U.S. OLYMPIC FESTIVAL : Terrell Jumps the Gun to Win Record Medal

First scandal of the 1990 U.S. Olympic Festival uncovered:

El Toro’s Jim Terrell becomes the festival’s all-time medals leader with 23 . . . and admits he cheated to get there!

“We tried to purposely false start,” said Terrell after he and partner Wyatt Jones placed second in the 500-meter two-man canoe sprint Sunday evening at Lake Elmo. “Usually the starter says, ‘Attention, please’ and then there’s a gun, anywhere from one to two seconds later. We needed a quick start, so I told Wyatt to go as soon as he said, ‘Attention . . . ‘ “

And so they did. It was the edge Terrell and Wyatt believed they needed to stay close to Dave and Fred Spaulding, the heavy favorites and eventual winners.

“Technically, it’s a false start if you go before the gun,” Terrell said. “But the starter’s got to watch nine boats. If it’s blatant, you get called for it. But there’s a way to do it and not get caught.

“As soon as he said, ‘puh . . . ‘ our paddles were in the water. I think we got a stroke in before the gun went off.”

Terrell could grin about it because he got away with it. The Spaulding brothers won the gold, but not after a strong challenge from Terrell and Wyatt. The Spauldings crossed the finish at 1:54.65; Terrell and Wyatt at 1:54.97.

The silver medal was a record 23rd medal for Terrell, 25, competing in his ninth festival. Earlier Sunday, Terrell won the 500-meter one-man canoe sprint (2:06.24), which momentarily tied him with gymnast Scott Johnson, who also won 22 festival medals.

By Terrell’s count, he now owns 13 gold medals, seven silver and three bronze. His first came in 1981 at Syracuse, N.Y., although he won a silver in a juniors event in 1979 at Colorado Springs, Colo., that isn’t included among his official total.

“Someone told me (Saturday) that I had a chance at the record,” Terrell said. “I was surprised it was only 22. I figured there’d been some speed skater who’d been around for years winning eight medals a year.”

But today, Terrell stands alone, at the ripe old age of 25. “I was 14 at my first festival,” he said. “I got an early start, I guess.”

That wouldn’t be the last time.