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Tops of the trials
SACRAMENTO -- Despite the shocking disappointment of the Maurice Greene-Michael Johnson showdown in the men's 200 meters, there were several high points on and off the track during this week's U.S. Olympic trials. Here, in no particular order, is a very unofficial Top 10 (well, OK, Top 12) List of highlights: Marion Jones' third long jump: After two fouls, Jones needed a legal leap to assure that she would be among the top eight jumpers to continue in the competition. She soared 22 feet, 1 3/4 inches and stayed in contention. Granted, Jones' fifth-round leap of 23-0 1/2 was the actual winner and she also won the 100 and 200 meters convincingly, but nothing had the drama of that one jump that preserved her bid for five Olympic gold medals. Regina Jacobs I and II: First Jacobs, who will turn 37 before the Sydney Games, outran Suzy Favor Hamilton to the tape in a speedy 1,500 meters final that established both runners as threats to win Olympic medals. Then in the 5,000, an event Jacobs says she probably won't even run in Sydney, she set an American record, pulling away from Deena Drossin and running her final 800 meters in a sizzling 2 minutes, 12 seconds to win the race in 14:45.35, a full 26 seconds ahead of Drossin, who had been even with her at 4,000 meters. Women's high jump: This is why tribulations often go with trials. Tisha Waller, the country's best hope for a medal in the event, finished fourth after losing a jump-off to Amy Acuff. Marla Runyan: Runyan became the first legally blind runner to make an Olympic team when she finished third in the women's 1,500. Johnny Gray: Competing at his sixth Olympic trials, the 40-year-old finished dead last in his heat of the 800 meters and then took what he called a celebration lap in the opposite direction around the track. "If I'm lucky enough to run for this long, I deserve to thank the fans and celebrate with them," Gray said. Kip Janvrin: The 35-year-old coach at Central Missouri State was competing in his 70th decathlon -- that's 700 events -- and had never made a world or Olympic team, though he had finished fourth at the '96 trials. He stood eighth after the first day but chipped away at the leaders and could jump into the top three with a strong 1,500 meters, the final event. Janvrin also needed to run under 4:13 in order to reach the Olympic-qualifying standard of 8,050 points. With other runners exhorting him on, Janvrin won the event in 4:12.01 to make the team and reach the standard with 8,057 points. Jeff Hartwig: The top U.S. pole vaulter was actually at his best after his shocking failure to clear the opening height eliminated him from competition. Hartwig was the picture of class in patiently telling reporters an hour later: "I've had too many great days in this sport to complain about a bad day." Gabe Jennings: A day after winning the 1,500, the Stanford free spirit, who grew up in a home without electricity, was in the stands Monday night banging on drums and leading the cheers for the men and women struggling through heats of the 5,000. Stacy Dragila: As if Sunday wasn't loaded with enough super events, Dragila broke her own world record in the pole vault, surpassing 15-2 1/4 on her first try. Men's shot put: Perhaps caught up in the emotion of their competitors' performances, Adam Nelson, C.J. Hunter and Andy Bloom each threw PRs in the sixth round to make the most formidable shot put team in U.S. history. Could this be a preview of a Sydney sweep? Team Clark: The women's 800 final was a family affair. Hazel Clark (1:58.97), Jearl Miles-Clark (1:59.12), Joetta Clark Diggs (1:59.49) created the first family sweep of an event at a U.S. trials. Clark-Diggs, who will turn 38 on Aug. 1, and Hazel Clark, 22, are sisters. Their brother J.J. Clark, who married Jearl Miles in 1996, coaches them all. Joe Clark, the father of Joetta and Hazel, is the New Jersey school principal whose story was told in the movie Lean on Me. Living up to his name: Nathan Leeper finished third in the high jump with a leap, or should we say leep, of 7-5 1/4. Not out yetThe top three in each event make the team ... sort of. Athletes, up to a maximum of three per country, have to meet internationally recognized A standards by Sept. 11 in order to compete in the Games. Countries are allowed to send one athlete per event if that athlete has met a much less imposing B standard. If any of the first three qualifiers fail to meet the standard by the deadline, other competitors who previously have met the standards, in order of finish at the trials, will be placed on the team up to the maximum of three. Look for USA Track & Field to hold several meets between now and the cutoff date in order for more athletes to meet the A standards. Here's a look at what's still in the air: Men's 1,500 meters: Third-place finisher Michael Stember still needs to run under the A standard of 3:36.80 to make the team. Fifth-place finisher Steve Holman is the next-highest finisher who has attained the A standard. Men's 5,000 meters: Third-place finisher Nick Rogers still needs to run under the A standard of 13:29.00 to make the team. Fourth-place finisher Matt Lane is the next-highest finisher who has attained the A standard. Men's hammer throw: Third-place finisher Jud Logan still needs to throw farther than the A standard of 247-8 to make the team. Only the top two finishers, Lance Deal and Kevin McMahon, have met the standard. Men's javelin: Second-place finisher Tom Pukstys is the only one to have met the A standard of 269-0 and currently is the only U.S. athlete going in this event. Breaux Greer, the trials winner, and Todd Reich, the third-place finisher, would be on the team if they make the standard. Men's 20-kilometer walk: None of the top three finishers -- Tim Seaman, Kevin Eastler or Andrew Hermann -- have reached the standard of 1:23:00. If no one breaks it before the deadline, only Seaman will compete in Sydney. Hermann, who has already qualified in the 50K, has said he will not compete in the 20K under any circumstance. Women's javelin throw: No finishers have thrown beyond the A standard of 196-10. Lynda Blutreich currently is the only U.S. athlete going in this event. Kim Kreiner and Emily Carlsten were the next two finishers. Women's shot put: Third-place finisher Dawn Dumble still needs to throw farther than the A standard of 60-0 1/2 to make the team. Dumble also placed third at the trials in 1996 but failed to meet the A standard and did not compete in Atlanta. Fourth-place finisher Terri Tunks has surpassed the A standard and would compete in Sydney if Dumble doesn't make the grade. Women's triple jump: None of the three top finishers -- Nicole Gamble, Sheila Hudson or Tiombe Hurd -- have reached the standard of 46-5. If none beat it by the deadline, only Gamble will compete in Sydney. Champ on champEven if Marion Jones pulls off her magical quintuple, she'll need another four years to duplicate the double turned in by Wyomia Tyus (1964 and '68) and Gail Devers (1992 and '96), the only women to win the 100 meters in consecutive Olympics. These days Tyus teaches naturalist outdoor education for the Los Angeles Unified School District. For the last six years she's been taking fifth- and sixth-graders to two schools in the mountains. On hand at the trials, she offered her evaluation of Jones' historic bid for five Olympic golds. "Other runners may think it; she's come out and said it," Tyus said. "If she doesn't meet expectations in Sydney, she has everything to lose. But if she makes it, she has everything to gain. It's a choice to put yourself out there. I came from the old school. I did it and that's it. She hasn't achieved it yet." Does Tyus have any advice for Jones? "Don't change what she's doing," Tyus said. "A lot of athletes get to the Olympics and feel they have to do something extra, so they get out of what they do best. What she does, works. Just look at her." Sports Illustrated writer-reporter Brian Cazeneuve covers Olympic sports for the magazine.
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