Faster than a dog!... During
the intercity rivalry dual between UCLA/USC in Westwood (mid-1950s), Trojan
sprinter Bobby Staten (San Diego CC) got a surprise while taking the lead in
the 220. Out of nowhere a dog sprinted onto the track chasing Staten who took a
sharp right hand turn and left the track to escape the sprinting canine.
Reports from Dick Bank, noted track expert in attendance, are that Bobby would
have set a world record had he stayed on the track and in the race. -Conversation
with Dick Bank, 2009
Our Queen…Francie Larrieu Smith
A true American running legend-Francie
Larrieu Smith is the second female athlete to make
five USA Olympic teams. The 1992 USA Olympic Team selected her as their flag
bearer in Barcelona. She set 35 USA records from 1000m to two miles.
Runner’s World magazine selected her “Most Versatile Runner of the Quarter
Century.” Larrieu Smith attended De Anza CC full-time
before women’s CCC track and field was initiated in 1977.
Francie Larrieu Smith…5-time USA Olympian
Fremont HS (Sunnyvale, Calif.) / De Anza / UCLA / CS Long Beach
Age 13: In her first ever race Larrieu won a
girl’s 660 yard contest.
San Jose Cindergals: Larrieu, at age 17, won her first of 21 USA titles.
DeAnza: AA
degree: 1969-73; Larrieu competed unattached in one
men’s race.
Coach Jim Linthicum
Career Highlights:
1972 & 1973: USA 1500 and Cross Country
Champion
1972 Olympic Trials: 1500-1st 4:10.4
*USA Record
1972 Munich Olympics: 1500 Rd. One 3rd 4:11.18,
Semis-8th 4:15.26
1975: USA/USSR Indoor Dual Mile-1st 4:28.5
*World Record
1976 Montreal Olympics: 1500 Rd. One 6th 4:07.21,
Semis-9th 4:09.07
1980 Olympic Trials: 1500-4th 4:15.32
(advanced to team when teammate dropped out-President Carter called for boycott
of ’80 Games.)
1984 Olympic Trials: 3000-5th 8:50.85
1988 Seoul Olympics: 10,000 Rd. One 6th
31:52.02, Final-5th 31:35.52
1992 Olympic Trials: Marathon-3rd 2:30.39
1992 Barcelona Olympics: Marathon-12th 2:41.09
Career Best Times: 800m-2:00.22; 1500-4:05.09;
Mile-4:27.52; Two-mile 9:38.1; 3000-8:50.54; 5000-15:15.2; 10,000-31:28.92;
Marathon-2:27.15
Hall of Fame Honors: USATF; Road Running Club
of America; Texas Women’s Athletes HF
Coaching: Larrieu Smith
was named Head T&F/XC Coach at Southwestern University (Texas)-1999; 2009
USA Jr. Women’s XC Coach-World Chps. (Jordan)