Grand Prix Track and Field Finals : Slaney Beats Puica and Budd in a Fast 3,000 at Rome

Mary Decker Slaney ran the second fastest women’s 3,000 meters in history for her sixth American record of the year, leading the United States to a clean sweep of honors Saturday in the IAAF Mobil Grand Prix.

The 27-year-old runner led from start to finish and won in 8 minutes 25.83 seconds, clearly beating rivals Maricica Puica of Romania and Zola Budd of Britain.

“I think I could have broken the world record,” Slaney said after the race. “But I just wanted to run a good time. I was surprised, though, that I did not get a greater push on the last lap.”

The American’s time trailed only the world record of 8:22.62 set by Tatyana Kazankina of the Soviet Union.

Puica and Budd, however, also established national records. The Romanian was timed in 8:27.83, and Budd ran 8:28.83.

Slaney topped the women’s final Grand Prix standings with 69 points. American Doug Padilla won the men’s 5,000 meters in 13:27.79, and he finished first in the men’s standings with 63 points.

The inaugural Grand Prix spanned 16 events this season, with $25,000 going to the winners of the overall divisions.

Slaney said she likes the concept of the Grand Prix circuit but thinks it needs some changes.

“This isn’t to put anybody down, but I think the schedule (with most of the meets in Europe) is biased toward the Europeans,” she said.

Judi Brown King set an American record of 54.38 seconds in winning the women’s 400-meter hurdles. It was the ninth fastest time ever for the event. King broke the record of 54.66 she shared with Latanya Sheffield, both this year.

Calvin Smith edged fellow American Kirk Baptiste in the men’s 200 meters by .03 of a second in 20.54.

Sergei Bubka of the Soviet Union cleared 19-2 and won the pole vault.

Said Aouita of Morocco, who led the men’s Grand Prix standings going into the final, was unable to run in the 1,500 as he had planned. He pulled a hamstring Wednesday in a track meet at nearby Rieti, and his doctor advised him not to compete. Jose Abascal of Spain won the race in 3:36.21.

Czechoslovakia’s Jarmila Kratochvilova won the women’s 800 meters in a slow 1:59.09.

Florence Griffith edged Alice Brown in the women’s 100 meters, a battle of American Olympic silver medalists.

Griffith, who was second in Los Angeles in the 200 meters, had an excellent time of 11.00.

Brown led early in the race but faded near the finish. She came in second, as she did in the Olympic 100 meters. Her time was 11.04.