Olson Clears 19-3 1/2 to Break Bubka’s Indoor Vault Record : Three Others Set Marks in Meet at Sports Arena

Sergei Bubka of the Soviet Union took the world indoor pole vault record away from Billy Olson Wednesday, but the American got it back Friday night in the Sunkist Invitational at the Sports Arena.

Olson cleared 19 feet 3 1/2 inches on his last jump of a record-setting night to break Bubka’s record by one-half inch.

The bar jiggled gently before settling on the supports as Olson fell into the pit, and a crowd of 12,602 gave the new record-holder a rousing ovation.

Earlier, Charlie Simpkins established a world record of 57 feet 5 inches in the triple jump, while Greg Foster and Johnny Gray set world marks in the the 50-yard hurdles and 880, respectively.

Along with the records, there was a stunning upset. Ireland’s Marcus O’Sullivan beat his countryman, Eamonn Coghlan, in the mile in the time of 3:58.37.

Coghlan, the acknowledged Chairman of the Boards and the world indoor record-holder, hadn’t lost an indoor mile since Feb. 21, 1981. He had won 15 straight although not competing in 1982 and 1984.

Steve Scott, who was expected to challenge O’Sullivan and Coghlan, had to withdraw from the meet due to the flu.

Olson set a world indoor record of 19-2 3/4 Dec. 28 at Saskatoon, Canada. But he didn’t have much time to savor his feat as Bubka, the world outdoor record-holder at 19-8 1/4, vaulted 19-3 Wednesday at Osaka, Japan.

Bubka and Olson will have their showdown in the Times/GTE Indoor Games Feb. 21 at the Forum.

When Olson got off the plane here, he was greeted by meet promoter Al Franken, who said, “Hello, former record-holder.”

Olson didn’t know at the time that Bubka had broken his record.

“Then, the next thing I heard,” Olson said, “was from Joe Dial (another vaulter), who had a message from Bubka to me. He told Dial to tell me, ‘Take that, Billy Olson.’ So this is my answer tonight: ‘Here’s a present for you, Sergei.’

“I took too many jumps tonight. I was getting a little tired. I need to be fresh for those big jumps late in the evening.”

Olson didn’t make 18-8 until his third attempt. And he almost didn’t take his last jump at the height.

“I very nearly decided to put up the bar for the record. The only reason I didn’t is that I was behind on misses and I wanted to win.”

After Foster, Gray and Simpkins set world records, Franken told Olson jokingly, “I can’t afford any more world-record bonuses.”

Olson smiled and said facetiously, “Maybe I better not jump tonight.”

Foster no longer can compete against Renaldo Nehemiah, his onetime rival and nemesis. Nehemiah, a wide receiver with the San Francisco 49ers, tried to be reinstated as an amateur, but the International Amateur Athletic Federation turned him down.

So, Foster is doing the next best thing. The former UCLA star is going after Nehemiah’s records.

Last year, he broke Nehemiah’s record for the 50-meter hurdles with a time of 6.35 seconds. And he took away another record Friday night by winning the 50-yard high hurdles in 5.88, four-tenths of a second faster than Nehemiah’s record set in 1982.

Foster was after another Nehemiah record in the 60-yard hurdles not long after he won the 50. But he was disqualified after two false starts, the first one called against the field.

“The start I had in the 50-yard race was the best I’ve ever gotten,” said Foster, who implied that he might have had a “flyer,” track vernacular for a false start.

Win one, lose one.

Gray also set a world record with a blistering, front-running win in the 880-yard run. Gray, from the Santa Monica Track Club, steadily increased his lead over Earl Jones and was ahead by at least 12 yards at the finish.

His time of 1:46.8 broke his previous record of 1:46.9, set last year in the Michelob Invitational at San Diego.

Gray, the American outdoor record-holder at 800 meters in 1:42.60, went by the 800-meter mark in 1:46.1. Only Britain’s Sebastian Coe has run faster indoors, and he’s done it twice.

In the mile, O’Sullivan had the lead going into the final lap. That’s when Coghlan usually runs his opposition into the boards.

But O’Sullivan held off Coghlan on the straightaway and again on the turn. Coghlan was timed in 3:58.55 while finishing second.

“I got the feeling after about 200 meters that the race was going to crawl, and Eammon would have loved it (a slow pace),” O’Sullivan said.

Coghlan stressed the Irish rivalry. He is from Dublin, O’Sullivan from Cork.

“It was important for Marcus to beat me from an Irish standpoint and an international standpoint,” Coghlan said. “In Cork, they’ll be saying, ‘Great.’ In Dublin, they’ll be saying, ‘Damn, Coghlan is finished.’ “I’m not shattered. I half expected it because I know how well Marcus has been running. I also know how short I am of zip.”

Jarmila Kratochvilova, Czechoslovakia’s wonder woman, was in control of the women’s 880, although Kim Gallagher stayed closed most of the race.

Gallagher faded around the final turn as Kratochvilova ran strongly to the finish to win in 2:06.08. Gallagher was timed in 2:06.97. Mary Decker Slaney is the world record-holder at 1:59.7.

Kratochvilova, 34, has said that this will be her final season as a track athlete. She plans to become a coach.

Valerie Brisco-Hooks beat her World Class Track Club teammate, Florence Griffith, in the women’s 300-yard run. But Brisco-Hooks’ time of 34.21 seconds didn’t threaten the world record of 32.60 held by Merlene Ottey-Page. Griffith was timed in 34.70.

Brisco-Hooks, a triple gold medalist in the 1984 Olympics, charged to the front at the start and wasn’t seriously challenged.

Doug Padilla stayed right behind Ed Eyestone for most of the two-mile race, then turned on a withering kick to win in 8:28.59. Tanzania’s Suleiman Nyambui just edged Canada’s Paul Williams for third place.

Padilla is the American record-holder at 8:15.3, while Nyambui is the meet record-holder at 8:18.