Barnes Moves Center Stage to Get Record : Track and field: True to his word, he breaks world shotput mark on his second try with a throw of 75-10 1/4.

Sometimes when the stage is set for a world record performance, the show doesn’t live up to expectations.

Randy Barnes was concerned that the setting was too perfect for him to break the world record in the shotput Sunday at Jack in the Box Invitational at UCLA’s Drake Stadium.

Nonetheless, he did it on his second attempt, a throw of 75 feet 10 1/4 inches, breaking the world record of 75-8 set by East Germany’s Ulf Timmermann in 1988. Barnes earned $50,000.

“With all the press that was here and the coverage, the balloons and the money, you knew that the timing was right,” Barnes said. “But I figured everything was too perfect right now. I figured the pressure would be too great, or something would happen to screw it up.

“I’m not usually cynical like that, but it happened like it should. Everything was right and I was ready.”

Not only did Barnes, 23, break the world record, his series was the best ever: 71-10, 75-10 1/4, 73-11 3/4, 73-7 1/2, 73-3 1/2 and 74-8 1/4--an average of 73-10 3/4.

Barnes said he had his best opening throw.

Then, with the attention of the announced crowd of 5,672 centering on the shotput ring, with balloons bordering the area and a massive sign reading “75-8” planted in the landing zone, Barnes responded on his second try.

The 16-pound ball kicked up dirt near the wooden barrier at the end of the landing area that is estimated at 80 feet from the throwing ring.

“I thought it was farther than it was,” Barnes said, “but I didn’t want to get too excited too fast.”

Barnes had said earlier in the week that he was ready to set a world record, putting some pressure on himself.

He also said he had a “mind-blowing” throw while practicing at Fallbrook High. He wouldn’t reveal the distance at the time, but he said Sunday that his practice throw, even though he fouled doing it, was measured at 79-2 1/2.

As for his world record, Barnes said: “It didn’t feel like a dream throw. Technically, it wasn’t perfect. The release wasn’t as solid as I have felt in the past. I truly believe there was a chance to go farther.

“I felt so good. Usually my big ones come on my last throw, and I don’t have time to really enjoy them.

“Part of me wanted to pack it in, to enjoy the throw. Then I realized, ‘Don’t cut yourself short.’ My training has been so phenomenal that I wanted to jump on every throw I could.

“I still have that 79-2 looming over my head, so I know that there’s more. I want to take time to enjoy this, but I want to keep pushing for it. I have too much work under my belt.”

Barnes also broke the pending American record of 73-10 3/4, set by John Brenner in 1987; and surpassed the 75-foot throw by Brian Oldfield in 1975. That was an unofficial world and American record but wasn’t sanctioned because Oldfield was a professional.

“Brian has always been the best in my mind, so it feels like quite an accomplishment to surpass his mark,” Barnes said.

Barnes isn’t sure what he is going to do with his $50,000 bonus, out of which he will repay the $5,200 meet officials spent on insurance against a world record.

“I’m building a house in West Virginia, maybe I can use it on that, or check out a car,” Barnes said.

Barnes said he felt like a caged lion while sitting in his hotel room Saturday night.

“You know you’re ready and you’re not doing anything,” he said. “You’re just sitting there burning energy and wondering whether you had one too many practice throws. You want to get on with it.”

Other noteworthy performances Sunday:

--Roger Kingdom, the world record-holder and two-time Olympic gold medalist, won the 110-meter hurdles in 13.37 seconds in his 1990 outdoor debut.

--Joe Falcon, a former Arkansas star, pulled away from the field with 600 yards left in the mile and won in 3:56.22. Steve Scott, the American record-holder, was second in 3:57.32.

--PattiSue Plumer won the women’s mile in 4:29.54. Romania’s Paula Ivan, the world record-holder and 1988 Olympic 1,500-meter gold medalist at Seoul, was a struggling fifth in 4:38.56.

--Danny Everett, a former UCLA star, won the 400 meters in 44.72 and was timed in 45 flat for 440 yards, short of the world record of 44.5 set by John Smith, now a UCLA assistant track coach, in 1971.

Track Notes

Randy Barnes had a warmup throw Sunday of about 77 feet. His world record was the third set in the invitational meet. Others were Renaldo Nehemiah, 110-meter high hurdles, 13.00, 1979; and Tom Petranoff, javelin, 327-2, 1983. . . . Roger Kingdom was asked about a possible challenge from Tony Dees this year. Dees ran a wind-aided 13.09 in the 110-meter high hurdles at the recent Modesto Invitational. “I’m still No. 1-ranked in the world and the world record-holder. He has to come after me”, Kingdom said. . . . Joe Falcon, who won the mile, said his goal is to be ranked No. 1 in the United States in the 1,500 meters this year. He was ranked No. 3 in 1989. “I skipped the TAC (Athletics Congress) meet last year and that was a mistake,”he said. “I won’t do it this year.” . . . Danny Everett said his goal this year is to break 44 seconds in the 400 and 20 seconds in the 200.

MEN’S ALL-TIME SHOTPUT LIST

Mark Name Country Year 75-10 1/4 Randy Barnes United States 1990 75-8 Ulf Timmermann East Germany 1988 75-2 Alessandro Andrei Italy 1987 75-0 Brian Oldfield United States 1975 74-7 3/4 Werner Gunthor Switzerland 1988 74-3 1/2 Udo Beyer East Germany 1986 73-10 3/4 John Brenner United States 1987 72-11 3/4 Sergey Smirnov USSR 1986 72-6 1/4 Sergey Gavryushin USSR 1986 72-5 3/4 Sergey Kasnauskas USSR 1984 72-3i George Woods United States 1974 72-3 Dave Laut United States 1982 72-2 1/4 Aleksander Baryshnikov USSR 1976 72-0 3/4 Mikhail Kostin USSR 1986 71-11 1/2 Remigius Machura Czechoslovakia 1987 71-8 1/4 Terry Albritton United States 1976 71-7 1/4 Al Feuerbach United States 1973 71-5 1/2 Randy Matson United States 1967 71-4 3/4 Michael Carter United States 1984 71-4 Janis Bojars USSR 1984