Carl Lewis and Gail Devers begin pursuit of difficult triples and doubles as the Olympic track and field trials open today. Jackie Joyner-Kersee balked at trying an unprecedented quadruple that would include the grueling heptathlon.
Fireworks, a 300-member gospel choir and two-time Grammy award winner Rita Coolidge headlined the first-ever opening ceremonies for the trials Thursday night.Michael Johnson, top-ranked in the 200 and 400 meters, had asked for an Olympic schedule change that would allow him to compete in both events. On Wednesday, seven months later, the change was made but Johnson had already committed to run only in the 200 at the trials.
However, in adjusting the schedule to accommodate Johnson, the IAAF hurt Lewis.
Lewis had planned to make the team in the 100- and 200-meter sprints and the long jump. He took gold medals in those three events, plus the 400-meter relay, in the 1984 Olympics, but had to settle for a silver in the 200 in 1988.
The IAAF moved the finals in the 200-meter sprint back a day from Aug. 5 to Aug. 6 to help Johnson, but the new schedule has the 200 finals just 10 minutes before the final flight in the long jump.
"I don't know why they would do that, unless they were mad at Carl," said Joe Douglas, Lewis' manager.
Douglas said he would not ask the IAAF to go back to the original schedule.
He also said Lewis would carry through on plans to make the team in three events.
Bob Kersee, Joyner-Kersee's coach and husband, said she would attempt to make the Olympic team in the grueling heptathlon as well as the open long jump, high jump and hurdles.
"No high jump," Joyner-Kersee said on Thursday. "I'll do the heptathlon, the long jump and the hurdles."
"A vacation," said the coach.
"We're still discussing it," the athlete said.
Devers, also coached by Kersee, will attempt to make the team in both the 100-meter sprint and the 100-meter hurdles.
It's an unprecedented double for a woman, and it comes just 15 months after she almost had to have both feet amputated because of a baffling illness. She has a thyroid condition that was treated by radiation, and complications from the radiotherapy caused her feet to swell and bleed, along with causing other complications.