OLYMPIC TRIALS NOTEBOOK
SACRAMENTO – The Olympic decathlon champion is known as the world’s greatest athlete. Bryan Clay, who is aiming for Olympic gold, proved he’s pretty darn tough, too.
Clay tweaked his left hamstring in Friday’s first decathlon event, the 100-meter run, here at the U.S. Olympic Trials. He said he wouldn’t withdraw unless someone cut off his leg. It turned out to be a great decision.
“I was almost crushed,” he said. “The dec is not like anything else. You can only [compete in] two or three a year. You spend the rest of the time training.”
Clay set a personal best with 8,660 points to beat current world champ Tom Pappas (8,517). Paul Terek (8,312) placed third.
Clay began yesterday three points behind Pappas. Both clocked a 14.23 in the 110-meter hurdles. But Clay’s discus throw of 170-feet, 11-inches, soundly beat Pappas’ throw of 153-6.
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The feel-good story of these trials has to be Melvin Lister, who competes unattached. He was the surprise winner of the triple jump competition.
“I just wanted respect,” said Lister. “I’m not being sponsored. I have a full-time job installing car stereos in Circuit City and I train full time.”
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Marla Runyan continues to provide almost a daily reminder that a handicap doesn’t have to slow an athlete down.
Runyan, who is legally blind, qualified for the U.S. Olympic team when she placed second in a thrilling 5,000-meter run Monday night, beaten at the tape by Shayne Culpepper. On Friday night, Runyan won her semifinal heat in the 1,500-meters. Her time of 4:09.63 was the best out of 25 runners.
“I don’t see the clock at all,” Runyan said after her heat. “I do see the lap counter which is not always the case so that’s nice.”
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Bernard Williams advanced to today’s finals of the men’s 200-meter dash with a time of 20.15. Shawn Crawford, who already has qualified in the 100-meters, posted the fastest qualifying time of 20-seconds flat.
Asked if the brutal sun here is a cause for concern, Williams said, “I don’t care if it’s a snowstorm. I have to get on this team.”
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America’s premier women’s distance runner, Deena Kastor, won the 10,000-meters in a U.S. Olympic Trials record of 31:09.65, but will not run the event at the Olympics. She already has won the marathon trials and will compete in that. When asked why she bothered to run the 10,000, Kastor said, “It was better than staying home and training.”