Joyner-Kersee on Record Pace in Heptathlon

Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Carl Lewis, two of the nation’s brightest Olympic hopes in track and field, showed why Friday during the opening events of the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Joyner-Kersee, the world record holder and 1987 world champion in the heptathlon, was on a record pace after four events of the two-day, seven-event competition in steamy Indiana University Track and Field Stadium.

She climaxed a sensational first day by winning her 200-meter heat in 22.30 seconds, the fastest ever by a heptathlete. With three events left, she has 4,367 points, a first-day point record and 222 ahead of the pace when she established the world record of 7,158 points in the 1986 U.S. Olympic Festival at Houston.

Joyner-Kersee set the previous world record in the heptathlon 200 of 22.85 in 1986 and the first-day point mark of 4,256 in 1987.

She began by running the 100-meter hurdles in 12.71 seconds and clearing 6 feet, 4 inches in the high jump, each effort the best ever for an American heptathlete, then threw the shot 51-4.

She will complete the heptathlon today with the long jump, javelin throw and 800-meter run.

Prior to the trials, Bob Kersee, her husband and coach, said his wife was “programmed” for a score of 7,194.

“We’re going after the first-day world record, too,” Kersee said. “I would like to see her around 4,300 points.”

Joyner-Kersee got it, with points to spare.

She skimmed over the hurdles flawlessly, breaking the U.S. heptathlon record of 12.85 she set during the 1986 Goodwill Games at Moscow.

Then, on her third and final attempt, she broke her American heptathlon record of 6-2 3/4 in the high jump, set in the 1987 World Championships at Rome. Joyner-Kersee didn’t take any more jumps after clearing 6-4.

Terri Turner and Trish King also cleared 6-2 3/4, but each missed three times at 6-4.

After Joyner-Kersee’s record jump, her husband said, “Obviously, I’m delighted, especially in this (99 degree) heat.

“I figured the way she jumped in Rome, she could do it,” Kersee said. “I know she can take it higher, but in this heat, there was no reason to take it higher.”

The air temperature reached 103 degrees at 3:10 p.m. EST, but a short time later, when Joyner-Kersee was throwing the shot, rain dampened the field. Still, she managed to break the meet and stadium records in the shot put, giving her first place in all three events.

Lewis, the four-time Olympic champion, won his opening-round heat in the men’s 100-meter dash in 9.96, fastest in the world this year, then matched it in a second-round race Friday night.

“I wasn’t pleased with the first part of my race, but then about 30 meters, I got into gear,” Lewis, the co-holder of the American record of 9.93, said after the first race. “I felt good and I’m pleased with the time.”

The times, equalling the seventh-best in history, broke the trials record of 10.06 set by Lewis in 1984, and the stadium record of 10.05 set by Calvin Smith in 1982.

The dash semifinals and finals are today.

Lewis, trying to duplicate his 1984 Olympic performance, is seeking gold medals in the 100, 200, long jump and 400-meter relay.

Edwin Moses, the 1976 and 1984 Olympic champion in the men’s 400-meter intermediate hurdles, began his quest for a record third gold by easily winning his first-round heat.

Moses was timed in 49.31, the slowest of the five heat winners, but he was not concerned, except about the weather. He called the combination of heat and humidity the worst of his experience.

“But we’re running on the best track (in the country),” he said.

Kevin Young, the two-time NCAA champion from UCLA, had the fastest time among the hurdlers, clocking 48.27.

The hurdles semifinals will be run today and the final Sunday.

Diane Dixon, a 1984 Olympic relay gold medalist, registered the fastest time in first-round heats of the women’s 400, clocking 51.00. She easily beat Valerie Brisco, the 1984 Olympic champion, who was second in 51.61.

The top qualifier for today’s triple jump final was Charlie Simpkins, with a wind-aided leap of 56-2 3/4. He was followed by Olympic silver medalist Michael Conley at 55-7 3/4 and world record-holder Willie Banks, a wind-aided 55-6 1/2.

Olympic champion Al Joyner also reached the final, jumping 55-1.

Randy Barnes, former Texas A&M; star, led the qualifiers into Friday night’s men’s shot put final, throwing 67-4. However, national champion Ed Wade of Oklahoma failed to make the final. His best throw was only 60-9.