U.S. Olympic Festival Roundup : Tolbert Sets Record: 13.01 in 100-Meter Hurdles

Lynda Tolbert of Arizona State set a U.S. Olympic Festival record in the women’s 100-meter hurdles Sunday, winning in 13.01 seconds.

It was the second festival gold medal for Tolbert, who also won the event in 1987. Her time broke the mark of 13.04 set by Stephanie Hightower seven years ago.

“It was very hot and humid,”’ Tolbert said. “I’m sweltering like a wet puppy, but otherwise it was OK.”

The temperature three feet above the surface of the John Jacobs track was measured at 103 degrees.

Tolbert, who lives in Washington, D.C., said she took it easy because of sore hamstrings.

“I can go much, much faster,” she said.

Tonie Campbell of Ontario, Calif., the 1988 Olympic bronze medalist, pulled away to win the 110-meter hurdles in 13.54 seconds. NCAA champion Robert Reading of USC was a close second in 13.57.

Debbi Lawrence, the 1988 Olympic trials champion in the women’s 10-kilometer walk, won the event in 49:21.80.

In the 20-kilometer walk, Richard Quinn of San Francisco won in 1 hour 32 minutes 23 seconds.

Matt Scoggin of Austin, Tex., nailed his final two dives to win the 10-meter platform gold medal. Scoggin trailed Scott Donie of Houston by 24 points after eight dives, then received scores of 86.40 and 81.60 to finish with 581.85 points.

Donie was second.

The women’s platform championship went to Cokey Smith of Ann Arbor, Mich., her first victory in a national meet.

Bela Karolyi’s gymnasts took eight of 12 medals on the final day.

Kim Zmeskal, 13, of Houston, who won golds for the all-around and team competition Friday, got a gold and two silvers Sunday.

Amy Scherr, 14, of Cincinnati won the vault, and Erika Stokes, 13, won the balance beam.

Only 12-year-old Shannon Miller, of Edmond, Okla., broke up Karolyi’s Gymnastics’ dominance by winning the uneven bars.

“The flame is burning in gymnastics,” Karolyi said. “Fifteen and 16 are the best years for gymnastics. These kids will all be 15 and 15 1/2 (for the 1992 Olympics).”

Rowing gold medals were won by Allan Green of Barrington, R.I., in men’s single sculls; Linda Muri of Danielson, Conn., in women’s singles sculls; Tim Huller of King of Prussia, Pa., and Tom Ferlick of Wayne, Pa., in junior men’s doubles; Marty Patton of La Jolla and Megan Webster of Carlisle, Mass., in women’s lightweight doubles, and David Kosicz, now living in Canada, and Stefan Benton of Mill Valley, Calif., in men’s lightweight doubles.