Debbie Heald

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Debbie Heald is a former American track and field athlete, known for her success in middle-distance races.

Early life

Heald is the daughter of Richard and Ernestine Heald. She grew up in

La Mirada, California.[1]

Career

At the age of eleven, Heald was a member of the Hutchinson Track Club.[1] At a meet in Lancaster, she finished a mile race with a time of 5:33.9, which at the time was the fastest time recorded for a girl of her age.[2] By the time she was fourteen, Heald had won three state running championships and five district Amateur Athletic Union titles. She also held two national crowns .[3]

As a 16-year-old junior at Neff High School in La Mirada, California,[4][self-published source][5] Heald defeated the then-current 1500m world record holder Tamara Pangelova of the USSR on March 17, 1972, at the Richmond Coliseum.[6][7][8] Her win was a significant victory as it was during the height of the Cold War and prior to this the Soviets had predominantly dominated the sport.[9] In doing so, Heald also set a new women's world indoor mile record at 4 minutes 38.5 seconds.[1][4]

Heald's American high school girls' indoor mile record stood for over 40 years, until finally broken on January 26, 2013, by Mary Cain of Bronxville, NY.[10][11] Until that time, Heald's record was the longest-standing of any girls' high school record.[12][13]

Heald attended California State University, Fullerton, graduating with a degree in education.

tendonitis from overtraining, as well as a diagnosis of schizophrenia.[1]

In 2002, Heald carried the Olympic torch in Los Angeles on its nationwide tour in advance of the Winter Olympic Games at Salt Lake City.[9][14]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Debbie Heald Set an Important Record". Runner's World. 2012-12-03. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  2. ^ "Faces In The Crowd". Sports Illustrated. 17 July 1967
  3. ^ "Faces In The Crowd". Sports Illustrated, 14 December 1970.
  4. ^
    ISBN 978-1-4836-1882-1
    .
  5. ^ United States. Congress (1972). Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress. U.S. Government Printing Office.
  6. ^ Putnam, Pat. "THEY'RE SWEET 16 AND DESERVE A KISS". Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  7. ^ The Sports Illustrated Vault - SI.com
  8. ^ Belson, Ken (16 February 2013). "High School Junior Makes Mile the Race to Watch". The New York Times.
  9. ^ a b c Pucin, Diane (2002-01-14). "Rough Run". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  10. ^ "Rock 'n' Roll Running Series". www.runrocknroll.com. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  11. ^ Women's Indoor High School Records
  12. ^ [High School Junior Makes Mile the Race to Watch"]. New York Times. KEN BELSON February 15, 2013
  13. ^ "Mary Cain shatters high school mile record after taking SATs - USA TODAY High School Sports". Archived from the original on 2013-12-26. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  14. ISBN 978-0-397-01331-9
    .
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