O’Sullivan Wins 3rd-Fastest Indoor Mile : Irishman Runs 3:50.94; Abshire Sets U.S. 3,000 Mark; Coe Drops Out

Sebastian Coe had a disappointing debut on the American indoor track circuit Saturday night at the U.S. Olympic Invitational meet at the Meadowlands Arena.

Coe floundered in the 3,000 meters, dropping out with two laps left, but Brian Abshire contributed an American record in the race, Jackie Joyner-Kersee set another U.S. mark in the long jump and Romania’s Doina Melinte established a world indoor record in the women’s mile.

Moreover, Marcus O’Sullivan, the Irishman who formerly competed for Villanova, ran the third fastest indoor mile of all time.

Abshire, who is normally a steeplechaser and is virtually obscure as an international competitor, led from the start, winning in 7 minutes 41.57 seconds.

The former Auburn runner, who went to De Anza High School in Richmond, Calif., broke Doug Padilla’s U.S. record of 7:44.9 set in 1985. Padilla was fifth.

Only world record-holder Emiel Puttemans of Belgium has ever run faster indoors, 7:39.2 in 1973.

Joyner-Kersee, the world champion in the heptathlon and long jump, went 23 feet 1/2 inch on her fourth jump to break her U.S. record of 22-10 1/2 set in 1986.

Earlier Saturday in Vienna, Austria, East Germany’s Heike Dreschler improved on her world indoor long jump record with a 24-2 effort.

Melinte, who had been threatening Mary Decker Slaney’s record of 4:20.5 set in 1982, shattered it with a time of 4:18.66. Melinte took charge of the three-quarter mile mark.

Coe, who is training in Tampa, is expected to run another 3,000 next Friday night in The Times/GTE indoor games at the Forum. He was never a factor in Saturday’s race.

He trailed the field from the start and, shortly after Abshire lapped him, he dropped out of the race.

“I was running badly and I didn’t want to push it,” said the British runner, who is a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 1,500 meters. “It was my first race since May and it was a hell of a baptism.”

It was the first time that Coe has ever raced on a banked, board track and he hasn’t had much experience in the 3,000.

Yet, he wouldn’t use the surface as an excuse.

“The boards weren’t a significant factor, but I wouldn’t like running the Olympics on them,” he said. “I’m in shape, but not race fit.”

Coe suffered an Achilles’ tendon injury in May, and Saturday night’s race was his first competition in 10 months.

He hinted that he may want to try another distance in The Times meet, but it wasn’t a firm decision.

Abshire, who calls El Sombrante , Calif. his home, said he expected a rabbit to set the pace. When the so-called rabbit didn’t emerge, he said he virtually became his own rabbit.

“I didn’t see Coe and I didn’t worry about him,” said the front-running Abshire, who was third ranked in the United States last year in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. “I always try to run in front.”

O’Sullivan had two rabbits to pace him, Ireland’s Kieran Stack and Gerry O’Reilly. He took over from O’Reilly with 2 3/4 laps left and kicked home in the time of 3:50.94.

Only Ireland’s Eamonn Coghlan, the famed Chairman of the Boards, has ever run faster indoors--3:49.78 and and 3:50.6.

‘It was misinterpreted the past week that I was going for the world record,” the 26-year-old O’Sullivan said. “I just wanted a fast time. But I felt terrific. If I had known that I was going to feel like that, I would have taken the lead earlier. I was running up Gerry’s heels.”

Coghlan, who was the race starter, almost saw his record fall. It was, though, a continuation of the Irish-Villanova connection.

Curiously, O’Sullivan wasn’t disturbed that he didn’t get the record.

“I’m glad I didn’t get it to a certain extent because now I have a lot to look forward to next summer,” he said. “If I got the record, I might feel that I had done enough this year.”

Joyner-Kersee said that she has had problems extending her legs on indoor long jump pits.

Because of the close quarters of an indoor arena, Joyner-Kersee said that she sometimes has the feeling that she’ll go out of the pit.

She wasn’t aware that Dreschler had improved her world record from 24-0 until a reporter told her.

“Twenty-four feet is an indoor goal of mine, and I think that’s good for Dreschler,” Joyner-Kersee said. “I’ll just have to set my goal higher, and it makes me hungrier.”

A crowd of 11,076 came in from the cold and snow to watch the meet. The Meadowlands has one of the fastest tracks in the United States, 10 laps to the mile instead of the usual 11.

But it didn’t help Coe, who said he just wasn’t sharp competitively after a long layoff.

The Greg Foster-Renaldo Nehemiah rivalry, both on and off the track, is still flourishing.

Foster got a poor start, but caught Nehemiah by the first hurdle in the 55-meter race and won in 7.01 seconds. Nehemiah tied for second with Arthur Blake in 7.11.

Earlier, in a heat race, Tonie Campbell collided with Igor Kazanov of the Soviet Union. They both sprawled on the track and didn’t make the final.

Nehemiah, who is making his second comeback after 4 1/2 years as a wide receiver with the San Francisco 49ers, said Saturday’s race was his last indoors this season.

He is now being reunited with his former high school coach from Scotch Plains, N.J., Gene Pouquette, who will try to help him with his faltering technique.

Nehemiah was a disappointing fifth in the Millrose Games Feb. 5 in New York and didn’t even qualify for the hurdles final the next night in Dallas.

“I just can’t do it by myself,” said Nehemiah, who had been his own coach. “The speed is still there, but not the technique.”

When Foster came to the interview room, he belittled Nehemiah’s excuse for not having regained his technique.

“Let him worry about his technique,” Foster said. “It takes a lot more than technique to win.”

Nehemiah used to beat Foster regularly before he gave up track for pro football in 1982. Now Foster is in command, having beaten Nehemiah decisively on the indoor circuit.

“Why should I worry about him? Someone who hasn’t beaten me,” Foster said when questioned about the renewed rivalry.

Nehemiah, a New Jersey native, got a rousing ovation when he was introduced. Asked about the applause, Foster smiled and pointed to his 6-year-old son, Brandon, who was seated next to him in the interview room.

“He’s all the applause that I need,” Foster said.