THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 14, 1996 TAG: 9604140199
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 106 lines
Navy boxer Steve Carter has a tough chore ahead - beating Olympic Trials champion Zahir Raheem twice in three days this week in Augusta, Ga., for a berth on the U.S. boxing team.
Even if Carter fails, though, he'll remain in the Olympic Games mix. Carter will be an Olympic Team alternate at 119 pounds, will train with the Olympians in Oregon through the spring and will compete in meets with Germany and Russia.
With less than 100 days until the Atlanta Games, Carter is one of more than a dozen athletes with ties to South Hampton Roads who have a chance to represent the United States.
As yet, none is a lock for any Olympic Team, though a couple are close. For instance, team handball player Mike Thornberry from Suffolk and former Old Dominion field hockey players Kelli James and Pam Neiss continue to work out with their national teams and must survive a final cut.
The rest must gear up for peak performances at their sport's Olympic Trials, whether it's the two-day rhythmic gymnastics meet in Boston in June for Virginia Beach's Lauri Illy, the track and field trials in June for pole vaulter Lawrence Johnson of Chesapeake and hurdler Tonya Williams of Norfolk, or an elaborate eight-trials series for equestrian show jumper Debi Connor of Virginia Beach.
For Carter, a Harrisburg, Pa., resident stationed at the Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base, it comes down to the challenge of twice beating a man who's already whipped him once.
Raheem beat Carter 22-5 to win the bantamweight championship at the Olympic Trials earlier this month. Carter qualified to fight Raheem again, though, by winning the loser's bracket.
``He wasn't as relaxed as in the other fights,'' Navy coach John Hunter said of Carter's previous bout with Raheem. ``We're working on some things that I think are going to make a difference. But Carter's got to believe in them. He's got to believe he's better than Raheem. If he goes down there with that confidence, he's going to win two fights.''
Carter fights Thursday night at the Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center. If he wins that bout, he and Raheem will fight once more Saturday afternoon. MEMO: ...AND SO DO SOME FANS
If you have the nerve, and logistical expertise, to take on Atlanta
this July, we'd like to talk to you.
The Virginian-Pilot would like to do some stories on South Hampton
Roads residents who will attend the Olympic Games. We'd like to know why
you're going, where you're staying, if you have tickets, how you
arranged the whole thing, etc.
If you'd like to talk with us, please call 446-2518 and leave a
message with your name, phone number and a brief description of your
plans for the Olympics. Or write us a letter with this information and
mail it to 150 W. Brambleton, Norfolk, Va. 23510.
LOCAL CONTENDERS
Here is an alphabetical list of athletes with ties to South Hampton
Roads who are pursuing U.S. Olympic Team berths, and their current
status:
Andre Cason, Virginia Beach, sprinter: Provisional qualifier in 100
meters for Track and Field Trials, June 14-23 in Atlanta. Top three in
each event make Olympic Team.
Latasha Colander, Portsmouth, hurdler: Qualified for 100-meter
hurdles in Track and Field Trials, June 14-23 in Atlanta. Top three in
each event make Olympic Team.
Debi Connor, Virginia Beach, equestrian show jumping: Participating
in eight-trial series from April 12 through June 23. Top four in
cumulative points make Olympic Team.
Randall Evans, Virginia Beach, sprinter: Provisional qualifier in 100
meters for Track and Field Trials, June 14-23 in Atlanta. Top three in
each event make Olympic Team.
Lauri Illy, Virginia Beach, rhythmic gymnastics: Training in
Evanston, Ill., for Olympic Trials June 25-26 in Boston. Only winner
makes Olympic Team.
Lawrence Johnson, Chesapeake, pole vault: Qualified for Track and
Field Trials, June 14-23 in Atlanta. Top three in each event make
Olympic Team.
Terrance Harrington, Chesapeake, distance runner: 1992 Olympian
qualified in 1500 meters for Track and Field Trials, June 14-23 in
Atlanta. Top three in each event make Olympic Team.
Kelli James, ex-ODU field hockey: Training with U.S. National Team.
16-woman team will be announced after May 1-15 Trials.
Kim Logan, ex-ODU sailor: Europe class; Trials May 4-12 in Savannah,
Ga. Winner makes Olympic Team.
Pam Neiss, ex-ODU field hockey player: Training with U.S. National
Team. 16-woman team will be announced after May 1-15 Trials.
Charlie Ogletree, ex-ODU sailor: Tornado class (team competition);
Trials May 4-12 in Savannah, Ga. Winner makes Olympic Team.
Mike Thornberry, Suffolk, team handball: Training with U.S. National
Team. 16-man team will be announced May 7.
John Torgerson, ODU sailor: Laser class; Trials May 4-12 in Savannah,
Ga. Winner makes Olympic Team.
Tonya Williams, Norfolk, hurdler: Qualified in 100- and 400-meter
hurdles for Track and Field Trials, June 14-23 in Atlanta. Top three in
each event make Olympic Team. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT, The Virginian-Pilot
Steve Carter, left, spars with Detrich Mayer at Rockwell Gymnasium
on Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base. Carter, a Harrisburg, Pa.,
native stationed at the base, will have to beat Olympic Trials
champion Zahir Raheem twice this week in Augusta, Ga., to make the
U.S. boxing team.
by CNB