U.S. OLYMPIC FESTIVAL LOS ANGELES 1991 : CYCLING : Arrue Wins Men’s Sprint, Vows to Ride in Havana

Marcello Arrue of Van Nuys is going to the Pam American Games next week in Havana.

No matter what.

Arrue, who won the gold medal in the men’s match sprint Saturday night in the U.S. Olympic Festival competition at the Cal State Dominguez Hills Velodrome, said as much after his victory.

Arrue, 28, defeated Bart Bell of La Mesa, 2-0, in a best-of-three series.

But Arrue was not invited to join the U.S. team in Havana. The decision, which will officially be announced Monday, was made by U.S. Cycling Federation coaches.

They are taking America’s top junior, Bill Clay, instead of the veteran Arrue, who finished fifth at the national championships last week.

Arrue, however, holds a Chilean passport, and said he will represent Chile in Cuba if not the United States.

“If the U.S. doesn’t think I’m ready, I’ll race for Chile,” he said. “It won’t do me any good to stay in California. I want to be up there. This is what my life is about.”

One motivator for Arrue is the fact that his father, Juan, won a bronze in the Pan American Games as a junior rider for Chile.

The younger Arrue thought he would be invited after America’s top sprinter, Ken Carpenter, declined an invitation, and Paul Swift, another outstanding sprinter, was injured.

Marty Nothsein, who was third at the nationals, was given the first spot by virtue of his national placing.

“It’s not all speed,” Arrue said of the federation decision. “A lot has to do with how you ride.”

Arrue was one of five champions crowned Saturday night before 3,200 at the Velodrome.

Renee Duprel, the national champion and 1990 silver medalist, easily won the gold in the women’s match sprint.

Duprel, 25, of La Mesa, was training through the Festival in preparation fo the World Championships.

Sunne Pollart of Mercer Island, Wash., edged Katie Horton of Playa del Rey in the women’s 3,000-meter pursuit championship. It was the most exciting race of the night as Pollart won by 0.03 seconds.

“I knew it was really close, I could see the lights going off (signifying the leader after each lap), but I couldn’t tell who was in first,” Pollart said.

“It was the closest ride I’ve been in.”

Horton finished in a strong headwind and was unable to gain enough momentum to secure the victory.

“I was too chicken to look across the track to see where she was,” Horton said.

“But I’d gun it and she was still there. It was a fun race.”

In the men’s 4,000 pursuit, Chris Petty of Champaign, Ill., won the gold by defeating Andreas Eulate of Los Altos.