U.S. TRACK AND FIELD TRIALS : Griffith Joyner Sets 100 Record : Lowers Women’s Mark to 10.49; Joyner-Kersee Breaks Standard

Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Florence Griffith Joyner share the distinction of being world record-holders. Joyner-Kersee, however, knows she’s the best in the world, while Griffith Joyner is just beginning to realize she can be the best.

The sisters-in-law entered the record book together Saturday when they produced historic performances in the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.

Griffith Joyner clocked 10.49 seconds to smash the world record in the women’s 100 meters, and Joyner-Kersee reaffirmed her claim to the title of track and field’s greatest female athlete when she scored 7,215 points to set her third world heptathlon record in three years.

Carl Lewis and Willie Banks also turned in landmark performances to highlight the second day of competition.

Griffith Joyner bettered the previous world record of 10.76 run by Olympic champion Evelyn Ashford Aug. 22, 1984 at Zurich, Switzerland. She will run in the 100 semifinals and final Sunday.

The 28-year-old from Los Angeles has been more productive at 200 meters than 100, but her time confirms her status as one of the world’s top sprinters.

“I can’t believe the time--10.49,” said Griffith Joyner, a 200 meters silver medalist in the 1987 World Championships. “I didn’t think it was possible today. I’m definitely going to try to do even better tomorrow. I can’t predict a time. Nobody even considers me being a 100 runner, but I said I would try.”

Joyner-Kersee broke her previous record of 7,158 established Aug. 1-2, 1986 in the U.S. Olympic Sports Festival at Houston. She set her other record of 7,148 one month earlier in the Goodwill Games at Moscow.

The 26-year-old UCLA graduate from Long Beach owns the five highest totals for the heptathlon, a seven-event competition contested over a two-day period.

She entered the final event, the 800 meters, needing to run at least 2 minutes 24.95 seconds to break the record. Joyner-Kersee, who will be the overwhelming favorite in the Summer Olympics Games at Seoul, finished well under that time in 2:20.70.

“I feel very happy, very pleased with my performance, but when I go to Seoul, I’ll be very motivated to go for the gold,” Joyner-Kersee said. “I’m telling you all right now so you can tell Bobby (Kersee, her coach and husband), I’m not doing the hurdles here.”

Although Joyner-Kersee will skip the 100-meter hurdles, she is expected to compete in the long jump.

Lewis clocked a wind-aided 9.78 in the men’s 100 meters final, the fastest time run under any conditions. Ben Johnson of Canada holds the world record and the second fastest time of 9.83.

Lewis’ race was run with a wind reading of 5.2 meters per second, well above the allowable limit of 2.0 m.p.s. to be considered for record purposes.

Banks triple jumped a wind-aided 59 feet 8 1/2 (18.20 meters). On his first jump of the day, Banks cleared a wind-aided 59-3.

The jumps gave Banks the three longest in history, with his world record of 58-11 1/2 the third best.

Griffith Joyner’s historic performance came in the second round of the trials. On another muggy day, when most races and jumps were aided by winds of 2 to 5 m.p.h., the anemometer for Griffith Joyner’s race read 0.0.

Earlier in the day, Griffith Joyner clocked 10.60 with a wind reading of 3.2.

Running in a one-legged lavender suit, Griffith started perfectly and instantly opened a sizable margin. Diane Williams placed second, four meters behind, in 10.88.

“I was concentrating on getting out quick,” Griffith Joyner said. “I had a good start, relaxed in the middle and just concentrated on keeping my knees up and running through the tape.

“I couldn’t believe it. I fully concentrated on going under 10.6. Maybe 10.59, but not 10.49.”

Lewis, who has run three sub-10 times in two days, ran cripsly and was challenged by Calvin Smith until he broke away in the final 20 meters.

“I was confident in every race,” Lewis said. “I know I can run faster this summer. The only thing I can do now is focus on the Olympic Games.”

Dennis Mitchell finished second in 9.86, and Smith took third in 9.87. They will join Lewis on the Olympic 100 meters team.

In his semifinal heat, Smith, who shares the American record of 9.93 with Lewis, clocked a wind-aided 9.87. At the time, it was the second fastest run under any conditions.

Banks advanced to the Olympics, along with Charlie Simpkins and Robert Cannon. Jimmy Howard, Hollis Conway and Brian Stanton will compose the Olympic high jump team.