USA–USSR Track and Field Dual Meet Series

USA-USSR Dual Track Meet Series was a track and field meeting between United States and Soviet Union. It was held 19 times during the Cold War era from 1958 to 1985. The meeting was arranged alternatively in both countries, exception being the last event in 1985 which was held in Tokyo, Japan. Seven indoor meetings were also competed in the 1970s. Although the meetings were foremost athletic competitions, they served as propaganda and foreign diplomacy tools as well.[1]

Action from the 1975 USA–USSR meet

The most classic meeting is considered the 1962 competition in Stanford, California, with an attendance of more than 150,000 on a two-day event, the largest ever on a non-Olympic track and field competition. Even the Soviet workouts attracted crowds of 5,000.[2] Two world records were set in Stanford, Valeriy Brumel on high jump and Hal Connolly on hammer throw. Though the Stanford meeting was held just two months before the Cuban Missile Crisis, the athletes exhibited mutual friendship, with both Soviet and American athletes congratulating Brumel on his feat and both nations' athletes completing a lap of honour at the end of competition.[3]

Editions
Year Date Location Venue Winner Total Men Women
1958 27–28 JulyMoscowLenin StadiumSoviet Union Soviet Union172 – 170United States 126 – 109Soviet Union 63 – 44
1959 18–19 JulyPhiladelphiaFranklin FieldSoviet Union Soviet Union175 – 167United States 127 – 108Soviet Union 67 – 40
1961 15–16 JulyMoscowLenin StadiumSoviet Union Soviet Union179 – 160United States 124 – 111Soviet Union 68 – 36
1962 21–22 JulyStanfordStanford StadiumSoviet Union Soviet Union173 – 169United States 128 – 107Soviet Union 66 – 41
1963 20–21 JulyMoscowLenin StadiumSoviet Union Soviet Union189 – 147United States 119 – 114Soviet Union 75 – 28
1964 25–26 JulyLos AngelesLos Angeles ColiseumUnited States United States187 – 156United States 139 – 97Soviet Union 59 – 48
1965 31 July–1 AugustKievCentral StadiumSoviet Union Soviet Union181.5 – 155.5Soviet Union 118 – 112Soviet Union 63.5 – 43.5
1969 18–19 JulyLos AngelesLos Angeles ColiseumUnited States United States195 – 178United States 125 – 111United States 70 – 67
1970 23–24 JulyLeningradLenin StadiumSoviet Union Soviet Union200 – 173Soviet Union 122 – 114Soviet Union 78 – 59
1971 2–3 JulyBerkeleyEdwards StadiumSoviet Union Soviet Union
United States United States		186 – 186United States 126 – 110Soviet Union 76 – 60
1973 23–24 JulyMinskRepublic StadiumSoviet Union Soviet Union216 – 163Soviet Union 121 – 112Soviet Union 95 – 51
1974 5–6 JulyDurhamWallace Wade StadiumSoviet Union Soviet Union192 – 184United States 117 – 102Soviet Union 90 – 67
1975 4–5 JulyKievCentral StadiumSoviet Union Soviet Union225 – 138Soviet Union 129 – 89Soviet Union 96 – 49
1976 6–7 AugustCollege ParkByrd StadiumSoviet Union Soviet Union211 – 157United States 115 – 107Soviet Union 104 – 42
1977 1–2 JulySochiCentral StadiumSoviet Union Soviet Union207 – 171Soviet Union 118 – 105Soviet Union 89 – 66
1978 7–8 JulyBerkeleyEdwards StadiumUnited States United States190 – 177United States 119 – 102Soviet Union 75 – 71
1981 11–12 JulyLeningradLenin StadiumSoviet Union Soviet Union204 – 178United States 118 – 105Soviet Union 99 – 60
1982 2–3 JulyIndianapolisIndiana UniversitySoviet Union Soviet Union207 – 167Soviet Union 118 – 100Soviet Union 89 – 67
1985 21–22 SeptemberTokyoNational Olympic StadiumSoviet Union Soviet Union221 – 164United States 114 – 104Soviet Union 117 – 50

Indoor meetings
Year Date Location Venue Winner Total Men Women
197217 MarchRichmondRichmond ColiseumUnited States United States131 – 112United States 79 – 69United States 54 – 43
197316 MarchRichmondRichmond ColiseumSoviet Union Soviet Union146 – 141Soviet Union 84 – 76United States 65 – 62
19742 MarchMoscowBrothers Znamensky Olympic CentreSoviet Union Soviet Union163 – 126Soviet Union 89 – 72Soviet Union 74 – 65
19753 MarchRichmondRichmond ColiseumUnited States United States171 – 106Soviet Union 98 – 62United States 73 – 44
19766 MarchLeningradZimniy StadionSoviet Union Soviet Union171 – 117Soviet Union 96 – 64Soviet Union 75 – 53
19773–4 MarchTorontoMaple Leaf GardensUnited States United States159 – 120United States 90 – 69United States 69 – 51
19793 MarchFort WorthTarrant County Convention CenterUnited States United States121 – 118United States 75 – 66Soviet Union 52 – 46

World records
Year Athlete Nation Sex Event Record
1958Oleg Ryakhovskiy Soviet UnionMenTriple jump16.59 m
1958Rafer Johnson United StatesMenDecathlon8302 pts
1961Valeriy Brumel Soviet UnionMenHigh jump2.24 m
1961Ralph Boston United StatesMenLong jump8.28 m
1961Willye White
Ernestine Pollards
Vivian Brown
Wilma Rudolph		 United StatesWomen4 × 100 m relay44.3
1961Tatyana Shchelkanova Soviet UnionWomenLong jump6.48 m
1961Tamara Press Soviet UnionWomenDiscus throw57.43 m
1962Valeriy Brumel Soviet UnionMenHigh jump2.26 m
1962Hal Connolly United StatesMenHammer throw70.67 m
1963Valeriy Brumel Soviet UnionMenHigh jump2.28 m
1964Fred Hansen United StatesMenPole vault5.28 m
1964Dallas Long United StatesMenShot put20.67 m
1965Wyomia Tyus United StatesWomen100 m11.1
1974Lyudmila Bragina Soviet UnionWomen3000 m8:52.74
1976Lyudmila Bragina Soviet UnionWomen3000 m8:27.12

Multiple winners
Athlete Nation Wins Years Event Sex
Volodymyr Holubnychy Soviet Union61959, 1962, 1964, 1969–1970, 197620 km race walkMen
Viktor Saneyev Soviet Union61969, 1971, 1973-1976Triple jumpMen
Taisia Chenchik Soviet Union61958–1959, 1962–1963, 1965High jumpWomen
Tamara Press Soviet Union61959, 1961-1965Shot put and discus throwWomen
Nadezhda Chizhova Soviet Union61969–1971, 1973–1974, 1976Shot putWomen
Faina Melnik Soviet Union61971, 1973–1974, 1976-1978Discus throwWomen
Lyudmila Bragina Soviet Union51969–1970, 1973, 1974, 19761500 m and 3000 mWomen
Valeriy Brumel Soviet Union51961-1965High jumpMen
Jānis Lūsis Soviet Union51962–1965, 1969Javelin throwMen
Ralph Boston United States41961–1963, 1965Long jumpMen
Tatyana Shchelkanova Soviet Union41961–1963, 1965Long jumpWomen
Irina Press Soviet Union41961–1963, 196580 m hurdlesWomen
Elvīra Ozoliņa Soviet Union41961–1963, 1973Javelin throwWomen

References
  1. Turrini, p. 1–2
  2. "Track and field's greatest dual meet is turning 50". Palo Alto Online. 19 July 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  3. "USA vs. USSR, 1962: The Greatest Track Meet of All Time". Bleacher's Report. 9 February 2010. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
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