MICHELOB INVITATIONAL : With Another Win, Pagel Hopes to Impress International Competition

Three times this year, Ramona Pagel had improved her American record in the shotput, giving her the top 18 throws ever by an American woman.

Saturday in the Michelob Invitational, Pagel improved her record by nearly three feet as she put the shot 66 feet 2 1/2 inches in front of 3,753 at Balboa Stadium.

Was Pagel’s shot heard around the world, or at least by her counterparts in East Germany and the Soviet Union?

“It might impress the Soviets and East Germans that I did it, turn their heads maybe,” Pagel said. “I’m sure they’re not used to an American throwing that far. The thing is to do it against big competition.”

Pagel, a graduate of San Diego State, had three other throws of at least 66 feet Saturday. Another former SDSU athlete, Bonnie Dasse, threw a personal-best 63-11 to finish second. Yet, as when Pagel finished 10th four years ago in her first Olympics, there were no Eastern Bloc women competing.

Natalya Lisovskaya of the Soviet Union set the world record last year at 74-3. Her best this year, also best in the world, is 71-11. Pagel would have required a throw of more than 70 feet to place among the top 10 in the world this year.

Lisovskaya and Pagel traveled together three years ago for competitions in Japan and Europe.

“She is just a regular person,” Pagel, 26, said. “She is bigger, and she probably has a few more advantages. But I can still remember when she was throwing 66 feet. Don’t get too excited, though. She can, too.”

The two will meet again in Seoul, assuming that Pagel earns one of three spots on the American team at the Olympic trials next month in Indianapolis. Her Olympic goal will be a top-eight finish and “maybe, to scare a few Russians and East Germans,” said Kent Pagel, her husband and coach for the past 8 1/2 years.

Where did Saturday’s meet figure in Pagel’s plans?

“I dropped one (weightlifting) workout to get ready,” Pagel, who lives in San Diego, said. “I had some people in the stands, and my mom and dad came down from Los Angeles. I’ve got a rhythm going and have been able to keep it.”

Pagel watchers knew early that this was a special day.

Listening to her portable cassette player before the competition, Pagel bounced in anticipation. “Just a concoction of be-boppie, uplifting stuff, lots of rock ‘n’ roll,” she said. After her second throw, she ran-skipped to the indentation, thrusting her arms upward.

Then Pagel got excited. She yelled, pumped her fists, clapped, sprinted toward and hugged Kent.

“She emotes well,” Kent said.

Notes

Joaquim Cruz of Brazil, who won the 800-meter race at the 1984 Olympics, said he and several other Brazilian track and field standouts will move to San Diego after the Olympics. “Hay fever in Eugene (Ore.), is bad,” said Cruz, who won the 1,000-meter run Saturday. Cruz also will attend school in San Diego to complete work on his degree in romance languages. He said he will be running the 800 and 1,500 in Seoul. . . . For a lap, Mark Senior, the state 800 champion this year from Monte Vista, stayed within 10 meters of Cruz, Brazilian Joe Luis Barbosa and George Kersh of Taft. But Cruz pulled to a victory in 2:17.76; Senior finished at 2:32.72. “Those guys aren’t human,” said Senior. Darcy Arreola could relate. Arreola, a graduate of Grossmont High School who attends Cal State Northridge, spent five laps chasing Mary Decker Slaney in Slaney’s failed attempt to break Maricica Puica’s world record in the 2,000. Arreola, whose forte is the 1,500, was passed by three runners the final 250 meters and finished fifth of seven at 5:52.33, about 16 seconds behind Slaney.