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A touch of class
Posted: Tuesday July 21, 1998 05:26 PM
TBS Commentator Carol Lewis offers her insight into the upcoming track & field events in the Goodwill Games.
NEW YORK (CNN/SI) -- Jackie Joyner-Kersee has brought a classiness and respectability to track and field. Some athletes today may stay around in the sport for the money, but for Jackie it has always been about the competition and trying to remain a role model for younger athletes. She won gracefully and she lost gracefully. But she has been plagued by several injuries and competed hurt throughout her entire career and it is catching up with her now. As time goes on you don't snap back from being injured as quickly as you did before. The injury she sustained at the 1996 Olympics may still be haunting her and if you don't see Jackie complete the heptathlon it has nothing to do with her saying "I can't win, so why finish," it is simply that she physically cannot do it. She is here competing because of the cause of the Goodwill Games, which is children, and she will give it her all no matter what. The world record holder in the 100 meters Donovan Bailey is not in top shape. He competed in several meets in Australia earlier this year and found it was not as easy as he thought it would be. Several young runners came to the track in excellent shape, with a brashness and sense of revenge. Bailey did not appreciate that. So look for him to try to make a statement in the race here at the Goodwill Games. Other runners to look at in this race include Ato Boldon of Trinidad, and Jon Drummond, who has been hampered by injuries but is coming on strong as of late. Maurice Greene has been running well since having to drop out of the U.S. Nationals due to heat. The most experienced in the field is Dennis Mitchell and he has always competed well under pressure. The two young racers, Tim Harden and Brian Lewis, have an opportunity to establish themselves with good performances here. After the 1996 double gold medal performance, Michael Johnson elevated himself into a separate tier of respectability. Runners came into races not expecting to win so they all were fighting for second place. This happened to young Tyree Washington at the 1997 World Championships. Tyree could have beaten Michael in that race but it came down to a respect thing. Moments after the race Tyree said "I could have beat this guy." He knew he was running for second place and didn't push himself to win and he regrets that. He will no let that happen again. Michael has been coming back from injury but it is too soon to write him off. He didn't have a good race at the Prefontaine Classic and that probably led to his decision to drop the 200-meters for the Goodwill Games He followed that up with a poor performance in Oslo three weeks ago, but he had a solid showing in Rome last week. Most athletes go through up seasons and down seasons and this is probably the case with Michael. Either way he is going against guys who know they can beat him now, and that has changed his attitude about how he run. For me it will be interesting to see when Jearl Miles-Clark goes to the 800 meters. The 800 is a great race that attracts many 400- and 1500-meter runners. The woman who is dominating the sport now and who won the Goodwill gold Sunday, Maria Mutola of Mozambique, and the 1996 Olympic champion Svetlana Masterkova of Russia both came out of the 1500. But when we look back most of the great 800-meter runners came from the 400, Ana Quirot of Cuba, for example. Jearl is still developing strategies and figuring out the event but when she does settle into her own race the speed she has developed in the 400 will help her win the 800 at major international meets.
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Carol Lewis competed in the long jump at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. 