U.S. Olympic Cycling Trials : Brinton Is a Winner in Pursuit

David Brinton pulled away from Steve Hegg on the final lap to win the men’s individual pursuit championship and a spot on the U.S. Olympic cycling team Thursday night.

Brinton, of North Hollywood, was timed in 4:47.07 and finished 1.60 seconds ahead of Hegg, the 1984 Olympic gold medalist in the 4,000-meter event.

The final featured five lead changes before Brinton took charge with just over a lap to go. Hegg, of Dana Point, was timed in 4:48.06.

The bronze medal in men’s pursuit went to Leonard Harvey Nitz when Frankie Andreu dropped out of the competition before their scheduled ride for third place.

While Brinton earned a position on the Olympic team, women’s individual pursuit winner Mindee Gurtis will head to the World Championships in Belgium because there are only two Olympic cycling events for women--the road race and match sprint.

Gurtis, of Lubbock, Tex., won her second straight national pursuit championship by beating Peggy Maass of Orange, with a time of 3:56.58.

The rain-delayed night session of the U.S. Track Cycling Olympic Trials and National Championships also featured quarterfinal action in the men’s and women’s match sprint.

Ken Carpenter and Mark Gorski, co-favorites among the men, advanced as did women’s standout Connie Young.

Carpenter, of La Mesa beat Paul Swift of Kenosha, Wis., in straight heats to advance to tonight’s sprint semifinals.

Gorski, the 1984 Olympic gold medalist, accompanied Carpenter to the next round by eliminating two-time defending national sprint champion Scott Berryman of Boulder, Colo., in two heats.

Nelson Vails, 1984 Olympic silver medalist, and Bobby Livingston, already a member of the Olympic team in the 1,000-meter time trial, also won in straight heats.

Vails, of Indianapolis, defeated Bobby Walthour, of Carmel, Calif., with times of 11.52 and 12.61, while Livingston, of Atlanta, beat Steve Phillips, of Chapel Hill, N.C., in 11.56 and 11.33.

Gorski, who hasn’t beaten Carpenter since May 1987, moved into the quarterfinals with a second-round victory over Swift and Chris Tanner, of Sunnyvale, Calif.

Carpenter, meanwhile, won his second-round heat against Berryman and and Brian Moore, of Colorado Springs.