ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, July 29, 1996 TAG: 9607290105
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ATLANTA
SOURCE: Associated Press
Carl Lewis stood at the edge of the long jump runway, staring at the end of his glorious Olympic career.
As he turned to watch Michael Johnson run past in a 400-meter semifinal, it seemed as though a symbolic handoff had taken place - Johnson, seeking a historic 200-400 double win, passing the eight-time gold medalist in his final Olympics.
But Lewis, facing an embarrassing farewell, used a dramatic leap of 27 feet, 21/2 inches on his last attempt Sunday night to qualify for the final. Today, he'll try to win his fourth straight Olympic long jump.
``I had to tell myself, this is the last meet of your life. Do you want it to end like this?'' Lewis said.
Charles Austin won the men's high jump with an Olympic-record leap of 7-10, becoming the first American since Dick Fosbury in 1968 - who originated the ``Fosbury Flop'' high-jump technique used today - to win gold in the event. Lance Deal gave the United States its first hammer throw medal, a silver, since 1956.
Johnson moseyed into the 400-meter finals, but American teammate Butch Reynolds pulled up in his semifinal heat with cramps in both hamstrings.
Reynolds, the world-record holder and a silver medalist in 1988, ran just 50 meters before grabbing the back of his right leg and tumbling to the track. He crawled onto the infield before being helped away.
After spending years trying to clear his name after a drug suspension, Reynolds had been considered Johnson's only real threat for the gold medal. He still plans to run in the 1,600-meter relay.
``It's kind of disappointing, because I thought we had a good chance of sweeping,'' Johnson said of Reynolds' injury. ``I was kind of looking forward to an American sweep.''
Johnson ran easily while winning his semifinal heat in 44.59 seconds. He slowed in the final 50 meters, turning his head often to watch his opponents - as he did in the earlier two rounds this weekend.
``I won't look around tomorrow,'' Johnson said. ``Tomorrow is not a strategic day, tomorrow is a competition day. I'll run the best race I can.''
After the race, Johnson threw his gold shoes into the crowd.
American Alvin Harrison finished fourth in his semifinal heat in 45.04 to join Johnson in the final.
After Austin secured the high-jump medal, he missed three attempts at 8-03/4, which would have been a world record. Javier Sotomayor of Cuba, the defending champion and holder of the world record of 8-01/2, was bothered by a left ankle injury and finished 11th.
In the hammer throw, Deal moved up from eighth place to second with a final throw of 266-2.
``I felt like James Brown in his concert when he falls down like he's dead and then they pull the cape off and here he comes,'' Deal said.
Balazs Kiss, a Hungarian who won his fourth straight NCAA title for Southern California this spring, took the gold with a hammer throw of 266-6.
Ghada Shouaa of Syria won the heptathlon with 6,292 points. The two-time defending champion, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, dropped out Saturday on the first day of the competition with a right thigh injury. She still may compete in the long jump, which begins Thursday.
Fatuma Roba of Ethiopia won the women's marathon in 2:26:5, kneeling to kiss the track after crossing the finish line. Wang Junxia of China won the women's 5,000 meters in 14:59.88. It was the first time the event was run in the Olympics, replacing the women's 3,000.
Lewis, 35, has a history of struggling in qualifying rounds. He jumped just 26-01/4 on his first attempt and fouled on his second attempt. That left him in 15th place before his last qualifying leap, with only the top 12 advancing to the final.
He then proceeded with the longest leap of the qualifying rounds. Lewis bounded out of the long jump pit, his arms spread wide in celebration, and pumped his right arm in the air.
``It brought out the best in me,'' he said of flirting with not qualifying. ``I needed that. I know I can jump 28 feet tomorrow.''
Americans Mike Powell and Joe Greene, who in 1992 won silver and bronze, respectively, joined Lewis in the final.
Lewis says this is his last Olympics, although a few farewell meets in Europe are likely and he has hinted he may compete next year. The long jump is the only event in which he is entered at the Atlanta Games.
Winning the long jump would tie him with swimmer Mark Spitz for most golds by an American athlete. It also would make him only the second athlete - discus thrower Al Oerter is the other - to win the same track event in four straight Olympics.
``I have a lot of confidence now,'' Lewis said. ``I can jump farther than anybody out there. I've got to keep it there tomorrow - start where I finished today.''
LENGTH: Medium: 94 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Charles Austin of the United States clears the barby CNBduring the final of the men's high jump Sunday at the Summer Games
in Atlanta. Austin won the gold medal by clearing an Olympic-record
height - 7 feet, 10 inches. color.