Dragila Hits New Heights in Vault and With Fans

Stacy Dragila, who won the first women’s Olympic pole vault gold medal at Sydney, has raised her world indoor record on three successive weekends, including twice Saturday.

Dragila cleared 15 feet 3 1/2 inches, then 15-5 (4.7 meters) at USA Track and Field’s Golden Spike tour meet in Pocatello, Idaho.

She began her record run by clearing 4.63 meters (15 feet 2 1/4 inches) at the Millrose Games at New York Feb. 2. She cleared 4.65 meters (about 15-3) competing unattached at a college meet in Pocatello Feb. 9. None of the records have been ratified by the International Amateur Athletic Federation, but that process can take up to a year.

Svetlana Feofanova of Russia cleared 4.54 meters last weekend in Dortmund, Germany, also pending ratification.

Dragila’s progress is impressive for a woman who once was scared to leave terra firma.

“I wasn’t huge on gymnastics, and to be upside down and to maneuver around was really frightening for me,” she said recently. “That took time to get used to. And it took time to build up some upper-body strength and just be physically fit for the whole process. Being a heptathlete, the pole vault intrigued me. I was well-rounded that way, but pole vault brings different elements and different maneuvers that I don’t think you do in any other area.”

Unlike most Sydney medalists, Dragila has an active indoor schedule. The price of fame--she has appeared on TV game shows and talk shows and is in demand for speeches--may cost her some practice time, but she’s focused on clearing 16 feet. She said she has vaulted 15-8 in practice.

“It’s important to get started toward that next goal that we put out there,” she said, referring to herself and her coach, Dave Nielsen. “I’ve come real close to 16 feet, and I want to get out there and I want to prove women can jump it.

“A lot of people were skeptical we could jump 15, let alone 14. I have a great coach in my corner and I think if I stay healthy, 16 feet will come indoors. It’s a matter of me becoming technically sound.”

Her Sydney triumph has brought her legions of young, female e-mail pen pals. She enjoys the correspondence, although she’s baffled by their admiration.

“I don’t feel I’m at that level,” she said. “I want to say, ‘I’m like you!’

“It’s fun. I remember where I came from and I think it’s important to think that way. . . . The next four years are going to be amazing. This is going to be a big growth sport. I think girls are starting younger--I didn’t start until I was 23--and the younger they start, the better their technique can be. Girls that outgrow gymnastics, who get too tall and finally grow into their bodies, now they have an alternative sport to go into, because pole vaulting brings so much from gymnastics, like skill, strength and spatial awareness.”

EARLY CZECH OUT

The Czech Republic, the defending men’s Olympic hockey gold medalist, got a jump on its Salt Lake City rivals last week by announcing the first eight players on its roster.

Forwards Jaromir Jagr and Martin Straka of Pittsburgh, forwards Petr Sykora and Patrik Elias of New Jersey, winger Martin Rucinsky of Montreal, winger Milan Hejduk of Colorado and goalie Dominik Hasek of Buffalo weren’t surprising, but Tampa Bay defenseman Petr Svoboda was. He played well for the Czechs at Nagano in 1998 but is fading and has suffered from post-concussion syndrome this season.

Teams aren’t required to announce their first eight players until March 25, but Wayne Gretzky, executive director of Team Canada, indicated he will disclose his choices earlier. Team USA is likely to coordinate its announcement with Canada’s for maximum publicity, probably in early March.

“We’re still debating and discussing,” said U.S. Coach Herb Brooks, who will choose the team with General Manager Craig Patrick and associate GM Larry Pleau. “Skating and speed are going to be high priorities. If you can’t move on the big rink, you’re in trouble.”

Brooks said the U.S. list won’t be predicated on others’ picks.

“We want the best athletes we can get,” he said. “We have to be like a great basketball team: When you have the ball, you do something with it. When you don’t, you have to get it back. All our guys have to be able to do something with the puck and do the best you can without it.”

Brooks also said he’s unsure if he will roll four lines or go with three and create a high-energy fourth line that would be spotted in situations such as after a successful penalty kill.

The initial U.S. picks probably won’t include a goaltender because Brooks, Patrick and Pleau are monitoring New York Ranger goalie Mike Richter’s recovery from knee problems. When he’s fit, his good lateral movement makes him ideal for international-sized rinks, which are 15 feet wider than NHL rinks.

Here’s an idea of how each team’s first eight might look:

United States--Forwards Keith Tkachuk and Jeremy Roenick of Phoenix, center Mike Modano of Dallas, center Doug Weight of Edmonton, wingers Tony Amonte of Chicago and Bill Guerin of Edmonton and defenseman Brian Leetch of the New York Rangers are locks. The eighth player could be Philadelphia winger John LeClair, still recovering from back surgery and a subsequent infection, or Dallas winger Brett Hull. Colorado center Chris Drury ranks high too. King center-winger Bryan Smolinski and defenseman Mathieu Schneider will be considered later.

Canada--Defensemen Chris Pronger of St. Louis and Rob Blake of the Kings, forwards Joe Sakic of Colorado, Paul Kariya of the Mighty Ducks and Theo Fleury of the Rangers and goalie Martin Brodeur of New Jersey are automatic. Detroit captain Steve Yzerman may be picked for his leadership and teammate Brendan Shanahan for his strength and scoring. Philadelphia centers Simon Gagne and Patrick Marleau have speed, creativity and youth, which Canada lacked at Nagano in 1998. Mario Lemieux’s recent back problems are worrisome, so he might not be in the first group.

Sweden--Forwards Peter Forsberg of Colorado, Markus Naslund of Vancouver, Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa and Mats Sundin of Toronto, defensemen Niclas Lidstrom of Detroit, Mattias Ohlund of Vancouver and Marcus Ragnarsson of San Jose, and goalie Tommy Salo of Edmonton boast skill, speed and scoring galore.

Finland--Forwards Teemu Selanne of the Ducks, Jere Lehtinen of Dallas, Saku Koivu of Montreal, Sami Kapanen of Carolina, defensemen Janne Niinimaa of Edmonton, Kimmo Timonen of Nashville and Teppo Numminen and Jyrki Lumme of Phoenix have speed but not much size. Mobile defense is a big plus.

Russia--Forwards Pavel Bure of Florida, Alexei Yashin of Russia, Alexei Kovalev of Pittsburgh, Alexander Mogilny of New Jersey, Sergei Fedorov of Detroit, Alexei Zhamnov of Chicago and defensemen Oleg Tverdovsky of the Ducks and Alex Zhitnik of Buffalo are a formidable core. Boston winger Sergei Samsonov or Dallas defenseman Sergei Zubov could crash that group.

FROM SKI TO SHINING SKI

Janica Kostelic, who won seven consecutive World Cup downhills and leads the women’s overall standings, may retire at the end of the season, according to her father, Ante.

He told the Croatian newspaper Vejsnik his daughter, who was a disappointing fifth in the slalom and fell in the combined at the World Championships, plans to go to school.

“She said that she would like to finish school and then enroll into college to study physical education because she is no longer happy and would like to have friends that she has never had the chance to meet due to her ski career,” he said.

However, Vedren Pavlek, head of the Croatian ski federation, believes the teenage sensation was still upset over her performance at the World Championships.

“That statement was impulsive,” Pavlek said, “and I’m sure that the trademark smile on Janica’s face as she comes down the slopes cannot be taken off so easily. Janica skis all four disciplines and she is under mounting pressure from all sides who want a piece of her. I’m sure, though, that she won’t quit. She loves it too much.”

HERE AND THERE

Marla Runyan, eighth in the 1,500 at Sydney, is positioned to break the U.S. women’s indoor record in the 5,000-meter run today in New York. There will be only four competitors, and the other three will drop out by 3,000 meters. The race is part of the New York Road Runners Club’s Record Challenge Series. Runyan will chase Lynn Jennings’ record of 15 minutes 22.64 seconds at the rarely contested distance. The world record is 14:47.35 by Gabriela Szabo of Romania.

France’s men’s hockey team qualified for the Salt Lake City Games by defeating Denmark in a qualifying tournament. France, Belarus, Ukraine and Switzerland advance to the Olympic preliminary round as a group, as do Austria, Latvia, Germany and Slovakia. One team from each group will advance to play the six “hockey powers” that have received byes--Canada, the U.S., Russia, Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic.

In women’s qualifying, Kazakhstan and Germany won Olympic berths. Kazakhstan, Canada, Sweden and Russia will be in one group, with the U.S., Germany, Finland and China in the other.

The Greek government began putting out bids last week for construction of an Olympic village for more than 17,000 athletes and officials for the 2004 Athens Games. Construction is behind on several venues.

“There is no more time for delay,” International Olympic Committee Vice President Jacques Rogge said. Despite the problems, he said the Games won’t be moved.

An IOC delegation will visit Beijing on Tuesday, prompting city officials to dye lawns green and clean up streets. Beijing; Paris; Toronto; Osaka, Japan; and Istanbul, Turkey; are the finalists to host the 2008 Summer Games. A decision will be made in July.

Only 355 days until the Salt Lake City Winter Games.