The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 71, No. 55, Ed. 1, Tuesday, April 24, 1984 Page: 3 of 6
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Optim!ittaesday april"24 19841
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The shot heard 'round the world in
July 1994 will be fired from the starter's
gun beginning the first event of the
XXIII Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Families across the globe will gather
near televisions for 1G days cheering as
their favorite athletes compete. In the
United States an estimated 200 million
people will be watching the games on
the nation's 135 million televisions.
The dream of participating in the
Olympics Games the ultimate com-
petition for most athletes is something
every athlete strives for.
At ACU several athletes hope to
fulfill that dream as. they compete for
Uks United States or for another
country. More than half of the Olympic
hopefuls currently . the ACU track
tedms pWn to bewfete for a foreign
country.
But who are the potential Olympians?
Three farmer ACU track stars along
with 12 Wildcats currently on the ACU
track teams have earned recognition
from their own countries as Olympic
heeefute.
The three former Wildcats are
aiming to make the U.S Olympic team.
Four of the 12 hopefuls currently
competing for the Wildcats also will try
to qualify for the United States. The
other eight plan to participate for other
countries.
Most colleges or universities would
be delighted to place one competitor in
the Olympics. But how many can say
they have 15 potential Olympians?
Probably the first athlete people
think about when ACU and the 1964
Olympics are mentioned in the same
sentence is former Wildcat pole vaulter
Billy Olson.
Oisou already has qualified for the
Olympic trials in June. He's no
stranger to the pressure the trials
present. Before the boycott of the 1960
Games to Moscow Olson placed fifth at
the trials at 18-0. However only the
three top finishers qualify. "That was a
big learning experience for me" Olson
said. "It was the first time I really
choked at a major meet"
Olson said he was jumping 18-6
during the warm-ups of the 1980 trials.
But when competition started he could
only jump 18-0. "I really haven't choked
in another meet like I did at that one"
Olson said. "But I think it really gave
me a lot of experience. And doing well
at the trials this year will come from
experiences like that one."
Olson has broken the world indoor
record seven times. He became the first
Indoor pole vaulter to clear 19 feet and
the first American to clear 19 feet In-
doors or outdoors.
In 1982 he was rated as the best
vaulter in Uie world by Track and Fte'd
News. But in 1984 Olson has had to deal
with nagging injuries. He suffered his
second ankle Injury March 19 tearing
two ligaments in his left ankle.
Olson said if lUs recovery rate con-
tinues as it has he plans to compete
May 13 at the Pepsi Invitational in Los
Angeles. "Right now I'm just trying to
get in good shape" Olson said. "I just
need to get stronger and faster."
Brad Pursley another former ACU
pole vaulter plans to train in Abilene
and travel to California to participate in
three meets.
Pursley who set an American put-
door record In 1983 at 1M0V. then will
travel to the Olympic trials in Los
Angeles June 18-24.
He will be making his second trip to
the Olympic trials. He competed in the
1980 trials as an ACU freshman. "I
really want to reach my peek at the'
Olympic trial" Pursley said. "I think
a height of 18-4 will place in the top
three. I feel pretty confident at this
stage"
The third former Wildcat that has
qualified for the 1984 trials is Charlie
Phillips. If he can make it through the
I ' '
trials Phillips said he plans to run the
400 meters at the Olympics. "I think a
45 flat will place first in the trials"
Phillips said. "And if I make the team
I'm pretty sure I'll medal."
Competing as an ACU senior in 1963
Phillips raced to a time of 44.9 in the
400.But Phillips is concerned about an
injury suffered to his right leg at the
1983 Border Olympics "Basically I'm
Working on a lot of speed work and
form" he said. "I'm training twice a
day just trying to get back in the shape I
wasinlastyear."
The four American hopefuls
currently on the ACU track teams are
pole vaulter Dale Jenkins sprinter
Mark Wlthcrspoon decathlcte Greg
Culp and long jumper Carta Jackson.
Jenkins said he plans to train in
Abilene during the summer before
competing at the NCAA Division I
championships and the Olympic trials.
''First I really want to do well at corf-
lerence" Jenkins said "then da well at
the national meet before the triaWi
Jenkins said he is concerned about
Uie gusty winds that shriek through Los
Angeles Memorial Coliseum. "I've
heard the wind is really bad there"
Jenkins said. "But you never know
what the wind will be like. At the trials I
think on that certain day it will take a
jump of 18-4 to qualify.'' Jenkins best
jump is 18-4.
Witherspoon qualified for the
Olympic trials in the 200-meter dash.
He streaked to the second-fastest time
in the nation March 31 at the Texas
Tech Relays.
He also combined with three team-
jnates to run the second-fastest sprint
relay in the nation this year at S9.33."I
mainly want to concentrate on the 200"
Witherspoon said "then compete at
three meets in California before the
trials."
Witherspoon junior from Chicago
said he plans to participate in the
California Relays May 12 in Modesto.
Then lie plans to compete at the Pepsi
Invitational.
"Ijustnfdto
gt stronger
antf faster."
Olson
But the final meet that Witherspoon
said he wants to participate in before
the trials takes place June 7 just one
week before the trials. He wants to
participate at the TAC outdoor
championships. TAC is the official meet
of The Athletics Congress the gover-
ning body of collegiate atliletics.
Culp qualified for the trials in the
decathlon at the Texas Relays with a
total of 7704 points.
He is one of the favorites to run the
decathlon for the United States in 1984.
He was third with 4049 points after the
first day of competition at the 1963 U.S.
national meet but he suffered an injury
in the high hurdles and had to withdraw
from competition.
Culp won the 1982 NAIA decathlon
championship with 7384 points. His top
marks include 18-6 in tee pole vault 6-11
in the hifih jump 23-114 in the long
jump and 13.98 in the 1W hurdles.
Jackson qualified for the Olympic
trials in the long jump with SMtt at the
McMuny Relays March 36 But April 4
at the San Angelo Relays she bettered
her mark leaping 21-3.
Jackson was voted the Lone Star
Conference outstanding field event
performer for 1983. She also scored 10.3
pdnta at the NCAA Division II national
meet earning AU-Ameiican honors.
She placed pteced third (a the long
jump and ran the 488-meter relay
The top three fisjshen la the long
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jump at the Olympic trials will qualify
for the team. "After the Division II
national meet she has two weeks to
tram for the trials" said Wes Kittky
ACU women's track coach. "I think
Carta has an opportunity to place. The
top jumpers are jumping 22 feet so
she's not that far away"
Foreign athletes seem to be
surrounding the athletic programs of
colleges and universities across the
nation.
ACU has seven foreign athletes with
the talent to compete for their own
countries but only six will have the
chance to Qualify.
Freddie Williams ACU freshman
and citizen of South Africa will not
have n chance to qualify for the 1964
Olympic Games became South Africa
is not competing in the Olympics.
"I was working toward a ciUsenshlp
with Botswana hut that fell through"
Williams said. "So now I have a goal set
for the 1988 Olympic Games: It's1 tevgh
to change yew schedule frema Mtreen
month plan to a f eur-year plan."
Williams k the South African
champion m the 880 meters hut in the
future lie wants to run greater
distances in competition. "I'm young
right now" he said. "So I'll be ready to
move up to the 1588 meters by 1986."
He combined with three ACU
teammates at the Texas Relays to run
the fastest sprint relay in the world by a
college team this year. "I'll probably
go to Europe this summer" he said. "I
knot.' my schedule has been changed
but I'm looking positive at it"
Joe Ramotshabl junior from
Gaborone Botswana already has
qualifed for the Botswana Olympic
team. "We have two trial periods one
in December and one in July"
Ramotshabl said.
He won the 200 400 and 880 meters in
the December trials. His time of 45.7 in
the 400 meters was the only time that
qualified him for the Olympic team.
"I'm one of 12 people that qualified in
December" he said.
Ramotshabl said he plans to join the
Botswana Olympic team m Europe.
"We're just going to run in some warm-
up meets three weeks before the
Olympics" he said. "Then we'll
probably go to Burbank (California) to
train for a couple weeks before the
Olympics"
In February Ramotshabl suffered a
stress fracture in his left foot that has
kept him out of competition. "Last
week I just started training hard" he
said. "I have three months to come off
tills injury so I'm still confident."
Jose Salatar junior from Caracus
Venezuela should have no trouble
making the Venezuelan Olympic team.
"Right new I'm the top triple jumper
from my country" Salaiar said "But I
still dea't knew if Veeennla has
scheduled a trial date yet If they don't
they'll probably choose the best people
living in the States."
Salazar pkns to tram in Long Beach
Calif. during the summer. "I might
jump twice fi Europe' he said. "But I
won't compete that much."
He placed first in the triple jump
April 14 at tho Southern Methodist
University Invitational in Dallas with a
leap of 52-18. But his season goal is 55
feet. "Ill have to jump at least 53-11 to
qualify at the Olympics" he said "But
to make the top 12 I'll need to jump 55
feet. I want to be healthy so I can jump
well and hopefully win."
Albert Lawrence hi hk final year of
competition far ACU is from St.
Thomas Jamaica. Ik has anchored
ACU's sprint relay since he was
freshman.
However Lawrence sat out meet of
1968 with injuries. This year he an
chered the sprint relay to the second-
fastest time in the nation at 38.88.
He alee anchered the 466 Bitter relay
team for Jamaica la the 1988 Olympics.
Hk team ran 39.71 m the Olympic
semiftaah) far the Math beet time
milting the finals by one spet
This year the Jamaican Olympic
trials are scheduled for June 15-18. "I
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would like to run the 160 meters and the
relays" Lawrence said. "But my best
chance would probably be in the relays.
My overall goal is to get a medal
even if it's a bronze."
Natty Crooks freshman high jumper
from Toronto Canada has set his goal
toward the Canadian Olympic trials
July 1 in Winnipeg Manitoba.
"Right now I'm working hard on my
approach" Crooks said. "And I'm
trying to keep my head clear."
His goal is to jump 7-4 before the
trials. The Canadian Olympic standard
is 7-4. Crooks' best is 7-2. "I'm hoping
my sister and I can go to the Olympics
together" he said. Charmaine Crooks
Nalty's sister already has been pre-
selected to run the 400 meters for '
Canada. '
Sonya Smith sophomore from
Somerset Bermuda plans to throw the
javelin for the Bermudia Olympic
team.
She made the Bermudian Olympic
Tm MmrfMfmdabyC9ttj;;.
the Olympics in Moscow.'Jfljot being (
able to go to Moscow was really
disappointing" Smith said. "I thought
to myself that may have been my last
chance to participate in the Olympics." ;'
Instead Bermuda participated in the '
1986 Liberty Bell Games in-'
Philadelphia Penn. Smith placed fifth
in the javelin.
This year Smith has broken the ACU"
javelin record twice. She had her best-
throw this season at the Texas Relays
at 175-11. "The stronger competition-
brought the best out of me" she said.
"And that's what I'm waiting for at the.
Olympics. I just want to work harder '
and harder. I think I can be in the top
three in Los Angeles. And I want to be
throwing 200 feet before the Olympics."
Nzael Kyomo sophomore from
Mbeya Tanzania transferred from
Ranger Junior College in the spring.
She won the NJCAA national title in the
200 meters as a freshman at 24.33.
Kyomo competing for Tanzania ran '
th 260 meters at the 1980 Olympic'
Games In Moscow she ran 24 flat In the
260 surviving the first round of'
preliminaries. l
"Nzael plans to stay Abilene to
train" Klttley said. "Then the Tan-
zania Olympic team will send her over
to L.A. it's a lot cheaper that way.
She needs to run 11.5 in the 100 meters
and a 23.8 in the 200 meters to .
qualify'Kyomo's best times tills year
are24.2inthe200andll.7inthel00.
Justine Craig freshman from New
Zealand is trying to qualify for Uie New
Zeaknd Olympic team. "In a nutshell I
need to run 57.4 in the 409-meter hurdles
before June 1" Craig said. "I could run
it now but I need a race like the Texas .
Relays." She ran her season best of
57.83 in the 400-meter hurdles at the-.
Texas Relays.
She plans to train in Abilene until the -Olympics.
"The New Zealand Olympic
team is worried about us burning out
before tho Olympics" she said."But if I '
get the qualifying time of 57.4 1 think-
they'll pick me. I really could use some-
competition in some open meets during .
the summer. But I don't have the
connections yet to get in those meet."
Whether or not the Olympic goal is
reached these competitors are striving
to be better than they've ever been to
go behond their limits to compete
against the best in the world.
. As the world prepares for Los "
Angeles and the 1964 rush for gold '
onlookers might want to keep an
Olympic track and field schedule'-
handy. Otherwise they might miss hearing! e
ABC sports commentator Jim McKay .
say "WeU the small town university
Abilene Christian has just produced .
another medal winner. And for the first'
time in hktory a clean sweep in the'
pole vault competition are products -from
the same school. Olson Pursley -and
Jenkins ha ve just moved the United
States past theU.S.S.R in the medal
standings"
A dream? Maybe. But then all things
are possible.
' 1
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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 71, No. 55, Ed. 1, Tuesday, April 24, 1984, newspaper, April 24, 1984; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth96121/m1/3/: accessed July 9, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.