Duncan Mackay ATHLETICS Though officials must fear having to act as peacemakers to Maurice Greene and Michael Johnson in the United States Olympic squad for Sydney, at least they should not have any problems from their runners for the women’s 800m, where for the first time in history one family will fill all three places. The youngest of the trio, Hazel Clark, was first and her sister-in-law and sister followed in the US Olympic trials in Sacramento on Sunday. Clark won in 1min 58,97sec and her sister-in-law Jearl Miles-Clark was timed in 1:59,12 in second place.
But the most dramatic finish came from Hazel’s older sister, Joetta. Coming from the back of the pack down the home straight, she edged out Meredith Rainey- Valmon for third by 0,01 of a second in 1:59,49. JJ Clark, brother of Hazel and Joetta and husband of Jearl, coaches all three. Joe Clark, the family patriarch, was also a spectator. He was the principal of Eastside High School in Paterson, New Jersey, a strict disciplinarian who had his life portrayed in the critically acclaimed 1989 film, Lean On Me. Marion Jones remained on course for a historic tilt at five Olympic gold medals in Sydney – unprecedented in athletics at one games -when she won the 200m in 21.94, the fastest in the world this year.
Earlier she had won the 100m and long jump. She will compete in Sydney in those three events and the relays.
“It’s a relief,” she said. “I’ve always said that going for five events would never be easy. It’s going to be very hard. But I don’t even want to think about my accomplishment here. I want to run faster and jump higher.”
That is certainly what the pole vaulter Stacy Dragila did, producing the only world record of these trials. Competing before her home crowd and family she cleared 4,63m to add a centimetre to her previous best.
Gail Devers allayed her disappointment at failing to make the team for the 100m, the event she had won in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics, by taking the 100m hurdles in 12,33sec, a US record and the fastest in the world for eight years. “I always believe God has a plan for me,” she said. “My event is hurdles, but I have no medals in the hurdles. I knew this was my last chance to make the team.”