Speed At Any Age

by Jon Hendershott

Walnut, California, April 16-17

Speed both old and young highlighted the 35th edition of the Mt. San Antonio College Relays.

The veterans were ably represented by everyone's favorite evergreen sprinter, 31-year-old Carl Lewis. The Great One blazed the homestraight in Hilmer Lodge Stadium to cap the stellar 38.00 effort by his Santa Monica TC team in the featured 4 x 100.

Just as capable in her role as leader of the youth brigade was 20-year-old Inger Miller, who sped 11.11 for her fastest 100 ever by 0.05.

The USC junior returned less than an hour later to burn even brighter over 200 as she slashed her PR by 0.59 with an unexpected 22.33--and ran herself into the favorite's slot for both NCAA sprints.

The veterans got the first opportunity to brighten the overcast Saturday for some 9000 fans. Lewis & Co. had opened their outdoor campaign at Texas Southern in late March with a 39.09 as Seoul 200 champ Joe DeLoach handled leadoff chores.

At Mt. SAC, Floyd Heard assumed starting duties, while second man Leroy Burrell, far-curve specialist Michael Marsh and anchorman Lewis remained in their slots.

This race was far from a gimme, as the SMTC had to scrap for every smidgen of the 2m Lewis ultimately enjoyed over Ray Stewart. The Jamaican anchored the 38.37 by an all-star Commonwealth team.

Heard's solid opener was matched by rocket-starting Jon Drummond of Nike International-LA. Then Burrell bulled down the backstraight, battling British hurdler Tony Jarrett and none other than Olympic 400 champ Quincy Watts for Nike.

Burrell and Marsh pushed deep into the exchange zone on their pass, but Brit John Regis got the stick a fraction of a second behind. Marsh picked up a couple of feet before churning the turn and opening a full meter lead over Regis. A perfectly timed final pass between Marsh and Lewis added another meter to the margin.



Lewis' high knee-lift carried Santa Monica across the finish to the No.12 U.S. clocking ever. Behind Stewart, Dennis Mitchell just held 3rd (38.77) for Campbell-Wells (headed by coaches-managers Tony Campbell and Charlie Wells) ahead of Nike LA's Jason Rouser (38.79).

Of the dozen times in U.S. history at 38.00 or faster, Lewis has anchored 11.

"Nope, no way," replied Lewis when asked if he expected the team to run this fast this early in the season. "I think we got in shape too early last year, by about four weeks.

"So we moved our training back this year, which is why Leroy and Floyd weren't that sharp indoors. We expected to win today, but maybe around 38.4. We're very surprised."

The same quartet ran 37.97 here last year, with Marsh starting and Heard handling the third stint. Lewis had special praise for Marsh's adaptability: "It's been an adjustment for Mike since Leroy and I get out differently.

"Leroy bolts out and accelerates quicker than I do. I go out slower, then explode about five strides into the zone. But once we were able to go through it a few times in practice, both Mike and Floyd were able to adjust.

"We feel that when we're at our best, no one on earth runs as smoothly through the zones as we do. You could see it today."

Miller gave everyone plenty to see. After a slow start in the 100, the 5-4/120 youngster exploded and left Wendy Vereen back at 11.31. The women were aided by a faint 0.9 wind.

However, it was Miller's 200 that really opened eyes. Running in lane 8, she came off the turn ahead of Dannette Young and simply ran away from the Olympian (22.63), Vereen (22.63, a PR by 0.30) and Michelle Finn (23.03).




Said the bubbly Miller of her strong moves in both races, "It was more evident in the 100. In the 200, I sneaked a look to my left and saw a shadow. I thought, 'How can she be here already? I've got to run!' "

Also confirming his big-time talent was men's 100 winner Daniel Effiong. The Central Arizona find enhanced his reputation with a 10.13 dash to easily outrun Jeff Laynes (10.24) and Stewart (10.24).

The Nigerian later was upset in the 200 by Dean Capobianco. The Aussie sped 20.39 to win by 0.08, running -- as Miller did -- from lane 8.

Effiong's Central Arizona teammates scored a 3:04.54 win in the 4 x 400 ahead of Arkansas (3:04.80). Nike LA planned to run a marquee foursome of Rouser, Watts, Kevin Young and Michael Johnson, but Watts felt a slight twinge in his groin after the 200 (6th in 20.96) and the team had to scratch.

Larry Myricks, now 36, returned for another season of long jumping, but had to defer to youth as he placed 3rd in 25-11 (7.90). Winning with a come-from-behind final effort, Nebraska frosh Robert Thomas uncorked a 26-9 (8.15).

The long runs featured smaller fields than past years, but saw Joe Falcon lend credibility to his plans to move up to 10,000. His 28:21.24, a career-best by more than 13 seconds, handily topped the field.

Trina Painter also scored a PR at 10,000, her 32:19.79 winning by nearly a half-lap and making her the No.14 American ever.


From Track & Field News
June, 1993