Fresno State Athletics
A Lingering Passion for Competition
3/8/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
March 8, 2000
A Lingering Passion For Competition
by Lisa Deaver
Since graduating from
Fresno State in 1963, 100-meter hurdles world record holder, Hugh Adams has continued to participate in track and field both as an athlete and as a coach.
This year, however, Adams will devote all of his time to coaching. Last year Adams was injured when he and another runner collided while running hurdles during a warm-up.
Born March 1, 1940 in Selma, Calif., Adams has been competing in the Valley for almost half a century. He was an impressive hurdler throughout high school, junior college, and college careers. While at Selma High School he participated in football, basketball and track and field. He went on to Reedley College in 1959 where he continued to compete in cross country and track and field until graduating in 1960. In 1996 the school honored Adams by being inducted into Reedley College's Fifth Annual Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame.
In 1960 Adams moved on to Fresno State where he competed until 1963. In his senior year he was elected co-captain of the 1963 California Coast Athletic Association (CCAA) champion Bulldog track and field team which was coached by Dutch Warmerdam.
After college Adams continued to compete in track and field. Until 1999 he competed in national masters races in several events. In the 100-meter hurdles Adams broke his own world record in 1991 with a time of 14.12 seconds at a Fresno State meet. In 1995 he was the 100-meter hurdles champion for his age group, 55-59. In the 300-meter hurdles he set the 50-54 age group record with a time of 41.0 seconds. In 400-meter hurdle competition he was the 1982 TAC Champion and set a world record in 1985. In the long jump he was the 1990 World Champion for his age group, 50-54. These achievements earned Adams some overall awards, in 1990 Adams was the TAC Pentathlon champion. In 1995 he was honored with the Track Athlete of the Year and took home the high hurdles and long jump crowns in the 55-59 age group at the USA Masters.
Aside from all of these accomplishments one competition stands out above all of the rest for Adams. At the World Championships in 1995 Adams beat a German hurdler who had never been defeated. With this win, Adams set his world record time of 14.78 in the 100-meter high hurdles which continues to stand.
After earning his masters in education administration from Fresno State in 1967 Adams went into his second passion, coaching. From 1963-1965 he was the head coach at Parlier High School for both track and field and cross country. In 1965 he moved to Reedley High School where he coached the freshmen football team and the tennis team until 1970. From 1974 to 1977 Adams was the head coach at Reedley College for track and field and cross country. In 1980 he came back to Fresno State to coach where he has since stayed.
Adams' most memorable coaching experience was in 1994 when he coached Bulldog Robert Foster to a NCAA championship in both the 55-meter hurdles (indoor) and 110-meter hurdles (outdoors). In the same year Adams saw his own success in competition with an indoor championship by earning the Master's Indoor 55-meter hurdle title. "This was the only time I will be a national champion in competition with one of my athletes... it was an overwhelming achievement for both of us," said Adams.
This upcoming season will be Adams' twentieth with the Bulldogs but his first without his own competition. Although this adjustment has been tough he is glad to be able to continually give back to Fresno State. "It hurts to not be competing, but continuing to coach at Fresno State enables me to stay involved in track and field," said Adams.
Adams attributes much of his success to his family. He and his wife Pat are celebrating 36 years of marriage this year. They met in 1963 while both were working in the Kingsburg cannery, they married the following year. They have two children, Dawn and Eve and are now grandparents to Kole and Jade.
Adams' continuing commitment to the valley and to Fresno State was a decision he made soon after graduating from Reedley College. At this time he was offered a scholarship from a school back east but knew he would eventually return to the Central Valley after graduation. "My father told me if I wanted to work here after graduating I should stay here to make a name for myself. This was some of the best advice I have ever received. Staying in the Valley has given me unimaginable opportunities and has allowed me to continue to be involved in track and field well beyond my expectations," said Adams.
