Lattany, Glance to Test Lewis

There has been no indication that track athletes are suffering from the post-Olympics blahs. In fact, many of them, including Carl Lewis, say they intend to improve on their performances this year.

They will get an opportunity today in the 27th annual Puma-Mt. San Antonio Relays at Walnut, a meet that has consistently produced outstanding marks over the years.

The major portion of the meet will begin at 11 a.m. Walnut is 26 miles east of Los Angeles.

Lewis, who won four gold medals last summer in the Los Angeles Olympics, will run the 100 meters today, as well as a leg in the 1,600-meter relay for the Santa Monica Track Club.

Lewis was unbeaten in the 100 in 1984 and was top ranked in the event for a record fourth straight year. He is clearly the world’s best sprinter--and long jumper--although he could be challenged today by veteran sprinters Mel Lattany and Harvey Glance.

Lattany recorded a 9.96 clocking last year, the best time ever at sea level, compared to Lewis’ best of 9.97.

But Lattany and others have yet to prove that they can threaten Lewis.

USC’s Darwin Cook, the Pacific 10 100-meter champion, who is also in the field, summed it up when he said: “No one can consistently run with him meet after meet. Someone might do it once in a while if he takes a speed pill.”

The 100 meters is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. Then Lewis will come back later in the afternoon to team with Ferran Tyler, David Mack and Johnny Gray in what is expected to be a fast time in the 1,600-meter relay.

Lewis usually dominates any track gathering but world-class performances are likely in other events. A sampling:

--Pole vault. This event matches Olympic silver medalist Mike Tully and bronze medalist Earl Bell, the only Americans ever to clear 19 feet outdoors.

Billy Olson, the American indoor record-holder at 19-0, is also in the field, along with Steve Stubblefield, who vaulted 18-8 last week at the Kansas Relays; Olympian Doug Lytle and Dan Ripley, a former U.S. outdoor record-holder.

--High jump. Another loaded field. Jimmy Howard comes off an indoor season in which he twice set an American record of 7-8 1/2. He’ll be confronting Dennis Lewis of Long Beach City College, who equaled Dwight Stones’ U.S. outdoor record of 7-8 in a meet at USC last month.

Tyke Peacock, a strong competetior who was ranked No. 2 in the world in 1983, and Olympians Doug Nordquist and Milt Ottey also figure.

--200 meters. Lewis isn’t running, but a fast time is expected with Houston’s Kirk Baptiste the favorite. Baptiste was a strong second to Lewis in the Olympics with a time of 19.96.

Greg Foster, the Olympic silver medalist in the 110-meter high hurdles, will perform as a sprinter today. He’s a former NCAA champion in the 200.

--Javelin. Tom Petranoff, the American record-holder at 327-2, got off a throw of 287 feet last week at UCLA with a short approach. He may be ready for a 300-foot effort.

--Women’s 100-meter hurdles. Benita Fitzgerald-Brown, the Olympic gold medalist, will be challenged by two other Olympians, Kim Turner and Pam Page, along with Candy Young, the 1985 indoor champion in The Athletics Congress.

--800 meters. Kenya’s Sammy Koskei, who had the the second-fastest time in the world last year, 1:42.28, will hook up with fast closing James Robinson.

Other prominent athletes competing today include high jumpers Debbie Brill and Louise Ritter, triple jumper Willie Banks, shotputters Dave Laut, John Brenner and Augie Wolf, quarter-miler Innocent Egbunike, discus throwers Art Burns and Art Swarts, sprinter Merlene Ottey-Page, and Valerie Brisco-Hooks, a triple gold medalist in the Olympics, who will run in relays.