Jacobs, Drossin Double Their Chances for Sydney

Regina Jacobs of Oakland and Deena Drossin of Alamosa, Colo., might not run in the women’s 5,000 meters in the Olympic Games in Sydney, but they put on a heck of a show in the event in the U.S. Olympic track and field trials at Cal State Sacramento on Friday night.

Jacobs, a 1981 graduate of what is now Campbell Hall High, followed Drossin’s stiff pace for the first 3,600 meters before surging into the lead and finishing in a U.S. record time of 14:45.35.

Drossin placed second in 15:11.55.

Jacobs eclipsed her previous national record of 14:52.49 set in 1998 with her second victory of the Olympic trials. She won the 1,500 in 4:01.01 Sunday.

“She ran a great race,” said Drossin, a 1991 graduate of Agoura High. “I tried to make it a strong pace from the start, but I didn’t have it out there. I felt the 10,000 in my legs once the race got under way.”

Drossin won the 10,000 in a career-best and meet-record 31:51.05 on July 14, but she couldn’t break away from Jacobs. Drossin came through 1,000 meters in 2:57.9, 2,000 in 5:54.6 and 3,000 in 8:59.5, but Jacobs was right behind her.

Jacobs moved alongside Drossin with 1,600 meters left before surging into the lead with a 1,400 to go.

She ran her last 1,600 in 4:32.5, her final 800 in 2:11.9 and her last 400 in 64.4.

Jacobs, Drossin and third-place Elva Dryer, who ran 15:12.07, qualified for the Olympic team. Jacobs hasn’t decided if she will run the 5,000 in Sydney and Drossin said she is leaning toward running only the 10,000.

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Avery Anderson’s bid to make his first Olympic team in the third decathlon of his career evaporated in the final two events when he dropped from third to seventh.

The volunteer assistant at Cal State Northridge moved into third place after clearing 14-9 in the pole vault but dropped to fourth after throwing the javelin 154-11. He finished seventh with 7,692 points after clocking 5:11.53 in the 1,500.

Anderson, competing in his third decathlon since taking up the event last year, began the day in fourth place and remained there after running 14.25--fastest time of the day--in the 110 high hurdles and throwing the discus 133-5.

He moved up a spot in the pole vault when he tied his career best.

Tom Pappas, 1999 NCAA champion for Tennessee, placed first with a career-best 8,467 points.