Miler Webb Runs 3:53.43, Breaks Ryun’s Prep Mark

Not since Jim Ryun was running during the 1960s has America seen a miler with the potential of Alan Webb.

On Sunday, the unassuming 18-year-old senior from South Lakes High in Reston, Va., outdid Ryun, considered the greatest miler in U.S. history.

Competing against some of the world’s best milers, including world record-holder and Olympic 1,500-meter silver medalist Hicham El Guerrouj, the teenager put on a show worthy of an international star.

Capped by a blistering 55-second final lap, Webb finished fifth in the Prefontaine Classic at 3 minutes 53.43 seconds at Eugene, Ore.

The time eclipsed Ryun’s scholastic record of 3:55.3 set in 1965 at San Diego.

Webb, who became the first American high school student to run a sub-four-minute mile indoors earlier this year with 3:59.86 at New York, was the fourth to do it outdoors, joining Ryun, Tim Danielson and Marty Liquori. Liquori was the last to do it, in 1967.

Webb said he was hoping to run 3:55. “I wanted that high school record,” he said.

El Guerrouj won in 3 minutes 49.92 seconds, breaking the U.S. all-comers’ record of 3:50.86 set by Noureddine Morceli of Algeria at Atlanta in 1996.

While the mile overshadowed all the other events, there were some other good performances.

The biggest was the victory by Patrick Jarrett of Jamaica over Maurice Greene in the 100.

Jarrett was timed in a wind-aided 9.89--the fastest in the world this year under any conditions. Greene finished third at 9.92, the same time as runner-up Tim Montgomery.

Deloreen Ennis-London of Jamaica upset U.S. record-holder Gail Devers in the 100 hurdles at 12.68.

Marion Jones won the 200 meters in a wind-aided 22.26.

Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic set a world record in the decathlon in Goetzis, Austria, becoming the first to break the 9,000-point barrier. Sebrle finished with 9,026 points and beat the mark of 8,994 set by compatriot Tomas Dvorak in 1999.

Golf

Carin Koch of Sweden rallied past Mhairi McKay and Maria Hjorth, shooting a six-under-par 66 to win the Corning Classic at Corning, N.Y., by two strokes for her first LPGA victory.

The win made Koch the 13th foreign-born winner in 15 LPGA events this year.

J.J. Henry and Frank Lickliter shared the lead at 16-under when play was suspended because of rain in the final round of the Kemper Insurance Open at Potomac, Md.

Play was stopped with Henry on the 15th hole and Lickliter on the 10th green. Bradley Hughes was four strokes back at 12 under through nine holes.

Soccer

China, led by former U.S. coach Bora Milutinovic, advanced to the finals of Asian qualifying for next year’s World Cup by beating Indonesia, 2-0, at Jakarta, Indonesia.

Bai Jie deflected a corner kick by Mia Hamm in stoppage time for her second goal of the game, leading the Washington Freedom to a 2-1 victory over the New York Power in a WUSA game at Uniondale, N.Y. Hamm’s only appearance in New York drew a capacity crowd of 9,969.

In other WUSA action, Laurie Schwoy scored on a header in the 83rd minute to lead the Philadelphia Charge to a 3-2 win over the Boston Breakers before 6,128 at Boston. . . . Charmaine Hooper scored in the 12th minute as the Atlanta Beat took over first place in the league with a 1-0 victory over the Bay Area CyberRays before 7,293 at San Jose.

Miscellany

A group of Reno-Tahoe officials will submit a bid to host the Winter Olympics in 2014 or 2018.

Jerry Cail, chairman of the Nevada Commission on Sports, said his group will submit a bid to the U.S. Olympic Committee in 2003 after conducting a feasibility study.

Brian Vahaly of Virginia and Matias Boeker of Georgia advanced to the NCAA men’s tennis final at Athens, Ga. Vahaly beat Al Gardner of Pepperdine, 6-4, 6-0, and Boeker beat Guilaume Legat of South Carolina, 6-2, 6-2.

Chad Carvin won the 1,500-meter freestyle at Speedo Grand Challenge at Heritage Aquatics Park in Irvine.

Carvin won the 1,500 in 15:43.05, more than 12 seconds ahead of second place Ryan Lean.

Three women set meet records Sunday. Kristen Caverly won the 200 breaststroke in 2:31.72, Andrienne Binder swam an 8:48.28 in the 800 freestyle and Colleen Lanne broke the 100 freestyle record in 56.32.