Posted: September 21, 2004

Athletics: Mack, Hayes, Johnson, Jackson and Glover shine at World Athletics Final

Tim Mack, Joanna Hayes, Allen Johnson, Bershawn Jackson and Sandra Glover all won their respective events over the weekend at the 2004 IAAF World Athletics Final in Monaco.

Mack capped off a tremendous 2004 campaign by becoming just the 12th man in history to clear the six-meter barrier in the pole vault with his winning clearance of 6.01 meters/19 feet, 8.75 inches. Mack's performance in Monaco bettered his previous personal best of 5.95m/19-6.25 set in winning the Olympic gold medal last month in Athens.

2004 Olympic gold medalist Joanna Hayes also had a successful outing in Monaco in winning the women's 100m hurdles in 12.58 seconds. Fellow American Jenny Adams was the runner-up in 12.68.

In men's hurdles action, four-time World Outdoor champion and 1996 Olympic gold medalist Allen Johnson won the men's 110m hurdles in 13.16 seconds, with Jamaica's Maurice Wignall the runner-up in 13.19. In the men's 400m hurdles, Americans dominated the action with Bershawn Jackson winning the contest with a new personal best of 47.86 seconds. 2004 Olympic Trials champion James Carter was the runner-up in 48.06.

In the women's 400m hurdles, four-time U.S. Outdoor champion Sandra Glover won the race in 54.57 seconds, with 2004 Olympian Brenda Taylor placing third in 55.00.

In the women's 400 meters, 2004 Olympic 4x400m relay gold medalists Monique Hennagan (50.20) and DeeDee Trotter (50.60) placed second and third respectively, as did 2004 Olympic 4x400m gold medalists Derrick Brew (44.97) and Otis Harris (45.06) in the men's 400 meters.

In the men's long jump, 2004 Olympic gold medalist Dwight Phillips was the runner-up with a best of 8.26m/27-1.25, with 2004 Olympic silver medalist John Moffitt placing third with a best effort of 8.05m/26-5.

For more information on the 2004 IAAF World Athletics Final, including the complete results, visit IAAF.org.

Olympic gold medalist Baird dies

Olympic gold medalist and former world record holder George Baird died on September 4 in Rhinebeck, N.Y. He was 97. At the time of this death, he was the oldest living U.S. Olympic track and field gold medalist.

Baird led off the U.S. world record-setting 4x400m relay team that won the gold medal at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. The U.S. squad won the race in 3 minutes, 14.2 seconds as Baird led off in 48.2. He was followed by Fred Alderman (49.4), Bud Spencer (47.8) and individual 400m champ Ray Barbuti (48.8).

Six days later, Baird led off a U.S. 4x440y relay team that ran a world record of 3:13.4 in London. Other members of that team were Morgan Taylor, Barbuti and Spencer.

A 1929 graduate of the University of Iowa, Baird posted his 47.7 personal best that same year. He placed fourth in the 1928 NCAA Championships as a junior.

Baird was the subject of a segment on NBC's "Olympic Show" leading up to the '00 Sydney Games. The segment dealt with George and sprinter Jimmy Quinn, who had won a gold medal on the 1928 4x100 team. At that time, they were the two oldest surviving U.S. Olympic track gold medalists. Quinn, who died this past July, was about six months older than Baird.

From USATF.org.