Sports__ Oregon’s Flax has the tools to be a champion by lawn Kmmunii Of Ihr I mrr«M With two throws remaining in the hammer c.om I n't it ion ol Inst year's I'm it) track And field champion ships, defending champion ken I lax was second. Mis twist throw of 2!i8 font was two and a half feel behind Washington Slate University's Tore Custafsson. the 1*182 and *8.1 champion. Flax entered the <:in le for his fifth throw working tor one technical point that had eluded him in his four previous throws. He threw 247-1. but felt what had been missing and told hirnself. "Okay, that’s it. All I have to do is this one thing." (iustnisson in another flight ol competition, threw 24 t on his fifth toss, increasing his lead over Flax to five feet. , ' Flax went to tire circle for his.final throw "I’ve inner been in deeper concentration." he «. savs. "1 jus) went and did the one technical point that I was working on It went I d fallen down in Ihecircle. I didn't know that t knew that it was a pretty good I It row;.." • T . V.',' •’j' It ilevr 24.08 the farthest : throw ever bv an Ainerican-born'rolleginn and eight, inches farther.than Ciustiifsson's ThisI throw of the dav. Custafsson: however had pile throw left He fouled. I'lax had his am ond F,ii i untie I wo weeks ialei ai the Nl! A A i hampinnships. t .ustalsson s first throw went 2410111 Flax threw 244 a on Ins fifth throw a personal lies!, anil put himsell in a position to win or lose on his final throw He could do no lietter ami ended up third. Flax is still frustrated by his final throw at the M;AA meet lie prides himsell on being a fierce com pi lilior Shove all else and thrives on having to will on Ins titih oi sivlli throw s Fli.it he was not atile to do so in the most important meet of the year has been a great motivating factor ever since. His main objective this \eat is the win the NCAA championship I pist haye to shoot for NCs.” he says. "That's ready all I'm reallv concerned alsiul Anything else is lust secontlan It might not lie good to pul so much pressure on one meet, hut that’s the only chance I've got And it would Is- good Oregon's never had an NO i Hampton tin the hammer) And I wouldn't mind Is-ing 'lie Ills! I n du sii I lax must again lai e (luslatssou. a Swede in his Unui year a! U'SU. Their first encounter this season in the WSU dual meet ended with Custafsson throwing 244-1 to Flax's 244-0 Flax, however, had been bothered In a pullisl abdominal muscle for two weeks lietore the meet and had onl\ thrown 18 times in pi.Htice when 15(1 weekly throws is typical. To come so close to upsetting Custafssuu. w ho has thrown 250-4 this season, after little throwing practice was encouraging. Despite healing Custafsson in the |*a< Ids and lining ranked the number two American hammer thrower lor 1*185 In I'rai k and I ield Mows. ! lax considers himsell the underdog whenever the two i ompete. "I would be the returning champion for Pac-tOs. lull I think hi; wmihl have tu lie a slight favorite." Flax says; Hit’s thrown eight feel farther than I have this vi-ar. ami his lifetime Is-st is still almost seven feel liir* ther. lie vvnulil just have to Is- a favorite." Flax is well aware ol the advantages of being the underdog. "IFs a position I prefer." he savs. "I guess I've Ihhmi an underdog in a lot ol the logger meets. I hat s great Imcause it takes a lot ol pressure oil von It s not like you have to do this It s always nice to go out and surprise people" Flax has been surprising a lot of (teople by the speed at which he has become one ol America's top hammer throwers, lie had never thrown a hammer In-ton; walking on to the Oregon track team five years ago (aiming out of high school, he knew that he was too small to throw the shot put and discus or play Pac-10 football. So when a family friend suggested Flax try the ham tiler he thought it was a good idea Within five months he had broken the freshmen si liool record and won luninr Nationals, laisl summer he progressed to third -it the N(!AAs and TA(Is. before placing seventh at the World University Games. Flax's size may Ik; another reason he loves the underdog role Itv weightmen's standards he is con sidered small at 5-foot-III. 215 pounds, lie has a l_* inch waist. :tl) inch thighs and must buy .'Hi-inch Levis to lit over them. ( aimpared to (histalsson. who is 5-foot-H. 24(1 pounds, or |ud Logan, the (i-fool-4. 2I>H-pound American record holder in the hammer. Flax is small Itolh (aislafsson and Ijigan are i on siderahlv stronger than Flax. Logan being 5(1 pen enl stronger than Flax m .ill his weight lifts "There's just no doubt the man is an animal." Flax says of i,ogan. "He's just completely barbaric when it comes to lifting weights. But as far as technique and speed in the circle. I guess I have him. lie’s got longer arms, more weight to counter the hall with, all the strength in the world to throw far. and yet he was only nine feet ahead of me Iasi year. Which really isn't that far." What Flax lacks in size anti strength he more than makes up for with speed and technique. Father than worrying about how much he can lienchpress. squat or cicait. Flax and his coach. SteWart Togher. concentrate' on how his strength can be applied .to the hammer. They emphasize specific: strength and efficient techni que to throw far. Which means Flax, as a hammer thrower, w ill do different tiffs than a discus thrower or shot putter. Togher lielieVes Max's size; is not as important as many people have claimed it to be.." “The size is not a factor vet." he says. "Until we start throwing HO meters (2t»2T»). It's an event where there are many sizes. If veni re quii k vou can be small I bis week has IVoon the first since Flax pulled his abdominals that he has been able In train and throw normally lie will throw Saturday in the dual meet against California and them flv to los Angeles to com pete Sunday in the Mount Sac Relays against logan and a slew' of other top Americans "The most important thing is the dual meet." Flax xa\s. "II we win the dual mint we re dual-meet cham pions. I've never lieen a part ot that." As to the competition at Mt. Sac:. Flax says. "F very body will tie there I guarantee you'll see the Americ an rexord (logan's 2!W»-:t) go." Flax is not concerned .iImiiiI whether he cum throw that far "I’eople always say. I low far are you going to throw this year?' I say beteen 1(H) feel and 200 feet Ixx ause you never know what can happen. You can always throw bad and never throw tar again, or you i on Id just go crazv and make a breakthrough and throw really tar. I try to concentrate on wh.it it takes to throw tai instead ol the distance. W hatever it takes to win.' Sports Shorts The Oregon gymnastics team lias signed two high school athletes to letters nl-inlenl. Duck coai h I'lil I toy (I annnuni ed Tluirsdav |enni Macalutas. .1 native of Aina. Hawaii, and (ieleste (iarcia of West l.inn. Ore. revealed their inten tions to < nine to (tregon In join Kugene's I lawmi Wilson • as high si hoot seniors who have committed to the I )m ks this season The I tin ks are coming oil impressive year in u hit h lli.\ finished with Iheir Itesl re« ord ever at Mill The\ treat several lop-lwenty teams and sent individual per lormer Nickv Kden to NCAAs. the first time an Oregon performer has lieen to nationals You've worked hard these past years and that diploma is almost yours. You've spent long days and weeks indoors preparing lor those important final papers and exams. You're deservedly proud ol all you've accomplished. 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