track and Field Championships is set to take place from 18th June to 27th 2021 at the Hayward Field, University of Oregon.
Read: US Olympic Track and Field Trials 2021: Event timings, start lists and live streaming details.
On that note, let's have a look at five of the best track and field world records at the US Olympic Trials over the years.
#1 Florence Griffith Joyner – Women’s 100 metres
Legendary female sprinter, the late Florence Griffith Joyner, is the fastest woman of all time, with world records in 100 metres and 200 metres sprints.
At the 1988 US Olympic Trials, she broke the 4-year-old 100-metre world record set by her compatriot Evelyn Ashford (10.76 seconds), clocking 10.49 seconds in the quarterfinals. That made Florence Griffith Joyner the first and to date the only woman to run the 100-metre race in under 10.5 seconds.
Two months later, in September, Florence Griffith Joyner set an Olympic record in the 100 metres. She clinched the gold medal by clocking 10.62 seconds at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. She also won an Olympic gold and set the world record in 200 metres with a timing of 21.34s.
In the process, Florence Griffith Joyner became the sixth female sprinter since 1948 to bag the 100 metre - 200 metres double at the Olympics.
Read: Galen Rupp - The outside favourite to win marathon gold medal at Tokyo Olympics.
#2 Michael Johnson – Men’s 200 metres
Michael Johnson is one of the finest sprinters in the world, having held world records in the 200 metres and 400 metres races. At the 1996 US Olympic Trials, he set a world record in 200 metres by clocking 19.66 seconds. That made him the tenth 200-metres sprinter to shatter the world record in the Olympic Trials.
Later that year, in August, Michael Johnson again created history by shattering his 200 metres world record with a timing of 19.32s at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. The record remained for 12 years till Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt clocked 19.30 seconds at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Read: US Olympic Trials: Top 5 male track and field athletes to watch out for.
#3 John Thomas – Men’s High Jump
John Thomas was one of the best high jumpers in USA track and field history. He set the world record in high jump four times in his career.
During the 1960 US Olympic Trials, John Thomas jumped a distance of 2.19 metres to lower his world record of 2.18 metres. In his very next attempt, he broke his own world record again, this time by leaping 2.22 metres.
At the 1960 Rome Olympics, John Thomas entered as a 4-time world record holder in the high jump.
He topped the qualifying stage by jumping 2.00 metres. But in the final, John had to settle for bronze, as he only leapt 2.14 metres, which was 0.02 metres short of gold-medal winner Soviet Union’s Robert Shavlakadze and silver-medal winner Valery Brumel.
John Thomas’s world record of 2.22 metres stood for a year before Brumel leapt a height of 2.23 metres.
Read: Tokyo Olympics - Champions and record holders who are giving US Olympic Trials 2021 a miss.
#4 David Roberts – Men’s Pole Vault
David Roberts is among the best pole vaulters in USA's rich track and field history. He set the pole vault world record twice in his career. In 1976, Roberts shattered the world record by jumping 5.70 metres at the US Olympic Trials to become the first pole vaulter to break the 5.70-metre barrier.
Later that year, in July, Roberts competed at the 1976 Montreal Games, where he set an Olympic record and won the Bronze medal by leaping 5.50 metres. Interestingly, the top three finishers all leapt 5.50 metres.
David Roberts’s world record remained for four years before Poland’s Wladyslaw Kozakiewicz jumped 5.72 metres in 1980.
Also Read: Mo Farah gets last-gasp lifeline to qualify for Tokyo Olympics, to run in a special race.
#5 Geoff Vanderstock – Men’s 400 metres Hurdles
Geoff Vanderstock, once one of the USA's top 400 metres hurdlers, held the world record in the event.
In 1968, he broke into the limelight when he shattered the 400 metres Hurdles world record by clocking 48.8 seconds at the US Olympic Trials. That made Vanderstock the first 400 metres Hurdler to break the 49-second barrier.
Vanderstock competed at the 1968 Mexico Olympics in the 400 metres Hurdles but finished fourth, clocking 49 seconds. He saw his world record shattered by gold medalist David Hemery of Great Britain, who clocked 48.1 seconds.
Also Read: Who could win the 100-meter female sprint title at Tokyo Olympics?
