Will 'The Record' ever be broken?
State track meets are coming up in a couple weeks and every year I wonder if The Record will be broken.
Two of the longest running boys’ state track records and all-time bests are held by Cedar Rapids products – Doug Lane of Jefferson in the shot put and David Korir of Washington in the half mile. It is Lane’s mark that may stand forever.
Lane was a big, scrappy athlete and one of many the J-Hawks had in the 1960s. Lane lettered in football, basketball and track, but it was in the shot put ring that he made his mark.
In a meet in 1968, Lane tossed the shot 70 feet 11 inches, becoming only the third American high school athlete at the time to exceed 70 feet. It put him, and his coach John Ask, on the cover of the AAU Magazine. Earlier, Lane had broken the state record at the Drake Relays with a heave of 67-2 ½. He capped his career with his third state title in 1968 with a still-state meet record 65-11 ½.
For four decades, no one has really come close to Long’s 70-foot effort. The closest has been Marion’s Drew Clark, who set the Class 3A record in 2009 with a throw of 64-7 ¾.
Long went on to become a two-time All-America at the University of Southern California and a NCAA National Indoor champion in 1972. He became a successful businessman in southern California.
And still holder of The Record.
TENNIS NUGGETS – A couple jaw-droppers were seen or heard this past week in the Metro tennis ranks.
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