Echo Summit (© Steve Murdock)
Echo Summit (1968) in California, USA, has been awarded the World Athletics Heritage Plaque in two categories – Competition and Landmark – celebrating a unique competition and one of the most extraordinary temporary venues in track and field history.
In 1968, Echo Summit, located in the Eldorado National Forest above Lake Tahoe, served as the high-altitude training centre and site of the US Olympic Men’s Track & Field Trials. The team that was selected there to represent USA went on to win 12 gold medals and set six world records at the Mexico City Olympic Games, one of the most dominant performances in Olympic history.
This announcement of the World Athletics Heritage Plaque comes ahead of a dedication ceremony which will be held on Wednesday (2) at the Adventure Mountain Lodge, South Lake Tahoe. The event will be attended by a number of 1968 Olympians including John Carlos, Bill Toomey, Norm Tate and Ron Whitney. The plaque will be permanently displayed at Echo Summit.
John Carlos wins the 200m at Echo Summit (© Rich Clarkson)
The World Athletics Heritage Plaque is a location-based recognition, awarded for "an outstanding contribution to the worldwide history and development of the sport of track & field athletics and of out of stadia athletics disciplines such as cross country, mountain, road, trail and ultra-running, and race walking."
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: “There has never been an athletics meeting before or since like the 1968 US Trials at Echo Summit. As historic events go, the story of Echo Summit is extraordinary and compelling. A unique competition in a landmark setting like nowhere else.
“Hines, Smith, Carlos, Evans, Davenport, Fosbury, Seagren, Beamon, Matson, Oerter and Toomey are but a few of the legendary US team which emerged from the depths of the Eldorado National Forest in the September of 1968 to shine in the Mexico City Olympics.
“World Athletics wishes to thank Bob Burns for his drive and commitment in illuminating a remarkable moment in time in our sport’s history, which we are delighted to recognise with the award of the World Athletics Heritage Plaque.”
Tommie Smith on the Echo Summit track (© Rich Clarkson)
Burns, the author of The Track in the Forest*, the 248-page history of Echo Summit published in 2018, and the inspirational organiser of the dedication ceremony, commented: “To receive this prestigious heritage award from World Athletics, the governing body for the sport of track and field athletics, is an important moment in the global recognition of a unique sporting event in a unique setting.
“To acclimate US athletes for the 7300-foot elevation of Mexico City, the US Olympic Committee held a two-month training camp and final Olympic selection meet for the ages at Echo Summit. On a track in which hundreds of trees were left standing on the infield to minimise the environmental impact, four world records fell.
“I wish to thank the United States Forest Service for their support and cooperation in making the siting of the World Athletics Heritage Plaque at Echo Summit possible.”
Four world records were broken at the Echo Summit Trials, in the men’s 200m, 400m, 400m hurdles and pole vault, and of those, the following three performances were ratified as official world records - Larry James (400m, 44.1), Geoff Vanderstock (400m hurdles, 48.8) and Bob Seagren (pole vault, 5.41m).**
Chris Turner for World Athletics Heritage
**John Carlos’ 19.7 in the 200m and Lee Evans’ 44.0 in the 400m, which beat Larry James’ 44.1 into second place, were not ratified as world records as the two athletes were wearing illegal ‘brush spikes’
