ARCADIA INVITATIONAL TRACK AND FIELD MEET : Miller Overcomes a Bad Start, Freshman to Win Sprint Titles

For two years, Inger Miller of Pasadena Muir battled two-time state sprint champion Angela Burnham of Oxnard Rio Mesa in the Arcadia Invitational track and field meet.

In 1988, as a sophomore Miller gained recognition by finishing second to Burnham in the girls’ 100 and 200 meters and last season, she became known nationally in splitting sprint wins with her Rio Mesa rival.

With Burnham now a UCLA freshman, Miller had to face a new Rio Mesa sprinter in freshman sensation Marion Jones Saturday in the 23rd Arcadia Invitational.

On a chilly windy night, the 5-foot-5 Miller had to come-from-behind in both sprints to defeat the taller but younger Jones.

In the 100 meters, Miller had to overcome a bad start and a strong mid-race burst by Jones to win in a time of 11.71 to Jones’ 11.78.

“I was left behind at the start and I had to catch up in the last 30 meters,” Miller said, who also anchored Muir’s winning 400-meter relay team, which established a national-leading mark of 46.07. “It was really close there at the end.”

In the 200 meters the matchup was even closer, as a determined Jones attacked the first 75 meters to open up a five-meter lead. However, Miller was able to catch Jones at the finish and win in a meet record of 23.57, the fastest time in the nation this season.

“In the 100, I thought I had her but somehow she snuck up on me and won,” said Jones, whose time of 23.80 is a national record for 14-year-olds. “(In the 200), I knew she would be there, so I just tried to hold her off but I think her experience helped her.”

For Miller, the matchups with Jones brought up memories of her first meetings with Burnham.

“This is just like when I was in 10th grade and I lost two close races to Angela (Burnham),” said Miller, who was named the girls’ outstanding meet performer.

Whereas Miller and Jones dueled in the girls’ sprints, Donovan Burks of Los Angeles Washington and Andre Green of Long Beach Poly exchanged victories in the boys’ 100 and 200.

Burks, the defending city sprint champion, won the 100 in 10.85, and Green, who finished second in the 100, won the 200 in 21.43.

Other meet highlights:

Brent Noon of Fallbrook, boys’ outstanding performer of the meet, won the discus (192-11) and shot put (71-4 1/4).

Lamont Warren of Dorsey, who won the 400 meters (47.51) and anchored the Dons’ winning 1,600-meter relay team.

Jerome Price of San Diego University, who leaped a wind-aided 25-8 1/2 in the long jump, best in the nation this season.

Coley Candaele of Carpinteria, who defeated a strong field in the 800 meters in a time of 1:51.19, also a national best.

Andy Maris of White River, Wash., who outkicked Brian Dameworth of Agoura to win the 3,200 meters in 8:53.78, another 1990 best.

Melissa Weis of Bakersfield, who won the shotput in a national-best 169-9.

Juliana Yendork of Walnut, the national indoor triple jump record holder, won her specialty with wind-aided leap of 40-7, tops in the nation.

Twila Sims of Lompoc, defending state 300-meter hurdles champion, won her event in national-best 42.56.

Kim Toney of Atascadero in the 800 meters (2:12.06); Karen Hecox of South Hills in the 1,600 meters (4:52.04.); Becky Spies of Livermore in the 3,200 meters (10:36.56). All are national bests.