Olympic Sports Festival Roundup : Klein Clan Digs Her Gold Medal

With the entire Klein family cheering her on, Kristin Klein led the South women’s volleyball team to a gold medal in U.S. Olympic Festival competition Saturday at Norman, Okla.

Kristin, a 6-foot Stanford outside hitter who was voted Pacific 10 freshman of the year last season, had 22 kills and 68 total attacks and also went to the floor to record 11 digs in a 16-14, 10-15, 15-12, 12-15, 15-11 victory over the East.

Kristin will join her parents, Bob and JoAnn, as well as a horde of friends and relatives from Pacific Palisades, to cheer on her brother, Jimmy, today as the East men’s volleyball team plays for the bronze.

“This is much more difficult, at least emotionally, than being out there playing,” said Bob Klein, who retired in 1980 after eight years as a tight end with the Rams and three years with the San Diego Chargers.

Jimmy Klein will be a freshman at Stanford this fall, dividing his time between football and volleyball. He was an all-state football player in high school as a free safety and tight end. He also played basketball.

The Olympics are a goal for both of the younger Kleins.

The North swept the West for the bronze medal in women’s volleyball, getting 17 kills from Elaine Youngs of El Toro in the 15-9, 15-10, 15-12 victory. Kris Fifer of Los Altos, who missed the previous match with a strained back, returned to add 14 kills for the North.

High winds whipped up whitecap waves that sank the West crew’s boat and swamped others at Lake Overholser, forcing a delay of several hours.

Steven Segaloff, coxswain of the West’s open men’s four with coxswain, bailed furiously with a 10-ounce styrofoam cup to no avail.

Segaloff reported: “It’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience, to sink in front of the grandstand.”

Margaret Ulett, the gymnast who fractured a cervical vertebrae during the floor exercise routine Friday night was released from the hospital. Dr. David Joyner, the U.S. Olympic Committee physician, said there were no neurological problems and that the injury would heal through rest and rehabilitation.

This 1989 U.S. Olympic Festival could be the most profitable ever, and big crowds at track and field, gymnastics and closing ceremonies could put attendance over 400,000.

Heading into Saturday’s events, the festival had drawn 305,257 for gate receipts of $2.886 million. The record is $3 million, set two years ago in North Carolina, where the attendance mark of 464,000 also was set.