Hunt’s ’88 Dream Gets Last Chance in Today’s 10,000

First he tried the steeplechase. No luck. Then he tried the marathon. Again, no luck.

But Thom Hunt is not easily discouraged, and he is about to tackle one more event in his pursuit of the Olympic dream. His last hope--for the time being, at least--will be in the 10,000-meter run today in the Michelob Invitational track meet at Balboa Stadium.

Hunt, 30, who attended Patrick Henry High School and lives in Coronado, must cover the 6.2 miles in 28 minutes 43 seconds to qualify for the Olympic trials in Indianapolis next month. He hasn’t run a 10,000 all year, so he has no idea what to expect. His fastest time last year was 28:44.7, and he ran his personal best of 27:59.1 in 1982.

“At least this race will give me an opportunity,” Hunt said. “If I meet the qualifying standard, I’ll decide whether to go to the trials. I won’t go unless I’m sure I’ve got a good chance to make the team. I’ve been to enough Olympic trials, so I don’t need that experience.

“I think my chances are pretty good. There is no standout in the 10,000 right now, so it looks wide-open.

“I’m anxious to give it a shot. Going to the Olympics is the major goal for any athlete. I’ve been doing this year in and year out since high school, and having put in that much time and effort, I have to keep going at it, because I love it.”

Hunt was a miler and two-miler in high school and still holds the state high school indoor records in the mile (4:02.7) and 1,500 meters (3:46.6). Both were set in 1976.

At the University of Arizona, he switched to the 3,000-meter steeplechase and the 5,000. Since college--he received a degree in physical education in 1980--his primary events have been on the road, including the marathon. He won the Holiday Bowl marathon in 1986.

“That doesn’t mean I’ve given up on my track career,” he said. “I’m definitely going to keep going.”

Then Hunt may be back for another shot at the Olympics in 1992?

“Could be,” he said.

It’s a tribute to Hunt’s versatility that he has been nationally ranked in four events over the years. He was second in the steeplechase in 1979, seventh in the steeplechase in 1980, eighth in the 5,000 in 1981, fifth in the 10,000 in 1982 and 1983, and fifth in the marathon in 1986. Obviously, though, his five-year absence in the 10,000 is not a good sign.

Hunt’s Olympic efforts date back to 1980, when he topped off a career as a four-time college All-American by qualifying for the Olympic trials at Eugene, Ore., in the steeplechase.

“I was in there until the last lap and a half,” Hunt recalled. “Henry Marsh was on his way to an American record (then 8:19.3), and I was close to him until I faded. After that, I lost a lot of time. I finished eighth (in 8:35.3).

“That was the year of the American boycott, but it still would have been nice to make the team.”

In 1984, any chance Hunt might have had to go to Los Angeles was wiped out by a stress fracture in his thigh. He couldn’t compete in the trials.

This year, Hunt was convinced that his best shot was in the marathon. The New Jersey Waterfront Marathon served as the Olympic qualifier, and he had run his career best of 2 hours 12 minutes 14 seconds in the same race in 1986.

But once more, Hunt was doomed to disappointment. In fact, it was a disaster.

“The only reason I finished is that I couldn’t get a ride home (to the finish line),” he said. “I walked the last three miles. I was totally depleted after 23 miles. Fortunately, a friend gave me a parka to keep my body heat up, or I might have collapsed.

“It was disappointing, because I was going great for 18 miles. There was a pack of us at 18, and then Ed Eyestone broke out of it. When others followed, I couldn’t keep up. That broke me from an Olympic team spot.

“I still had a chance for 10th place or so, but I was done. Basically, I dropped out.”

Because a person needs time to recover from a marathon, Hunt couldn’t immediately turn his attention to the 10,000.

“It took four or five weeks before I could really train for the 10,000,” he said. “I had no intensity at first. The first time I went for speed, I was horrible. It was June before I ran with any kind of quality.”

Among Hunt’s rivals today will be three others who failed in the marathon trials--Ron Tabb, Dan Grimes and Steve McCormick. Also in the field is a San Diego State star, Matt Clayton.

“Tabb, Grimes and McCormick are in the same position I’m in,” Hunt said. “I have no way of telling what’s going to happen. I’ll find out when I’m out there.” MICHELOB INVITATIONAL

MEN’S ENTRIES

100 meters--Roy Martin, Michael Bates, Harvey Glance, Ron Brown, Oliver Daniels, Rex Brown, Dwayne Evans. Alternates--Andre Freeman, Aaron Thigpen. Balboa Stadium record--Bobby Joe Morse, Abilene Christian, 10.3 seconds, 1956.

400--Michael Stevenson, Michael Green, Antonio McKay, Innocent Egbunike, Roddie Haley, Andre Phillips, Mark Rowe, Chris Whitlock. Balboa Stadium record--Theron Lewis, Philadelphia, 45.8, 1965; Lee Evans, Santa Clara Valley, 45.8, 1968.

800--Joaquim Cruz, Jose Luis Barbosa, Stanley Redwin, Agberto Guimaraes, George Kersh, Paul Osland, Mark Belger, Mark Senior. Alternates--Brian Theriot, Simon Hoogewroth. Balboa Stadium Record--Jerry Siebert, Santa Clara Valley, 1:46.8 (converted time), 1964.

Mile--Steve Scott, Chuck Aragon, Brian Abshire, Joe Falcon, Jeff Atkinson, Dick Oldfield, Roosevelt Jackson, Roger Jennings, Paul Greer. Balboa Stadium record--Jim Ryun, East Wichita, Kan., 3:55.3, 1965.

5,000--Matt Guisto, Dennis Leck, Dave Daniels, Dan Aldridge, Richard Graves, Calvin Gaziano, Aaron Ramirez, Ronnie Carroll, Alan Scharsu, Edward Cordova, Dave Cuadrado, John Koningh, Timothy Robinson, Jasen Flamm, David Barney. Balboa Stadium record--George Young, unattached, 13:40.2, 1966.

10,000--Thom Hunt, Ron Tabb, Dan Grimes, Terry Cotton, Steve McCormick, Matt Clayton, Steve Crowley. Balboa Stadium record--Billy Mills, San Diego Track Club, 28.49.2, 1968.

110 high hurdles--Malcolm Dixon, Andrew Parker, Andre Phillips, Greg Foster, Roger Kingdom, Steve Kerho, James McCraney, Anthony House. Balboa Stadium record--Don Shy, San Diego State, 13.5, 1971.

Triple jump--Brian Wellman, Ray Kimble, Marcus Hooks, Kenny Harrison, Willie Banks, Ken Williams. Balboa Stadium record--Art Walker, U.S. Army, 53-1, 1965.

Shotput--Dave Laut, Jim Doehring, Brian Oldfield, Greg Tafralis, Randy Barnes. Balboa Stadium record--Randy Matson, Houston Striders, 68-7 1/2, 1968.

High jump--Joe Radan, Jim Cody, Ben Lucero, Leo Williams, Tory Haines, Dwight Stones, Doug Nordquist, Brian Stanton, Lee Balkin, John Morris, Mike Harris. Balboa Stadium record--Leo Williams, U.S. Navy, 7-3 1/2, 1988.

Javelin--Tom Jadwin, Duncan Atwood, Mike Barnett, Tom Petranoff. Balboa Stadium record--Craig Johnson, Grossmont College, 201-9, 1988 (New javelin specifications).

WOMEN’S ENTRIES

100--Jennifer Inniss, Jeanette Bolden, Juliet Cuthbert, Diane Williams, Florence Griffith-Joyner, Pam Marshall. Alternate--Androlette Gill. Balboa Stadium record--Chi Cheng, Los Angeles Track Club, 11.4 (converted time), 1971.

400--Michelle Taylor, Denean Howard, Valerie Brisco, Sherri Howard, Michelle Carroll. Balboa Stadium record--Charlotte Cook, Los Angeles Mercurettes, 53.0 (converted time), 1966.

800--Kim Gallagher, Claudette Groenendaal, Cynthia Bayles, Tina Colebrook, Renee Ross, Lesley Noll, Gail Conway, Essie Washington. Balboa Stadium record--Kathy Weston, unattached, 2:04.3, 1976.

2,000--Mary Decker Slaney, Ann Hare, Angela Chalmers, Darcy Arreola, Monica Joyce, Buffy Rabbitt, Jill Harrington, Regina Jacobs, Gladys Prieur. Balboa Stadium record--New event.

Long jump--Gwen Loud, Carol Johnson, Sheila Hudson, Carole Jones, Jennifer Inniss, Wendy Brown, Yvette Bates, Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Balboa Stadium record--Jodi Anderson, L.A. Washington, 19-6 1/2, 1975; Kim Moran, unattached, 19-6 1/2, 1976.

Shotput--Dot Jones, Pam Dukes, Peggie Pollock, Connie Price, Bonnie Dasse, Ramona Pagel. Balboa Stadium record--Jan Svendesen, La Jolla Track Club, 50-3, 1974.