Lister, Greer, Seaman break OT records; Clay wins decathlon

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Three Olympic Trials records, an upset in the decathlon, an amazing competition in the triple jump pit, two world-leading marks and an American junior record kept increasing the strength of Team USA for the Olympic Games as the 2004 Olympic Trials near their conclusion.

In one of the best and most exciting men's triple jump competitions in history, Melvin Lister led four men over the 57 foot mark, topped by his winning, Olympic Trials record of 17.78m/58-4. His jump beat the previous Olympic Trials record of 17.68m/58-0.5, set by Michael Conley in 1992, the year he wonthe Olympic gold medal in the event.

It stands as the best jump in the world so far in 2004 and is a gargantuan improvement over Lister's personal best heading into the Olympic Trials of 55-10.25, which he posted in 1999. It is more than two feet beyond the then-personal best of 17.08m/56-0.26 he jumped in Thursday's qualifying round and is more than two and a half feet better than the winning jump at the 2000 Olympic Trials, Robert Howard's 16.99m/55-9. Lister's achievement makes him the next in a long line of former Arkansas Razorbacks who have won the Olympic Trials triple jump, including Howard and Conley.

The 2000 NCAA champion in the triple jump and a 2000 Olympian in the long jump, Lister led after one round with his jump of 17.21m/56-5.75 - a personal best for him at the time. 2003 U.S. champion Kenta Bell was second at 17.07m/56-0, with 2003 world indoor silver medalist and 2000 Olympian Walter Davis third with a jump of 16.93m/55-6.5. The three men would play tug-of-war for the lead throughout the event.

Bell took the lead after the second round with 17.39m/57-0.75, with Lister second and Davis third. Davis moved into second after the third round with a jump of 17.38m/57-0.25, and the order remained Bell-Davis-Lister until the final round.

Round 6 brought the crowd to its feet, and the cheering twice delayed the start of the women's 400-meter final. Lister's 17.78m/58-4.0 gave him the win and the OT record, and Davis responded with his final mark of 17.63m/57-10.25 to place second. Bell also improved on his final jump, with 17.57m/57-8.25, to finish third. Also surpassing 57 feet was two-time U.S. indoor champion Tim Rusan with a mark of 17.57m/57-0.0; he had the unfortunate distinction of being the only person ever to jump a wind-legal, 57 feet but fail to make the Olympic Team. In 1988, a field that included Conley, 1988 gold medalist Al Joyner, then world-record-holder Willie Banks, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist Kenny Harrison featured seven men over 57 feet, but they benefited from a 5.2 meters-per-second wind.

Lister's was not the only record, or only excitement, at the Alex Spanos Sports Complex on Saturday.

The women's 400 meters provided a record book re-write. In a blazing race, 2000 Olympic Monique Hennagan had a dominant performance, winning in 49.56 seconds, the second-fastest time ever run at the Olympic Trials and the #2 time in the world this year. (Chandra Cheeseborough owns the OT record with 49.28 in 1984.) Placing second, Sanya Richards broke her own American junior record for the second time this week with her time of 49.89 seconds - the fourth-fastest time ever at the Olympic Trials. NCAA champion DeeDee Trotter was third in a personal best of 50.28 to complete a 1-3 sweep of personal bests.

Breaux Greer again demonstrated his dominance in the men's javelin, throwing his way onto the Olympic Team and into the record books. The 2000 Olympian won his fifth U.S. title and second Olympic Trials crown with his first throw of 82.39m/270-4, breaking the Olympic Trials record of 81.86m/268-7 held by Todd Reich since 1996 . Brian Chaput finished second at 79.81m/261-10, with Leigh Smith third at 78.38/250-7. Only Greer has the Olympic A standard necessary to compete in Athens; Chaput and Smith will have until August 9 to meet the standard of 81.80m/268-4.

Bryan Clay scored an upset in the decathlon, proving that he is a legitimate gold-medal threat in Athens by winning with a personal-best 8,660 points. Defending Olympic Trials and world outdoor champion Tom Pappas was second with 8,517, and Paul Terek was third with a personal-best 8,312. Completing the longest-lived decathlon career in history, 39-year-old Kip Janvrin placed 12^th with 7,510 points in his 86^th decathlon competition over the course of 22 years - 15 of those as a national-class decathlete.

The 2004 world indoor silver medalist in the heptathlon, Clay trailed Pappas by just three points

entering Saturday's second day of competition. Clay and Pappas ran identical times of 14.23 seconds in the day's first event, the 110-meter hurdles. Clay then moved seven points past Pappas by throwing the discus 52.10m/170-11, while Pappas threw 46.80m/153-6.

Clay extended his lead after the pole vault, clearing 5.10m/16-8.75 to Pappas' 5.00m/16-4.75, giving him a lead of 7,271 points to Pappas' 7,133 after eight events. Clay pulled even further ahead with a personal best javelin throw of 68.36m/224-3, totaling 8,125 points entering the final event, the 1,500 meters. Pappas trailed after a throw of 60.75m/199-4, with 7,882 points, all but ensuring Clay would win. Pappas closed the gap after the 1,500 meters, running 4:47.38 to Clay's 5:06.18, but Clay had put too much distance on Pappas over the course of the competition.

Tim Seaman won his fourth U.S. title and second consecutive Olympic Trials win in the men's 20,000m race walk Saturday morning. The seven-time U.S. indoor 3,000m race walk champion and 20 km American record holder finished in 1:25:40 to lead an Olympic contingent that also will include second-place finisher John Nunn (1:26:23) and Kevin Eastler (1:28.49). Seaman's time broke his own Olympic Trials record from 2000 by 1 second and added another feather to his race walking cap.

Qualifying rounds update - M&W 200m, M110mH; W100mH

In the men's 200-meter heats, all the favorites had moved easily through the quarterfinal round at noon on Saturday, with Bernard Williams running the fastest time of the round with 20.07. It was business as usual once again in the semifinal round later in the day as Shawn Crawford topped the list of qualifiers for Sunday's final with his time of 20.00. Among those advancing were 2003 world champion John Capel, 2003 world outdoor silver medalist Darvis Patton, NCAA 100m champion Tyson Gay and 100m Olympic Trials runner-up Justin Gatlin.

2003 world outdoor silver medalist Torri Edwards had the fastest time in the women's 200m semifinal round with her winning time of 22.38 in heat 1. American junior record holder Allyson Felix won the second heat in 22.70, with La'Shaunte'a Moore taking the third heat in 22.63. Marion Jones withdrew from the 200 due to fatigue.

The first two rounds of the men's 110-meter hurdles were relatively uneventful. Two-time Olympic medalist Mark Crear had the fastest time of the first round with 13.50. In the quarterfinals, four-time world champion and 1996 Olympic gold medalist Allen Johnson led the way into Sunday's semifinals (to be followed by the final) with his time of 13.25. In the women's 100-meter hurdle quarterfinals, 2003 Pan Am Games 400m hurdles gold medalist Joanna Hayes led all qualifiers with a time of 12.67. American record holder Gail Devers won her heat in the #2 time of 12.79.

In exhibition events, Royal Mitchell won the blind Paralympic men's 100 meters (11.18), Brian Frasure won the men's 100-meter Para-Amputee in 11.34, Rose Monday won the masters women's 800m (2:14.62), Tony Young won the masters men's 800m (1:54.39), Khrystal Carter won the girls' intermediate (15-16) 200 meters in 24.40, and Devin Mayes won the intermediate boys' 200 in 22.01.

The 2004 Olympic Trials conclude Sunday with finals in the women's 20 km race walk, women's pole vault, men's discus, men's high jump, men's and women's 1,500m, men's 110m hurdles, women's 100m hurdles, and men's and women's 200m.

The top three finishers in each event at the Olympic Trials who have met the Olympic "A" standard are named to the U.S. Olympic Team for Athens.

For results athlete quotes, posted live during competition, visit the Olympic Trials section at www.usatf.org. The USATF Web site also includes a list of all athletes who have achieved the Olympic "A" qualifying standard and full start lists for Saturday's competition.