Reynolds Wins 400 in 43.93 : His Time Fastest at Sea Level and Second-Best Ever

Butch Reynolds, a world-class runner for only the past two years, ran the fastest 400 meters ever at sea level and the second-fastest in history, clocking 43.93 seconds Wednesday night in the U.S. Track and Field Trials.

Reynolds, 24, of Akron, Ohio, barely missed the world record of 43.86, set by Lee Evans of the United States in the altitude of Mexico City in the 1968 Olympic Games.

Reynolds, a virtual unknown until last year, got off to a strong start, eased up briefly, then came hard around the final curve and blazed down the final straightaway.

He had to be exceptionally fast in order to win, because runner-up Danny Everett, the NCAA champion from UCLA, was timed in 43.98, the second-best sea level time ever.

It was the first time two runners had broken 44 seconds since the 1968 Games, when Larry James finished behind Evans in 43.97. It was the first time two runners had cracked 44 at sea level.

Reynolds, the 1987 World Championship bronze medalist, had held the sea level mark of 44.10, run last year.

UCLA freshman Steve Lewis, who had set the world junior record of 44.11 in the semifinals, the second-fastest ever at sea level, finished third in the final in 44.37.

Antonio McKay, the 1984 Olympic bronze medalist, wound up fifth in 44.79, behind Kevin Robinzine, 44.61.

Earlier, heavy rain forced postponement of the pole vault final and played havoc with other events.

The pole vault, one of four finals scheduled Wednesday, was postponed until Thursday night.

The pole vault area and many other sections of the Indiana Track and Field Stadium were flooded. Rain began about 6:30 a.m. and about 2 inches had fallen onto the field by late afternoon.

Before meet officials made the announcement on the pole vault, they had delayed the start of the day’s competition by nearly two hours and moved the high jump competition of the decathlon indoors to the National Fitness Center, across the street from the track.

The first three decathlon events -- the 100-meter dash, long jump and shot put -- as well as the women’s discus qualifying, were held outdoors in pouring rain.

Meanwhile, Carl Lewis, 27, was aiming for the world record in the men’s 200-meter dash after being assured of two spots on the U.S. Olympic team. He won the 100-meter dash in a wind-aided 9.78 seconds, the fastest in history, and the long jump at 28 feet, 9 inches, equaling the seventh-best mark ever.

Most likely, he also will anchor the 400-meter relay team at the Seoul Games, a job he handled in the 1983 and 1987 World Championships and the 1984 Olympics. That assignment will be determined by the coaching staff prior to the Games.

Although Lewis has been one of the sport’s most dominant athletes during the 1980s, he has never held an individual world record. It has never seemed to bother Lewis, who has run on two world-record relay teams. However, he has come very close to world-record performances.

In the 200, he set the American record of 19.75 in the 1983 national championships over this track, and could have broken the world mark of 19.72, held by Pietro Mennea of Italy, had he not thrust his arms into the air in a victory celebration about 10 meters from the finish.

In the 100, he has run 9.93, the second-best time ever, making him the co-holder of the American record with Calvin Smith. The world record is 9.83, by Canada’s Ben Johnson.

And in the long jump, Lewis owns the best mark at sea level, 28 feet, 10 inches, which he has reached twice. Only two other jumpers have surpassed and both did it at altitude -- Bob Beamon of the United States, 29-2 1/2 in the 1968 Olympics, and Robert Emmiyan of the Soviet Union, 29-1 last year.

Lewis also has a remarkable record in major competition. In the Olympics and two World Championships, he has won nine gold medals and one silver in 10 events.

This year, he is trying to match the four golds he earned in the 1984 Los Angeles Games -- in the 100, 200, long jump and 400 relay. That duplicated the feat of Jesse Owens in the 1936 Olympics.

No track and field athlete has won four golds in two consecutive Games. In fact, no track and field athlete ever has won the 100, 200 or long jump in two Olympics.