Howard Sisters Win Heats in Trials 400

Sisters Denean and Sherri Howard of Sylmar won heats Friday in the women’s 400 meters on the opening day of the U. S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Indianapolis.

Denean Howard, a 1982 graduate of Kennedy High, ran 51.89 in the second heat and Sherri Howard, Kennedy class of 1980, won the fourth heat in 53.31.

The quarterfinals of the women’s 400 will be run today.

In other events, Al Joyner of Van Nuys and former Glendale High standout Lee Balkin qualified for the finals in the triple jump and high jump, which will be held today.

Joyner, the defending Olympic champion in the triple jump, leaped 55 feet, 1 inch to qualify fifth in that event. The top 12 jumpers qualified for the final.

Balkin, a member of last year’s World Championships team, was one of 16 competitors to clear 7-5 in the high jump.