To qualify for the Iowa High school state Track and Field championships is a big deal. To win an event at the Track and Field state championships is a dream for most. To be on a state champion Track and Field team is something very few ever experience. For a single athlete to accomplish all the above is so close to impossible it is rarely, if ever talked about…….. Well, we are going to talk about it today.
On May 18,1963 John Reimer of George High School, in the northwest corner of the state, accomplished something that had not been done in any of the previous 57 state meets…….and to this day, has never been repeated.
He scored all 21 of the Mustangs points to win the Class B Title, in the single day State Meet, hosted by Des Moines East at Duke Williams Stadium.
In just over 4 hours, Reimer took third in the long jump, with a best of 20 feet 9, then won the 220-yard dash in a Class B record time of 22.4, set a new Class B record in the 120 yard high hurdles of 14.9 in the prelims then ran 15.2 to win the final, and took gold in the 180 yard low hurdles, running 20.1. State runner-up in Class B in 1963 was shared by Emmetsburg and Underwood each with 20 points.
After his outstanding high school career, Jon went on to compete for the University of Iowa and was inducted into their Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.
As a Hawkeye, Reimer earned Big 10 titles and All American status in the 440 yard hurdles and Mile Relay.
Jon, along with 2 other former Iowa preps was on the Iowa Mile Relay team that won the 1967 NCAA Outdoor title in 3:05.70. That same quartet also finished 3rd at the NCAA Indoor championships in ’67. He was also a 2-time NCAA meet finalist in the 440 yard hurdles, placing 7th in 1965 and 6th in 1967.
In Big Ten championship meets, Jon ran on 3 winning Mile Relays. The 1967 team ran 3:08.70, setting what was the Big Ten outdoor meet record. He also won gold in 1965 in the 330 yard hurdles setting a conference record of 36.1 and in 1967 in the 440 yard hurdles. At the 1967 Drake Relays, Iowa won the Mile Relay in meet record time of 3:07.40 with Reimer on the anchor.
After 55 years and converting marks from yards to meters, Jon Reimer still finds himself on the University of Iowa All Time lists in the 400 meter hurdles, at #10 in 50.74 and the Outdoor 4×4 also at #10 in 3:04.10.
Jon is now retired from Inland Steel Company and he and wife Nancy live in Crown Point, Indiana. They are the proud parents of Stephanie and Melissa and grandparents to Ashley.