Records equalled in 100 and 800 metres

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32958, 3 July 1972, Page 22

Records equalled in 100 and 800 metres

(N. Z.P. A. -Reuter—Copyright) EUGENE (Oregon). World records in the 100 metres and 800 metres were equalled at the week-end in the United States Olympic trials.

E. Hart won the 100 metres in 99sec, officially matching the record set by J. Hines, R. R. Smith, and C. Greene, of the United States, at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. In the 800 metres, D. Wottle clocked Imin 44.35ec, equalling the record shared by P. Snell (New Zealand) and R. Doubell (Australia). Wottle came from behind with 100 metres to go to beat J. Ryun, the world 880 yards record-holder, who finished fourth, and thus failed to win an Olympic place. In the 100 metres, R. Robinson also ran 9.9 sec, but was placed second to Hart in a photo-finish. R. Taylor was third in lOsec. More than 600 athletes are competing for the 66 places in the United States Olympic team for the Games at Munich this year. Saturday was the third day

in the 10 days of trials, but the first day on which finals were held. There had been concern about the wind at Oregon’s Hayward Stadium track. Gusts early in the day later dropped below the Olympic disqualifying speed of two metres a second.

In the discus throw, the world record-holder, J. Silvester was first with a throw of 211 ft 2in. Second was J. Powell, 204 ft lOin, and T. Vollmer third, with 202 ft. In the 20 kilometres walk, L. Young was first in one hour 35min 56.45ec, G. Klopfer was second, with Ihr 38min 3sec, and T. Dooley third, with Ihr 39min lOsec. In the triple jump, J. Craft won with the longest jump ever made by an American athlete—s6ft 2in. D. Smith was second, with 56ft, and A. Walker third, with 55ft lin.