Friday, July 21, 2000

ACU’s Thomas has fastest time
By Bert Rosenthal
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Former Abilene Christian University hurdler Eric Thomas ran a 49.25 in the quarterfinals of the 400 hurdles Thursday to win his heat in the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.

In fact, Thomas' time was the fastest in any heat, and Thomas now advances to the semifinals which begin today at 9:50 p.m.

Former ACU decathletes Trafton Rodgers and Stephen Moore also began competition Thursday. Both were ranked as high as second place overall during the first day, and with three events completed at press time, Rodgers stood in third with 2,525 points and Moore was in fifth with 2,492.

The first event was the 100, where Rodgers ran a 10.62 and Moore ran a 10.73. In the long jump, Moore turned in the second-best mark of the night by jumping 24-73/4, while Rodgers jumped 23-9. The shot put was the third event, and Rodgers put up a mark of 44-91/2 while Moore’s was 40-91/2.

In other action Thursday, Lance Deal is enjoying his final year of competition in the hammer throw, especially the Olympic trials so far.

Less nervous than he was four years ago, Deal unleashed a throw of 245 feet, 11 inches on Thursday to lead the qualifiers into today’s final.

To relieve the tension, Deal, the 1996 Olympic silver medalist, went to Europe before the trials.

“I wanted to make this meet less nerve-wracking,” he said.

For the past decade, he has been the best hammer thrower and 35-pound weight thrower in the United States.

He has won six national hammer throw titles and been a three-time Olympian. He’s won two Pan American Games titles and been a two-time silver medalist at the World Cup and once at the Goodwill Games.

Deal opened the qualifying at 232-5, only six inches short of the automatic qualifying distance, then got it on his second attempt, despite hitting the cage with his implement.

Kevin McMahon, the 1997 U.S. champion and 1999 Pan Am silver medalist, was the only other automatic qualifier at 235-5.

Meanwhile, the decathlon began in hot, humid conditions, and without Dan O’Brien, the world record-holder and Olympic champion who withdrew because of a foot injury.

O’Brien’s heir, Chris Huffins, opened a 155-point lead after the first two of the 10 events — the 100 meters and long jump.

Huffins, the 1998 and 1999 U.S. champion and 1999 World Championship bronze medalist, ran the fastest time, 10.45 seconds, in the 100, and had the best long jump, 25-10, among the 16 competitors. That gave him 2,014 points.

Only two finals were scheduled Thursday night — the men’s javelin and 3,000-meter steeplechase.