University of Richmond Athletics
Track & Field To Host Fred Hardy Invitational At Sports Backers Stadium
03/26/2009 | Women's Track & Field
March 26, 2009
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The University of Richmond track & field team hosts the 5th Annual Fred Hardy Invitational this weekend at Sports Backers Stadium in downtown Richmond. The event begins Friday afternoon with field events at 1:30 p.m., followed by track action on at 3 p.m. Free live video streaming coverage is available all weekend long on SpiderTV.
This is the third-consecutive season the Spiders' will provide live streaming of the entire meet. Additionally, highlights of each event will be archived for later viewing on the site.
The nine other collegiate teams heading to Richmond this weekend include George Washington, Lynchburg, Pittsburgh, Shippensburg, VCU, Virginia Tech, Virginia Union, Wagner and William & Mary.
Full day one results will be available following the conclusion of Friday's action right here at www.RichmondSpiders.com. Complete results will also be available following the finish of Saturday's competitions on the Spiders' website.
Saturday's field events begin at 9 a.m., with track action slated for an 11 a.m. start. All events will be contested at Sports Backers Stadium.
More about Fred Hardy (1916-2005)
Legendary track & field coach and University of Richmond Hall of Fame member Fred Hardy, for whom this meet is named after, passed away in December of 2005 at the age of 89. Hardy coached track & field and cross country for 35 years (1950-1985) at the University of Richmond and established an elite program that succeeded on the collegiate and international level.
He was known by his student-athletes as a great teacher that elevated every athlete beyond their initial potential. During his years at Richmond, Hardy coached 45 All-Americans on the men's side and 20 All-Americans on the women's side. He also guided two Kenya Olympic team members (Edwin Koech, who took sixth in the 1984 Olympic Games in the 800 meters and Sos Bitok, who took sixth in the 10,000 at the 1984 Olympic Games), along with three NCAA national champions and one AIAW Champion.
Hardy guided Edwin Koech to the NCAA indoor 1,000-yard run and his two-mile relay team won the NCAA indoor event in 1983. He also guided a two-mile relay team to a world record (7:23.09) for an 11-lap track in the Milrose Games and Josephine White to the AIAW 1,000-meter National Title (2:43.33). White went on to establish the women's NCAA Indoor Record in the Mile (4:31.12).
Hired during the summer of 1950, Hardy retired from the University of Richmond on August 20, 1985. Before coming to Richmond, Hardy coached at John Marshall High School, where he had set the Virginia state high school record in the mile (4:33.3) in 1936. Hardy received both his bachelor's degree and master's degree from the University of North Carolina. He was one of the Tar Heels' top distance runners and served as team captain during the 1940 season.
