Padilla Head Two-Mile Field in Sunkist Meet

Two-mile American indoor record-holder Doug Padilla, the 1985 Mobil Grand Prix overall winner, heads a strong two-mile field for the Sunkist Invitational Friday night, Jan. 17, at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. The Sunkist Invitational is the first major meet of the 1986 indoor track circuit.

Padilla is coming off his best year ever which included outstanding performances both indoors and outdoors. On Feb. 15 at the Michelob Invitational in San Diego he lowered his American record for two mile to 8:15.3, second best ever in the world to Emile Puttemans’ 8:13.2

He won the indoor TAC three-mile beating famous Irishman Eamonn Coghlan and also won the Mobil Grand Prix for this event. Padilla lead the world indoor lists in four events: twomiles, 300 meters (converted time), three miles and 500 meters.

Padilla maintained the same pace during the outdoor season, lowering his 5,O00 personal best to 13:15.44 and finishing undefeated in this event during his European campaign.

Padilla won six of the seven 5,000-meter races he started in 1985 and one of the eight 3,000s, taking the first place in the 5,000 in the Mobil Grand Prix and also the overall title for most points scored in any event.

Padilla’s tremendous 1985 year made him a real superstar of distance running, raising him among the greatest track stars. The BYU graduate lost only to Said Aouita of Morocco, a 3,000 race and to Sydney Maree a 5,000. But he is 2-1 against Mares in 1985.

Padilla, one of the finest indoor runners ever, was ranked first in the U.S. by Track and Field News for 2 miles/3.000 meters for an unprecedented five years.

He starts another campaign with Sunkist, where he lost last year to Briton Jack Buckner. Buckner is again in the race, and Padilla’s revenge desire might be a serious threaty to Puttemans’ world record.