2010 Millrose Games: Ray Flynn, Jim Ryun, Eamonn Coghlan and Marcus O’Sullivan in New York on 28 January 2010 (© Victah Sailer)
Four of the greatest ever indoor milers gathered on the eve on the 2010 Millrose Games at the world famous NYAC on Thursday 28 January.
Ray Flynn, the Irish outdoor record holder and current athlete manager; Eamonn Coghlan, the Irish Indoor record holder, the only human to run under 4 minutes after turning 40 years of age and called the "Chairman of Boards" for his 7 Wanamaker Mile victories in New York; Ireland’s three-time World Indoor 1500m champion Marcus O’Sullivan, the current coach of the Villanova Wildcats; and Jim Ryun, the most famous track and field school boy in US History who has graced the covers of Sports Illustrated more times than any track and field athlete were recognized on Thursday evening.
Cedric Jones, the Athletic Director of the NYAC welcomed everyone and wished all well prior to the running of the 2010 Millrose Games.
Bill Clark of the Meet Directors Association, presented the 2010 Hall of Fame award to Jones' predecessor, Ray Lump, who also received the Howard Schmertz Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the man it’s named after, former Millrose Meet Director, Howard Schmertz who devoted 29 years to the best indoor meet in the world.
Lump was the Athletic Director prior to Jones at the NYAC. Lump a 1948 Olympic gold medallist in Basketball, played professionally as a New York Knickerbocker. Lump became the 1962 Meet Director of the Millrose Games without any prior track and field knowledge and continued for 32 years. In 1983 Eamonn Coghlan ran the first sub 3:50 mile after the meet had to be delayed 2 weeks due to a major snowstorm in 1983.
Victah Sailer for the IAAF
