Washington State University Athletics

Dixon John “Dixie” Garner was one of the nation’s top two-milers during his time at Washington State. He lettered in track and field at WSC, 1938-40. At a time when training encompassed just five months a year, Garner set the American and collegiate records in the two-mile. He ran a record setting two-mile time of 9-minutes, 7.9 seconds in 1939 at the San Francisco World’s Fair, defeating the reigning world record holder Miklos Szabo from Hungary. He was a member of the two-mile relay that set indoor collegiate and world records as a senior. As a senior, Garner, the team captain, was the Northern Division two-mile champion and NCAA runner-up. He was considered a sure bet to make the 1942 U.S. Olympic team, but the Games were cancelled by World War II.