Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Davis’ track record now stands at 40 years old
When Melanie Gibson Davis crossed the finish line in 1978, she didn’t have to wait too long before she found out she had set a state record that day.
It is known today as the Class 5A state record in the girls 800 meters, and it’s the second-oldest record in Arkansas girls track and field, according to the Arkansas Activities Association’s lists of state records. Only the Class 5A girls long jump record of 19 feet, 8.75 inches — set by Wanda Harris of Arkadelphia in 1977 — is older than Davis’ mark.
“I remember shortly after the race that I had heard it announced over the loudspeaker that I had set a state record,” Davis said recently. “I was very excited about it, and I was going around wearing my gold medal. That race went so well.
“But I never expected it would last this long.”
A lot has changed since Davis claimed her record at Hot Springs High School’s Trojan Field, which was renamed Tommy J. Holt Memorial Field in 1986. For instance, Alma was actually a Class 3A school at the time, and the AAA has carried her record over since that time to Class 5A with the addition of more classifications.
Davis, meanwhile, actually ran 880 yards that day because high school
tracks in the state weren’t fully converted to meters until a few years later, and she finished her race in a hand-held time of 2 minutes, 18.3 seconds, which carries a FAT equivalent of 2:18.54. It was also the longest race girls ran during a meet at the time because the mile — or the current 1,600 meters — didn’t come until Davis’ senior year in 1980.
“I felt confident going into the race,” said Davis, who won her second of three state championships that day. “I ran really well and had great energy that day, which really helped. I was just in a meditative state through most of the race and paced myself until the final 220 yards, then finished it up with a sprint to the finish line.”
“It was a very special time. The girls who were my teammates were wonderful, and I loved our coach, Eileen Crabtree.”
The addition of the girls mile in 1980 actually hurt Davis, who spent so much energy on the race that it cost her a chance to win a fourth straight 880 championship. She went on to college at Hendrix, where she was recruited to run cross country and won the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference individual title as a freshman, but a knee injury during her junior year ended her running career.
She moved to Minnesota in 1989 and lives in St. Paul at the moment with her husband Tom and five children. She has spent the last nine years working with Lyngblomsten — a Christian nonprofit organization serving older adults and their families through health care, housing and community-based services — and spent the last five years as the group’s chief development officer as she oversees grants, major gifts, legacy and planned giving.
However, that is about to change. Davis is in the process of moving to Albuquerque, N. M., later this month after accepting the position of director of advancement at Menaul School.