Prodigious leap world ‘sea-level’ record

Press, 30 July 1980, Page 34

Prodigious leap world ‘sea-level’ record

NZPA-Reuter Moscow The extraordinary world long jump record- of the American Bob Beamon remained firmly on its pedestal last night in spite of the achievement of what many are calling the world “sea-level” record. Lutz Dombrowski of East Germany lunged out 8.54 metres to claim the Olympic gold medal but his leap fell far short of the prodigious 8.90 m Beamon flew in the ratified air of the Mexico Olympics in 1968.

"I don’t think Beamon’s record is eternal” said Dombrowski later “but I don’t think it will be me who breaks it.”

The East German beat the previous best “sea level” record of 8.52 m jumped by the American sensation Larry Myricks in the World Cup at Montreal last year. Dombrowski’s leap was among the best of achievements on a quiet night of track -and field at the Lenin Stadium. The main finals contested were the men’s 200-

metres final — where Italy’s Pietro Mennea de* nied Alan Wells of Britain the sprint double — and the women’s 400 m where the East German Marita Koch showed that East German women are not much slower than Western men when she recorded 48.885.

Leaving the rest of her rivals running for the silver the time was still 0.28 slower than the world record she set in Turin last year. The men’s 400 m developed another stage with

still no obvious pointer about whether the Cuban Alberto Juantorena will retain his Olympic title or who will succeed succeed him.

Juantorena who dropped out of defending his 800 m title because of injuries which plagued his preparation for the Games qualified for the final in a leisurely 45.95 s and a third place.

But the man the Australians say is a gold medal chance Rick Mitchell believes that Juantorena was “struggling a bit.”

A struggle for Juantorena however is just about a life or death battle for anyone else.

Mitchell die Commonwealth and Australian champion who finished sixth behind the Cuban in Montreal qualified in a second-place time of 45.485. Inevitably at these dwindled games the East German names need careful thought and Frank Schaffer wearing the blue vest of the G.D.R. qualified in 45.475. The men’s 5000 metres heats without the two-

time champion Lasse Viren produced no surprises and to underline his superiority the Ethiopian Mirutes Yifter sneaked a heat win when he did not really need to. Yifter looks a “dead cert” to take over from Viren as the 5000 m and 10000 m double champion but Dave Moorcroft of Britain — the man who trains and teaches in Hamilton every year — could loom as a threat. (Olympic report Page 19)