NEW YORK: Leroy Burrell has known for two years that he had the ability to break the 100 meters world record someday.
That day came on Friday as Burrell accelerated like never before and roared to a world-record time of 9.90 seconds in a classic confrontation with training partner and former world record-holder Carl Lewis at the US National Athletics Championships.
“This is the party of all parties,” Barrell, clad in a tuxedo-like warm-up suit, said before dashing off to win his opening preliminary in the 200 meters.
The victory was very close, though, as Lewis closed dramatically after a horrendous early stretch that followed a false start.
Lewis’s time of 9,93 seconds-just one hundredth of a second off the previous world mark of 9.92 he set at the 1988 Olympics was most impressive considering the way his race began.
Dennis Mitchell won the third US spot on the World Championship team, clocking 10.00 seconds on a track that many said was slow.
Burrell’s previous best was 9.94 second in a 1989 race that he said made him realize he could someday break the world record.
When the record came however, Burrell, who also holds the 60-meter indoor record, had to work for the words to describe his feeling.
“When you dream about setting a world record, you imagine feeling very happy, but that’s not exactly what it is,” he said.
“There are so many emotions flowing through me right now that T just’ can’t describe the feeling. It is very humbling,” added Burrell, He predicted that both he and Lewis would run faster at the World Championships in Tokyo in August.
Lewis praised Burrell for being “a great and clean champion,” an obvious shot at former world record-holder Ben Johnson, who was stripped his record after testing positive for a steroid after beating Lewis at the 1988 Olympics.
But the 29-yr-old Lewis, who still holds a 6-3 edge over Burrell in their 100-meter clashes, said he was far from finished.
“A lot of people thought Carl Lewis was old and gone,” he said, “but I was just a great start away from a world record.”
Burrell takes on favored Michael Johnson in the 200 meters, and Lewis puts his 10-yr winning streak in the men’s long jump on the line against Larry Myricks and Mike Powell.
Michael Johnson and Burrell both won preliminary heats in the 200 meters.
Kenny Harrison sounded to the best triple jump in the world this year, 17.32 meters.
Olympic 400-meter champion’ Steve Lewis will not represent his country i Tokyo after he dropped out of the men’s” 400-meter semi-finals with a hamstring injury. And Mary Slaney, a 1983 double world champion, had her come beck attempt halted by a cramp in her calf muscle that kept her from running.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 5, 1991
