Track Roundup : Bruzhiks of Soviet Union Betters Simpkins’ Indoor Triple Jump Record

Sprinter Nellie Fiere-Cooman of Holland and triple jumper Maris Bruzhiks of the Soviet Union set world indoor bests Sunday to highlight the second and final day of the European Indoor track and field championships.

Fiere-Cooman, who recently married, had a flying start in the 60-meter dash and crossed the finish line in 7 seconds to retain the title she won in Athens last year.

Her time was four-tenths of a second faster than the mark set by East German Marita Koch in East Germany last year. Earlier Sunday, Koch won the 200-meter title, her ninth major victory, indoors or out, since 1977.

Although Koch clocked 22.58 seconds, two-tenths outside her world best, it was a superb performance on the undersized 164-meter track with its tight curves and short straights.

Fiere-Cooman finished well in front of five-time indoor champion Marlies Gohr of East Germany (7.08 seconds), who had to be content with the silver medal for the second straight year.

Bruzhiks, whose previous best was 57 feet inch outdoors last year, unleashed a jump of 57-6 1/2 to erase the world mark of 57-5 set by American Charlie Simpkins in Los Angeles last month.

Alexandr Plekhanov was second with 56-5 3/4, and Bela Bakosi of Hungary, winner in 1982 and 1985, was third.

Spain’s Jose Luis Gonzalez retained his 1,500-meter title in 3 minutes 44.55 seconds, and countryman Javier Moracho scored an upset victory in the 60-meter hurdles in 7.67 seconds.

East Germany dominated the medal standings with 8 gold, 6 silver and 5 bronze for a total of 19.

The Soviet Union picked up three gold, four silver and four bronze, and West Germany won three gold and a silver. West Germany’s winners were Olympic champions Dietmar Mogenburg (high jump) and Claudia Losch (shotput) and Peter Braun in the 800 meters.

Other gold medal winners included Ronald Desruelles of Belgium (60 meters, 6.61 seconds), Linford Christie of Britain (200 meters, 21.10), Robert Emmiyan of the Soviet Union (long jump, 27-3 3/4), Werner Gunthor of Switzerland (shotput, 70-7), Svetlana Kitova of the Soviet Union (1,500 meters, 4:14.25) and Atanas Tarev of Bulgaria (pole vault, 18-8).

East Germany’s champions Sunday were Thomas Schoenlebe and Sabine Busch, who won the men’s and women’s 400 meters in 46.97 and 51.40 seconds; Ines Bibernell, who won the 3,000 meters in 8:54.52; Sigrun Ludwigs, who won the 800 meters (1:59.89), and Andrea Bienias, who won the high jump (6-5 1/2).

On Saturday, Cornelia Oschkenat retained her 60-meter hurdles title, and Heike Drechsler won the long jump title.

Ray Flynn recovered from a collision that sent three runners to the floor to win the mile run in the Knights of Columbus meet at Richfield, Ohio.

Flynn, representing the Kangaroo Track Club, fell when another runner clipped him from behind on the right heel less than two laps from the finish. Kevin Johnson and Jim McKeon also fell.

But Flynn got up and narrowly beat Dariusz Janczewski of Ashland College to the tape, winning the race in 4 minutes 8.67 seconds. Janczewski was second in 4:08.99, and McKeon was third in 4:09.05.

Earlier, Brenda Cliette breezed to victory in the women’s 55-meter dash, then came from behind to win the 400-meter run.

Cliette, of Tallahassee, Fla., slipped past defending champion Charmaine Crooks several yards before the finish line in the 400, winning in 54.75 seconds. Crooks had set the meet record of 54.19 last year. Cliette took the 55-meter dash in 6.78 seconds.

In the men’s 55-meter dash, Thomas Jefferson of Kent State edged favored Chidi Imoh of Nigeria. Jefferson won in 6.20 seconds. Imoh’s time was 6.21.

Mark McKoy of the Pacific Coast Club won the 55-meter high hurdles in 7.13 seconds, and Freddie Williams of Abilene Christian took the 800-meter run in a meet-record 1:49.89.