Photo by James Link
Jerry Wilson
High hurdlers start slow
but action will pick up
By MERLIN MANN
Of the Emerald
The first two rounds of the 110-meter high hurdles
were as exciting as standing in line 35 minutes to get
a hot dog.
The times were yawningly slow, as the hurdlers
run just fast enough to make the semi-finals today
at 6:30p.m. It is understandable that runners would
save themselves for the more heated races today,
but that made it no less uninspiring.
Only nine out of 33 entrants in the 110-meter
hurdles could break 14 seconds—the qualifying
standard for the trials—in the first round. And only
nine flew the distance under 14 seconds in the
second round.
The best time of the day was 13.5 turned in by
favorites Rod Milbum and Tom Hill. Two heats
were won with 13.9 times.
As Milbum had said before the first rounds “I’ll
just run to qualify.” That is exactly what he—and
everyone else—did.
There were no upsets. The only surprise was Paul
Gibson, who had been given a good chance at
making the Olympic team, who didn’t run. Other
than that, everyone had to settle with watching
Milbum, Hill, Willie Davenport and Tommie Lee
White dominate the action with unimpressive times.
Milbum, the world record holder in the 120-yard
high hurdles, quite expectedly swept his two races.
He took his first round heat in 13.6 then improved to
13.5 in the second round. Milbum set his world
record of 13-flat in the 120-yard version of this race
on Stevenson Track last year in the AAU meet and
he has openly predicted another record, possibly in
the 12.7-range.
Hill, who is the only man to beat Milbum in ap
proximately 70 races since his record run a year
ago, won his two heats in identical times with
Milburn. Hill’s best time this season is also tied with
Milburn at 13.3 and the watch-readings point to a
major confrontation between the two in the finals of
the ev_nt Sunday.
White also took two heats. In his first he nipped
Willie Davenport in 13.6, one-tenth of a second
faster than Davenport, and in his second round win
he coasted to a 13.7.
Davenport, after his loss to White, rebounded to
take his second round heat in 13.6—four-tenths of a
second off his world record sharing best of 13.2 The
two-time Olympian and 1968 Gold Medalist said he
corrected one mistake he made in the first round:
“my start . ” About running his 13.7 in the first round
he said, “They left me in the blocks this morning
iThursday), but I concentrated on running this
afternoon.”
His time was still far from his Olympic champion
form of 1968 Asked if he thought he could better his
times this year, he replied, “I don’t think I can fight
it off.” Why? “Age; I’m 29."
But on Milburn's year-long dominance of the
event he said, "He can be beaten, but the question is
who. I don't know if I can, but I’d like to.”
No one else was giving the win to Milbum,
either—not even himself. He complained before the
race, “People always take my winning for gran
ted.”
White said, “I think everyone lumped between
13 5 and 13.8 (times) are possible finalists. There
are a lot in that category, all with possibilities of
winning, and he (Milburn) is just one of them. In my
opinion, it’s up for grabs. It depends on who gets out
of the blocks first and runs strongest."
Charles Rich, third placer behind champion Jerry
Wilson and runner-up Tom Hill in the NCAA's here
in June, turned in two times below the 1 second
barrier. Both times were 13.9. He won the first race,
but finished second behind Davenport in the second
round.
Wilson also proved himself a factor in the race to
Munich, turning in a 13.6 behind Hill's 13.5 in the
second round heat. Wilson won a first round heat in
13.9. In the second round, the NCAA champ also
claimed he was slowed somewhat by Wayne Ken
nard. who, running in the next lane, hit the first
hurdle and stopped “I racted to it and moved to the
side. It threw me off,” he said.
Delario Robinson and John Brasell followed
Milburn to the wire in 13.7 and 13.9 times in their
second round heat, to add to the sub-14-second
times. The only other men to break the mark were
Don Draper (13.8 and second to White in a second
round heat) and Jeff Howser (13.9 and second to Hill
in a first round heat).
With the semi-finals scheduled for today (6:30
p.m.) and the finals for Sunday, the battles are
expected to become 100 per cent more heated.
No one will be able to coast any more. By that
indication alone times should improve to near the
world record—if not surpassing it as already
speculated by track fans and athletes alike.
At least it will be more exciting than buying hot
dogs.
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