Slaney Wins London Mile but Fails to Break Record

Mary Decker Slaney, world champion at 1,500 and 3,000 meters, failed Friday in her bid to break the women’s world mile record on a cold, damp night at Crystal Palace stadium.

The 26-year-old from Eugene, Ore., making her second appearance here in two weeks, finished more than 100 meters ahead of her nearest rival to win an IAAF Mobil Grand Prix race in 4:19.59.

But because no one was able to mount a serious challenge after Australian Kaylene Coster, the pacemaker, had dropped out, Slaney did not threaten the record of 4:15.80, held by the Soviet Union’s Natalya Artemova.

Slaney blamed her failure to break the record on the inclement British weather--a strong wind buffeted her down the backstretch--and the lack of opposition.

“The weather was kind of awful. I did not think it could be any worse than two weeks ago, but it was,” she said.

“I feel I am strong enough to go for the record, but it was not nice tonight. I lost any chance of the record on the third lap. I had made so much of an effort because of the wind that I relaxed on the third lap, and that’s when I blew it.

“I was a little bit surprised how quickly the field dropped off, but I think the weather had a lot to do with that.”

British runners finished second and third. Christina Boxer clocked 4:34.36 and third was Ruth Smeeth, whose 4:35.50 just edged the 4:35.71 by Switzerland’s South African-born Cornelia Buerki.

On July 20, Slaney ran the world’s fastest 3,000-meter time this year at the same stadium when she defeated Britain’s Zola Budd in another Grand Prix race billed as an Olympic rematch.’

The two athletes were running together for the first time since colliding in the 3,000 meter final in Los Angeles.

Slaney, whose time Friday set a British all-comers record, is still unbeaten this year.