Joyner Is Toast of Moscow : She Sets World Record in Winning Heptathlon

More than 50 years ago, Babe Didrikson set the world record in track and field’s version of the triathlon, one in which she did not have to get wet. She had only to put together a 100-yard dash, a high jump and a javelin throw.

But until Monday, no American woman since Didrikson held a world record in a multi-event track and field competition. From 1927 until 1981, when women competed in the five events of the pentathlon, only Europeans held the world record. Since 1981, when the pentathlon became the heptathlon after two events were added, the world record has been held by East Germans.

One of those East Germans, Sabine Paetz, had the best view in Lenin Central Stadium Monday at the Goodwill Games as Jackie Joyner, the former UCLA track and field and basketball star, took the record, becoming the first woman to surpass 7,000 points. By the time she finished, she had reached 7,148.

Needing only to run 2:24.56 in the final event, the 800 meters, to break Paetz’s record of 6,946, Joyner finished in style, running a personal best of 2:10.02. Paetz, finishing behind Joyner, was the first to congratulate her, followed shortly thereafter by Joyner’s husband and coach, Bob Kersee.

After another member of his world-class athletic club, Valerie Brisco-Hooks, won one of her three gold medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics, an excited Kersee bolted onto the track and knocked her down when they embraced. But Joyner was prepared for her husband’s approach and managed to keep her feet.

As a crowd of about 25,000 gave Joyner a standing ovation, the public address announcer, speaking first in Russian and then in English, could not contain his enthusiasm.

“It’s marvelous,” he said. “It’s magnificent.”

It was a significant moment not only for Joyner but also for the organizers, who are seeking legitimacy for the Goodwill Games as an important international athletic event. They feel world records can give them that. This was the second since competition began five days ago. Soviet swimmer Vladimir Salnikov broke his own world record in the 800-meter freestyle last Friday.

Joyner’s performance also overshadowed the complaints from American track and field athletes, most of whom have never competed here and have not been warned about certain procedures that are particular only to meets in Moscow. The procedures are inexplicable, primarily because Soviet track and field officials refuse to explain then.

Particularly troublesome to the Americans is a pre-competition regimen that requires them to wait in a small holding room for 30 minutes before they are called onto the track. They are told to leave their warmup suits at the door. By then, they no longer feel the benefits of their exercises, which they must complete before entering the room. They say the procedure contributes to muscle pulls.

“Our athletes also are bothered by this,” said Peter Herrmann, an East German journalist. “But they have competed in Moscow so often that they are prepared for it. They know it does no good to complain. Soviet athletes are treated in the same manner.”

Nevertheless, it has not affected the quality of the track and field competition, which continues today, when world record-holder Sergei Bubka from the Soviet Union competes in the pole vault, and ends Wednesday, when Carl Lewis runs against Canadian Ben Johnson in the 100 meters and Edwin Moses competes in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles for only the second time since 1984.

After victories Sunday by Evelyn Ashford in the 100 meters, Greg Foster in the 110-meter hurdles and Tom Petranoff in the javelin, four more Americans won Monday. Antonio McKay won the 400 meters, Doug Padilla the 5,000 meters, Floyd Heard the 200 meters, and Joyner.

But Joyner easily was the class of the day, which began with her setting a world record for the heptathlon long jump at 23 feet. That extended the lead she had Sunday after the first four events--the 110-meter hurdles (12.85), the high jump (6-2) the shot put (48-5), and the 200 meters (23.0). By the time she completed the long jump, javelin throw (163-7) and 800 meters Monday, she had personal bests in five of the seven events.

“I expected 7,000 points,” said Kersee, who also is the women’s track and field coach at UCLA. “But 7,100? It must be my good coaching.”

Joyner, 24, achieved the record against perhaps the best heptathlon field ever put together, certainly more top-heavy than that of the Los Angeles Olympics, in which she finished second. Of the six highest-ranked heptathletes from 1985, five competed here.

East German Sabilla Tille, ranked No. 6 last year, finished second with 6,635 points, while the Soviet Union’s Natalia Shubenkova, ranked No. 5 last year, was third with 6,631. Paetz, who held the world record since 1984 and was ranked No. 2 last year, was fourth with 6,456 points. Jane Frederick, the first American to be ranked No. 1 off her performances in 1985, was seventh entering the final event but did not run the 800 meters because of an injury.

Frederick lost her American record last year to Joyner, who scored 6,718. Joyner broke it again five weeks ago, when she scored 6,841 at a meet in Gotzis, Austria. In her first competition this year, she scored 6,910 at the Mt. SAC relays, but it did not count as a record because her 200 meters was hand-timed. It seemed as if it was only a matter of time before she set the world record.

“I’ve always competed in individual events along with the heptathlon in the past,” she said. “But this year, I’ve just concentrated on the heptathlon. I dedicated myself to it.”

Joyner said she did not allow herself to think about the possibility of breaking the record until after Monday’s first event, the long jump.

“I tried not to put any pressure on myself,” she said. “After yesterday, I didn’t even want to think about what I had to do today.

“I feel I’m a great long jumper. But if I think about it too much the night before I have to do it, it makes me nervous because it’s such an important event for me. So I try not to think about it. I just go out there and do it.”

She did it Monday better than anyone ever has before in a heptathlon competition and was on her way.

Joyner is a native of East St. Louis, Ill., who moved to Los Angeles after accepting an athletic scholarship to UCLA. She finished her eligibility in 1985 and expects to receive her degree after the fall semester. Her brother, Al, won the 1984 Olympic gold medal in the triple jump on the same day that Jackie finished second in the heptathlon to Australia’s Glynnis Nunn.

Joyner and Kersee were married in January.

“He is my husband, my coach, my trainer, my slave-driver and whatever else you want to call him,” she said.

Joyner also credited her throwing coach, UCLA assistant Art Venegas.

Asked by a reporter if she felt patriotic about her performance, she said: “Sure, you’re going to feel that. But I can’t describe everything I feel. I’ve had some disappointments. In 1983, at the world championships, I had a strained muscle. In 1984, at the Olympics, I had a hamstring pull and finished second when I felt I could have won. But after all this work and concentration, I finally put it all together. I guess I just feel good.”

HOW JOYNER DID IT

FIRST DAY

Event Mark Points 100 Hurdles 12.85 1,147 High Jump 6-2 1,080 Shotput 48-5 845 200 Meters 23.00 1,079 First-day total 4,151

SECOND DAY

Event Mark Points Long Jump 23-0 1,176 Javelin 163-7 857 800 Meters 2:10.02 964 Second-day 2,997 Final score 7,148

TOP-TEN HEPTATHLETES OF ALL-TIME

Mark Name Country Year 7,148 Jackie Joyner United States 1986 6,946 Sabine Paetz East Germany 1984 6,935 Ramona Neubert East Germany 1983 6,859 Natalya Shubenkova USSR 1984 6,803 Jane Frederick United States 1984 6,775 Anke Vater East Germany 1984 6,646 Natalya Grachova USSR 1982 6,635 Sabine Thiele East Germany 1986 6,616 Malgorzata Nowak Poland 1985 6,552 N. Vinogradova USSR 1984