A near-legendary bet-settling downhill 3:46 mile at 2:00 am on a Berkeley, CA, street.
Who else would run that but David Torrence?
The Olympian and middle distance star, known not only for his remarkable talent but for the effervescent spirit he brought to his craft, died in Scottsdale, AZ, Monday morning. Torrence was 31.
The fun and joy that characterized his approach to track and field brought him some serious results. He sported outdoor bests of 1:45.14, 3:33.23, 3:52.01 and 13:16.53.
In less than a month in 2014, Torrence set the indoor world on fire when he set an individual American record and a relay team world record.
His finest individual performance was his indoor 1000m of 2:16.76, = #10 on the all-time world list and still the American record, set on February 8, 2014, in Boston.
He was also a member of the indoor world-record setting 4x800m relay team dubbed the "US All-Stars" - all-stars indeed, as their 7:13.11 still stands as the world record. This was set 22 days after his 1000m record, also in Boston.
Torrence ran the second leg of the 4x800m relay. Richard Jones led off in 1:51.0, Torrence followed in 1:47.46, Duane Solomon was next in 1:47.98, and Erik Sowinski anchored the world record in 1:46.66.
Torrence ran for his mother's native Peru in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and finished 15th in the 5,000m final.
Just 8 days ago, he placed fourth in the Emsley Carr Mile at the Birmingham Diamond League Meet in 3:56.10.
Torrence was noted for his courageous stand against doping and for speaking truth to power when it came to speaking with authorities about his brief but deeply uncomfortable relationship with Coach Jama Aden's training group.
For more on his engaging, fun-loving side, be sure to read LetsRun.com's wonderful tribute: https://tinyurl.com/ydfqvmnd
We share in the profound sense of loss of David Torrence and send our deepest sympathy and condolences to his family and his many, many friends in the track and field world.
On the morning of his 1500m heat at the recent London World Championships - in which he missed advancing by .28 - Torrence posted on his Twitter page:
"Hard work doesn't guarantee success... but it sure as hell gets your foot in the door. It's race day, and it's time to fly."
Who else would run that but David Torrence?
The Olympian and middle distance star, known not only for his remarkable talent but for the effervescent spirit he brought to his craft, died in Scottsdale, AZ, Monday morning. Torrence was 31.
The fun and joy that characterized his approach to track and field brought him some serious results. He sported outdoor bests of 1:45.14, 3:33.23, 3:52.01 and 13:16.53.
In less than a month in 2014, Torrence set the indoor world on fire when he set an individual American record and a relay team world record.
His finest individual performance was his indoor 1000m of 2:16.76, = #10 on the all-time world list and still the American record, set on February 8, 2014, in Boston.
He was also a member of the indoor world-record setting 4x800m relay team dubbed the "US All-Stars" - all-stars indeed, as their 7:13.11 still stands as the world record. This was set 22 days after his 1000m record, also in Boston.
Torrence ran the second leg of the 4x800m relay. Richard Jones led off in 1:51.0, Torrence followed in 1:47.46, Duane Solomon was next in 1:47.98, and Erik Sowinski anchored the world record in 1:46.66.
Torrence ran for his mother's native Peru in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and finished 15th in the 5,000m final.
Just 8 days ago, he placed fourth in the Emsley Carr Mile at the Birmingham Diamond League Meet in 3:56.10.
Torrence was noted for his courageous stand against doping and for speaking truth to power when it came to speaking with authorities about his brief but deeply uncomfortable relationship with Coach Jama Aden's training group.
For more on his engaging, fun-loving side, be sure to read LetsRun.com's wonderful tribute: https://tinyurl.com/ydfqvmnd
We share in the profound sense of loss of David Torrence and send our deepest sympathy and condolences to his family and his many, many friends in the track and field world.
On the morning of his 1500m heat at the recent London World Championships - in which he missed advancing by .28 - Torrence posted on his Twitter page:
"Hard work doesn't guarantee success... but it sure as hell gets your foot in the door. It's race day, and it's time to fly."
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| David Torrence Photo: Hoka One One |
I am so sorry to hear about David Torrence.He was indeed a legendary racer.So much talented and extra ordinary player he was,he died at very young age!!
ReplyDeleteVery solid article. As a long time track geek, I look forward to reading your content!
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