Slaney’s Injury Now Feared Serious : Cramp ‘Probably Caused Some Torn Tissue,’ Coach Says

The injury to star-crossed Mary Decker Slaney in the U.S. Olympic Invitational track and field meet might be more serious than first believed, her coach, Dick Brown, said Sunday.

The injury-plagued Slaney was forced to withdraw from the women’s 1,500-meter race Saturday night with just over two laps remaining with what at first appeared to be a severe cramp in her right calf.

But Brown said: “I think the cramp probably caused some torn tissue. We will probably know in two or three days.”

The extent of the damage will be determined after Slaney returns to her home in Eugene, Ore. and is examined by Dr. Stan James.

Meanwhile, Brown said that Slaney, who was on a pace that would have made her the first woman to break four minutes indoors, would continue to ice-down the injured area, “to stop the blood from flowing and leaking.”

“I can’t put any pressure on it (the foot),” said the disappointed Slaney, owner of the world indoor best of 4:00.8. “I don’t know exactly what’s wrong with it.

“Last night, they iced it, they elevated it, they treated it with antiflammatory drugs. It (the pain) is right in the belly of the muscle.

“I’ve never had a tear or a pull like this,” said Slaney, who has been stricken with numerous injuries during her illustrious career.

The most celebrated injuries occurred during last year’s Olympic Games, when her legs became entangled with Zola Budd’s during the running of the women’s 3,000, and she went sprawling onto the infield at the Coliseum.

“Her femur jumped up into her joint socket at the hip and caused some damage, and she suffered tears in tissue around the groin area,” Brown said.

Those injuries prevented her from training for eight weeks. During that time, she tried a couple of times to resume workouts, but the pain was too severe and she had to quit.

She had to quit again Saturday night, after she had opened a sizeable lead over runner-up Diana Richburg and appeared to be running smoothly and in control.

After Slaney had some fast workouts in recent days in San Diego, Brown had projected her time for the 1,500 as 3:59.3.

“She was even about a second ahead of that pace,” he said.

“She was just zipping by, and looking forward to having a big kick. She’s so frustrated, because she was so fit.”

“I was hitting all the turns just right and running well,” Slaney said. “If things had gone right, I probably would have finished in the high 3:57s or in the low 3:58s.

“I don’t know why it happened. I’m as confused as ever. I don’t even know exactly what has to get better right now, because I’m not sure what the problem is.”

Shortly after the injury, Brown had said that if the cramp was not too serious, Slaney might run in Friday night’s Michelob Invitational at San Diego--a meet she originally had planned to skip on this season’s indoor circuit.

But Sunday, neither Brown nor Slaney was optimistic about her chance of running in San Diego.

“I’m not sure I’m going to make it,” she said. “I’m not sure when I’m going to run again.”

Her next scheduled competition had been a marathon relay in Yokohama, Japan, Feb. 24, a 26-mile, 385-yard race in which she was to run 5,000 meters (3.1 miles).

“I don’t even know if I’ll make that,” she said. “It depends on my leg.”

After Slaney withdrew from the 1,500, Richburg went on to win in 4:08.57, nearly a second ahead of runner-up Brit McRoberts of Canada.