- Russ Hodge
Russell Arden "Russ" Hodge (born
September 9 ,1939 ) is an Americantrack and field athlete, world record holder indecathlon from 1966, Olympic competitor from 1964, and silver medalist from thePan American Games (1971).Track and field career
Hodge competed at the
1963 Pan American Games inSão Paulo , where he finished 4th indecathlon . He competed in decathlon at the1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where he placed ninth.cite news|last = McMillan|first = Ken |title = He never wasted his ability|publisher = Times Herald-Record|date =2006-08-13 |url = http://www.rhbvitamins.com/rhb/Likemotherlikeson.php|accessdate = 2008-08-30] cite news|last = Conway|first = John|title = Catskills Olympian earned place in history|publisher = Times Herald-Record|date =2003-03-28 |url = http://www.rhbvitamins.com/rhb/Likemotherlikeson.php|accessdate = 2008-08-30] cite web|last = Gjerde|first = Arild|coauthors = Jeroen Heijmans, Bill Mallon, and Hilary Evans|title = Russ Hodge Biography and Statistics|work = Olympics|publisher = Sports Reference.com|date = 2008|url = http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ho/russ-hodge-1.html|accessdate = 2008-08-30] In July, 1966 he set a world record in "one hour decathlon" at a competition inLos Angeles , with 8,230 points, a record which lasted until May, 1967. Hodge received a silver medal in decathlon at the1971 Pan American Games inCali, Colombia with a score of 7314, behind winnerRick Wanamaker . [http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/pag.htm Pan-American Games] , "Athletics Weekly " 2007. Accessed2008-08-30 .]He finished fourth in the AAU National Championship in decathlon in 1963 and in 1964, and second in 1965 and 1966. [http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/tfn/archive/results.jsp?sex=M&disciplineId=25&id=1 History of US Nationals Results: Decathlon] , "
Track and Field News " Archive, 2005. Accessed2008-08-30 .] In 1970 he finished second again, as he did in 1971, after a close race with Rick Wanamaker. [http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1084986/1/index.htm Ho, Ho, Ho Went The Jolly White Giant] , "Sports Illustrated ",1971-06-21 . Accessed2008-08-30 .]Hodge did not compete at the Olympics after 1964. He became injuried before the U.S. trials both in 1968 and 1972, and again in 1976.cite book | last= Zarnowski |first= Frank | title= Olympic Glory Denied: And a Final Opportunity for Glory Restored|publisher= Griffin Publishing Inc. | location= |language= |year=1996-08 | isbn= 1-882180-70-4 | pages=]
Family
Hodge is son of Alice Arden, who competed in
high jump at the1936 Summer Olympics inBerlin , where she finished equal ninth in the women's high jump event.cite web|last = Gjerde|first = Arild|coauthors = Jeroen Heijmans, Bill Mallon, and Hilary Evans|title = Alice Arden Biography and Statistics|work = Olympics|publisher = Sports Reference.com|date = 2008|url = http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ar/alice-arden-1.html|accessdate = 2008-08-30] cite news|last = Mcmillan|first = Ken|title = McMillan: Olympians - a title reserved for few|work = Sports|publisher = Times Herald-Record|date =2008-08-24 |url = http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080824/SPORTS/808240326|accessdate = 2008-08-30]His father Russel "Rusty" Hodge was a semi-professional
basketball player, playing center for the Liberty Emeralds.Awards
In August 2003, both Hodge and his mother were honoured with the Sullivan County Historical Society "History Maker" award.cite news|last = Hust|first = Dan|title = Historical Society Honors Residents|publisher = Sullivan County Democrat|date =
2003-08-15 |url = http://www.sc-democrat.com/archives/2003/news/08August/15/history.html|accessdate = 2008-08-30] They are the only mother-son Olympians in the United States' olympic history.References
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