Big Event

[DoubleRBar]

I know this is a little late in the day on this first day of 2019, but the January "Big Event" happened 110 years ago in North America. I doubt you will know the name of the athlete who set this record, but maybe you could figure out the event. To help you, rearrange these six numbers to get the record performance from 110 years ago today (Tuesday): 224455. I can tell you that the event is not the hurdles. One more hint: This event was a major story in 2018. Good luck to you.

[Olli]

Six numbers? That does not seem to suggest any of the regular present-day events, unless it is marathon, something like 2 hours, 54 minutes, 42.5 seconds.

[Tuariki]

I guess that would be the time either Dorando Petrie of Johnny Hayes ran in 1908. As Dorando was DQ'd presume it must be Hayes

[Tuariki]

I guess that would be the time either Dorando Petrie of Johnny Hayes ran in 1908. As Dorando was DQ'd presume it must be Hayes

Damn, that's wrong. The games were held in London.

[Tuariki]

I got the year wrong as well. Must be whoever broke Johnny Hayes record on 1 January 1909.

[DoubleRBar]

You are right Tuariki. It is the marathon. Your estimated time is off by about two minutes. Does anyone know who set this record on the first day of 1909?

[GHM]

It was an amazing year, 1919, in marathon. Best time were set five times in 8 months. Almost 15 minutes improvement from 2:55. I believe they were all 42+ km.

Question:
Why there were two Polytechnic Marathons in May 1913? World Best times were set twice.

[DoubleRBar]

I think the drama from the 1908 London Olympic marathon (and a U.S. winner) helped create an interest in the marathon in the United States. Who won that 1909 marathon in New York and what was his time? I can tell you that the athlete in question shares the same initials as a woman who won two Olympic gold medals in consecutive Olympic Games in a weight event in the 1970's. This marathoner's first name is the same as that of JFK's brother (Attorney General) and the last name is something about birds (like hens, turkeys, & roosters).

[bambam1729]

I just looked this up and its pretty hard. Not sure anyone will get it without a lot of clues. If you don't mind, DRB, I'll add one. Think of an ESPN prominent college football announcer.

[DoubleRBar]

Good clue.

[thedoorknobbroke]

Not only is first name same as JFK's brother but last name begins with same letter as Kennedy's middle names

[DoubleRBar]

That's true and this athlete's first letter of his first name is the same letter as the last letter in his last name.

[Tuariki]

I just looked this up and its pretty hard. Not sure anyone will get it without a lot of clues. If you don't mind, DRB, I'll add one. Think of an ESPN prominent college football announcer.

If Bambam can't get it............

[Tuariki]

I think the drama from the 1908 London Olympic marathon (and a U.S. winner) helped create an interest in the marathon in the United States. Who won that 1909 marathon in New York and what was his time? I can tell you that the athlete in question shares the same initials as a woman who won two Olympic gold medals in consecutive Olympic Games in a weight event in the 1970's. This marathoner's first name is the same as that of JFK's brother (Attorney General) and the last name is something about birds (like hens, turkeys, & roosters).

Let me see.....
Robert Perdue ??
Robert Sanders ??
Robert Egg ??

[bambam1729]

I'll add another obscure clue, that may be harder than the original question. Think of a former nation that later became a Canadian province.