Posted: August 5, 2004

Athletics: Salazar’s third NYC Marathon title named 20th top moment in track & field of last 25 years

INDIANAPOLIS – National Track & Field Hall of Famer Alberto Salazar winning his third consecutive New York City Marathon in 1982 was honored by USA Track & Field on Wednesday as the 20th greatest moment in U.S track and field in the last 25 years.

To help mark the 25th anniversary of USA Track & Field, fans joined USATF in selecting the Top 25 Moments in American Track & Field during the past quarter century. Fans voted for what they consider to be the top moments in the sports of track & field, long-distance running, and race walking by voting online at USATF's website, www.usatf.org.

Salazar’s New York City ‘hat trick’ began with his win there in1980, which at that time was the fastest marathon debut in history of 2 hours, 9 minutes, 41 seconds. Following his 1981 win in 2:08:13, Salazar went on to win New York a third consecutive time in 1982 by surging ahead of Mexico's Rudolfo Gomez to finish the event in 2:09:29. Salazar’s 1982 triumph is the most recent win by an American at the New York City Marathon.

An Olympian in 1980 and 1984, Salazar won the1982 Boston Marathon and set several American distance records during his career, ranging from 5,000 meters to the marathon. He was inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame in 2001.

The final list of Top 25 Moments, to be announced each week throughout 2004, were selected by a panel of the sport’s experts in conjunction with fan voting. To be eligible for the Top 25 Moments list, the moments must have occurred between 1979-2004.

Suggestions for USATF’s Top 25 Moments were taken through February 22, 2004. Fans voted for their favorite moments beginning February 28 and ending on June 20. The Top 25 Moments will be announced in reverse order, one per week, leading up to the USATF Annual Meeting in December, where the top three moments will be revealed.

For more information on USATF’ Top 25 Moments, visit www.usatf.org.

USATF Top 25 Moments
25. Jackie Joyner-Kersee breaks 7,000-point barrier in the heptathlon.
24. Khalid Khannouchi sets men’s world marathon record in 2002.
23. Alan Webb sets U.S. boys’ high school mile record.
22. Kevin Young breaks Edwin Moses’ world record.
21. Jennings wins third World Cross Country title.
20. Salazar wins third consecutive New York City Marathon