The men's 1968 United States Olympic trials for track and field were a two-tiered event. Athletes first met for semi-final Olympic trials in Los Angeles, from June 29 to 30. The final trials were held following a training camp at a specially constructed track at Echo Summit, California, between September 6–16. This was called the most bizarre location for an Olympic trials ever, selected to mimic the nearly identical high altitude location for the Olympics in Mexico City in October.
An all-weather polyurethane Tartan track, similar to the Olympic venue, was constructed for the men's trials at Echo Summit, west of South Lake Tahoe. Just off U.S. Route 50, it was built in the summer of 1968 in the parking lot of Nebelhorn ski area, at an elevation of .
After training at Echo Summit, the race walk trials was held at a similar high altitude location of Alamosa, Colorado, 20 kilometers on September 7, and 50 km on September 10. The process was organized by the AAU, and the athletes invited to the finals were selected based on the qualification at the semi-Olympic trials.
The AccuTrak photographic fully automatic timing system was used at this meet, in anticipation of its implementation at the Olympics. Fully automatic timing became mandatory for world records in 1977. Administrators had not yet figured out what to do with the slower automatic times so the world records at this meet were set using hand times.
The women's Olympic trials were held separately under less elegant, low altitude conditions at Hilmer Lodge Stadium on the Mt. San Antonio College campus in Walnut, California. The pentathlon took place in Columbia, Missouri during the AAU Championships. Both meets took place on August 24 and 25. The tight schedule also made doubling in individual events more difficult. American resident, but Taiwanese citizen Chi Cheng was allowed to participate in the pentathlon, but her dominant performance did not displace the American athletes in the trials.
Men's results Key: . All events considered to be held at high altitude.
Men track events 100 meters Wind +0.0Jim Hines 10.0 (10.11)Charlie Greene 10.1 (10.15)Mel Pender 10.1 (10.20) 200 meters Wind +1.9John Carlos 19.7 (19.92) Note:: Carlos' record was disallowed because of the brush type spikes he was wearingTommie Smith 20.0 (20.18)Larry Questad 20.1 (20.28) 400 metersLee Evans 44.0 (44.06) Note:: Evans' record was disallowed because of the brush type spikes he was wearingLarry James 44.1 (44.19) Ron Freeman 44.6 (44.62) 800 metersTom Farrell 1:46.5Wade Bell 1:47.1Ron Kutschinski 1:47.8 1500 metersJim Ryun 3:49.0Marty Liquori 3:49.5Tom von Ruden 3:49.8 5000 metersBob Day 14:37.4Jack Bacheler 14:37.4Lou Scott 14:53.2 10,000 metersTracy Smith 30:00.4Van Nelson 30:04.0Tom Laris 30:09.8 110 m hurdles Wind -2.7Willie Davenport 13.5 (13.72)Leon Coleman 13.5 (13.77)Ervin Hall 13.6 (13.84) 400 m hurdlesGeoff Vanderstock 48.8 (48.93) Boyd Gittins 49.1 (49.27)Ron Whitney 49.2 (49.36) 3000 m s'chaseGeorge Young 8:58.0Bill Reilly 8:58.8Conrad Nightingale 9:04.4 20K racewalkLarry Young 1:35:56.4 Goetz Klopfer 1:37:53.4Tom Dooley 1:38:03 50K racewalkLarry Young 4:13:04.4 NRBill Weigle 4:20:09.4Steve Hayden 4:23:22.6MarathonGeorge Young 2:30:48Kenny Moore 2:31:47Ron Daws 2:33:09
Men field events High jumpEd Caruthers Reynaldo Brown Dick Fosbury Pole vaultBob Seagren John Pennel Casey Carrigan Long jumpBob Beamon w +3.2Ralph Boston w +5.0Charles Mays w +4.0 Triple jumpArt Walker +1.2 NRDave Smith Norm Tate Shot putGeorge Woods Dave Maggard Randy Matson Discus throwJay Silvester Gary Carlsen Al Oerter Hammer throwEd Burke Albert Hall Hal Connolly Javelin throwMark Murro Frank Covelli Gary Stenlund DecathlonBill Toomey 8222Rick Sloan 7800Tom Waddell 7706
Women's results
Women track events 100 meters Wind +1.9Wyomia Tyus 11.3 Margaret Bailes 11.3 Barbara Ferrell 11.4 200 meters Wind +0.1 Margaret Bailes 23.5Wyomia Tyus 23.7 Barbara Ferrell 23.7 400 metersJarvis Scott 53.5 Lois Drinkwater 54.0 Esther Stroy 54.3 800 metersMadeline Manning 2:03.0 Doris Brown 2:03.0 Jarvis Scott 2:04.5 80 m hurdles Wind +0.1Mamie Rallins 11.1 Patty van Wolvelaere 11.2Janene Jaton 11.2
Women field events High jumpSharon Callahan Eleanor Montgomery Estelle Baskerville Long jumpMartha Watson Willye White Barbara Emerson Shot putMaren Seidler Lynn Graham Sharon Shepherd Discus throwOlga Connolly Carol Moseke Nancy Norberg Javelin throwBarbara Friedrich Sherry Calvert RaNae Bair PentathlonChi Cheng Pat Winslow 48234481Barbara Emerson 4327Janis Glotzer 4319
References