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1956 United States Olympic trials (track and field)
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1956 United States Olympic track and field trials #A9F5A9 Los Angeles (men)Washington, D.C. (women) July 1–2 (men)August 25 (Women) Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (men)American University (women) 180px Senior Outdoor 1955 USA Championships1952 trials 1957 USA Championships1960 trials
The men's 1956 United States Olympic trials for track and field for men were held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California, on June 28 and 29. The 20 kilometer walk trials were held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on August 26, and the 50 kilometer walk trials were held on September 16 in Baltimore, Maryland. Two marathon trials were held between two races, the AAU National Championships in Yonkers, New York, on September 30 and the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts, on April 19. As it turned out, the three selectees were the top 3 Americans at both events. The 10,000 meters was held in Bakersfield, California, on June 23.
The decathlon was held two weeks after the trials on July 13-4 in Crawfordsville, Indiana, allowing athletes to make attempts in individual events. Rafer Johnson qualified in the long jump but didn't jump in Melbourne. Bob Richards qualified in the Decathlon after winning the pole vault in his attempt to repeat as Olympic pole vault champion. He did compete in both events in Melbourne, successfully winning the pole vault, but after scoring in 11th place through nine events, he chose not to suffer through a 1500 and did not finish. The process was organized by the AAU.
The women's Olympic trials were held separately at American University (Reeves Field) in Washington, D.C., on August 25.https://www.legacy.usatf.org/statistics/champions/OlympicTrials/HistoryOfTheOlympicTrials.pdf Archived copy 2019-12-23 https://web.archive.org/web/20120620000346/http://usatf.org/statistics/champions/OlympicTrials/HistoryOfTheOlympicTrials.pdf 2012-06-20 dead
Men's results
Key:
#F3F781 ≠ Athlete without "A" standard, not selected solid 1px #AAAAAA.
Men track events
100 meters Bobby Morrow 10.3 (10.28)Ira Murchison 10.4 (10.32)Thane Baker 10.4 (10.36) 200 meters Bobby Morrow 20.6 =WRThane Baker 20.7Andy Stanfield 20.9 400 metersLou Jones 45.2 WRJim Lea 45.7Charlie Jenkins 46.1 800 metersTom Courtney 1:46.4 NR United StatesArnie Sowell 1:46.9Lon Spurrier 1:47.6 1500 metersJerome Walters 3:47.6Ted Wheeler 3:48.0Don Bowden 3:48.6 5000 metersBill Dellinger 14:26.0 NR United StatesCurtis Stone 14:29.0Max Truex 14:30.8 10,000 metersMax Truex 30:52.0Dick Hart 31:06.3Gordon McKenzie 31:06.8 110 m hurdles Jack Davis 13.8Lee Calhoun 13.9Joel Shankle 14.1 400 m hurdlesGlenn Davis 49.5 WR Eddie Southern 49.7Josh Culbreath 49.9 3000 m s'chasePhil Coleman 9:00.3Charles Jones 9:00.6Horace Ashenfelter 9:02.4 20K racewalk Alex Oakley James Hewson 1:39:061:39:16Henry Laskau 1:39:45Bruce MacDonald 1:39:56 50K racewalkAdolf Weinacker 4:38:58Leo Sjogren 4:44:18James Hewson 4:51:03 Boston Marathon Antti Viskari John J. Kelley 2:14:142:14:33 Eino Oskanen Nick Costes 2:17:562:18:01Dean Thackwray 2:20:24 Yonkers Marathon John J. Kelley 2:24:52.2 Dean Thackwray2:31:14 Nick Costes 2:31:52
Men field events
High jumpCharles Dumas 2.15WRVern Wilson 2.07Phil Reavis 2.07 Pole vaultBob Richards 4.60George Mattos 4.53Jim Graham 4.48 Long jumpJohn Bennett Greg Bell 7.837.83 Rafer Johnson 7.70 Triple jumpIra Davis 15.66 NR United StatesGeorge Shaw 15.23Bill Sharpe 15.16 Shot putParry O'Brien 18.54Ken Bantum 18.15Bill Nieder 17.71 Discus throwFortune Gordien 57.21Al Oerter 54.44Ron Drummond 54.06 Hammer throwAl Hall 60.24Hal Connolly 60.03Cliff Blair 59.91 Javelin throwCy Young 74.65Phil Conley 74.40Ben Garcia 71.45 DecathlonRafer Johnson 7755 Milt Campbell 7559Bob Richards 7054
Women's results
Women track events
100 meters Isabelle Daniels 11.5 =NR United StatesMae Faggs 11.6Lucinda Williams 11.7 200 meters Mae Faggs 24.2Wilma Rudolph 24.2Meredith Ellis 25.2 80 m hurdles Barbara Mueller 11.9 Constance Darnowski 12.0Irene Robertson 12.1
Women field events
High jumpMildred McDaniel 1.63 Anne Flynn 1.55 Verneda Thomas 1.53 Long jumpMargaret Matthews 6.02NR United StatesWillye White 5.88 Joan Wolski 5.49 Shot putEarlene Brown 14.26NR United StatesLois Testa 13.88Paula Deubel 12.75 Discus throwEarlene Brown 44.31 NR United StatesPamela Kurrell 43.78Marjorie Larney 43.40 Javelin throwKaren Anderson 46.75Marjorie Larney 43.78Amelia Wershoven 43.79
References
US Olympic Trials
Track, Outdoor
Category:United States Olympic trials (track and field)
Category:Qualification for the 1956 Summer Olympics
Category:Track and field in Los Angeles
Category:1956 in Los Angeles