Track and Field Roundup : Linetta Wilson Sets American Record in Women’s 500

Linetta Wilson of Nebraska set an American record in the women’s 500 meters, and Roddie Haley of Arkansas had the fastest time in the men’s 500 Friday night in qualifying races at the NCAA Indoor track and field championships at Oklahoma City.

Wilson won her heat in 1 minute 9 seconds, breaking the old mark of 1:09.75 set by Ilrey Oliver of Tennessee in last year’s meet.

Haley won his heat in 1:00.91, the second fastest time ever by a collegian. Michael Greene of Navy, who set the collegiate record of 1:00.84 last week, won his heat in 1:01.53.

While Haley moved ahead as expected, Arkansas, the three-time defending champion and the favorite to repeat, received some setbacks. NCAA outdoor champion Jeff Pascoe failed to score in the pole vault, and Gary Taylor, the third-place finisher in the mile last year, failed to qualify for the final, placing seventh in his heat.

The pole vault was won by Doug Fraley of Fresno State at 18-2 3/4.

The United States set a national record in the 1,600-meter relay and edged England for the team title, 75 1/2-73 1/2, in the sixth annual Kodak indoor track and field meet at Cosford, England.

The team of Clarence Daniel, Chip Jenkins, Ken Lowery and Walter McCoy was timed in 3 minutes 6.01 seconds, breaking the old U.S. indoor record of 3:06.03 set by USC in 1980. The time was only .11 of a second off the world record of 3:05.90 set by the Soviet Union in 1970.

Britain’s Sebastian Coe won the 3,000 meters in 7:54.33.