Drake Relays : Texas A&M; Sophomore Surprises Smith in 200

Sophomore Floyd Heard of Texas A&M; beat three-time champion Calvin Smith and set a meet record in the 200-meter dash, and helped the Aggies win the 400-meter relay Saturday at the 78th Drake Relays.

Heard, ranked No. 1 in the world last year after winning the gold medal in the 200 at the Goodwill Games, burst out of the curve following a slow start and hit the tape in 20.39 seconds. That broke the meet record of 20.47 set by Iowa’s Jeff Patrick in 1983.

Smith, who holds the world record in the 100 meters, was second in 20.62, and Nigerian Chidi Imoh took third in 20.70.

“I came out wavering instead of straight out in good form,” Heard said. “I’m know I’m going to hear about it from my coach, and I’m ready for it.

“I know I’m a good turn runner and when I came off the turn, I just shot by him (Smith).”

Ohio State’s Harry Reynolds set the only other men’s record, knocking a half-second off the mark in the invitational 400 meters.

With sophomore Stanley Kerr holding off SMU’s Roy Martin on the anchor leg, Texas A&M; won the university 400 relay in 39.09 seconds. Lawrence Felton led off for the Aggies, Heard ran the second leg and Greg Lewis set up Kerr. A&M;’s time was just off the Drake record of 38.96 set by Alabama in 1983.

Iowa State was the only university division team to win two relays. The Cyclones, with Raf Wyns anchoring, added the distance medley title (in 9:33.80) to the 6,400 race they won Friday.

Alabama won the sprint medley in 3:14.80, and Purdue, with football defensive back Rod Woodson anchoring, won the shuttle hurdle relay in 59 seconds.