6 Friday, April 16, 1976 University Dally Kansan Where will track and field be in year 2000? By STEVE CLARK Sports Writer The world's fastest humans, Ivory Crockett and Houston McTear, have run the 10-yard dash in nine seconds flat. Translated into different terms, their average speed for the distance was 22.73 miles an hour. Raised once again are the questions that have existed ever since John Watkins of Great Britian covered 100 yards in "even time." 10.0, more than 115 years ago. JUST HOW MUCH faster, higher and farther is it possible for man to run, jump and throw? How close is man to reaching his physical limit? What for instance, might the track and field records be in the year 2000? The foundation for answers to such questions rest in the past. Going backward, we start from the present. IT WAS AN OLYMPIC YEAR, as in 1978 and as will be 2000. The following chart lists the Olympic track and field records, including those from the current national high school records: Last year's 100 winner was world recordman Ivory Crockett Event 185 Records National High School Record Surviving Marathon in Marks 73 100 M 10.3 10.0 100 M 10.3 10.0 600 M 45.8 49.8 600 M 45.8 49.8 1500 M 14.2 14.8 1500 M 14.960 13.440 1500 M 29.179 29.564 10,000 M 18.70 18.64 Marathon 12.323 10.235 2.124 47.4 Marathon 12.323 10.235 2.124 47.4 600 Harding 10.5 10.5 600 Harding 9.6 7.3 Long Jump 9.6 7.3 Long Jump 9.6 7.3 Peb Wall 53.1% 53.4% 50 100 Peb Wall 53.1% 53.4% 50 100 Diflex 180.4% 181.1% 78 100 Diflex 180.4% 181.1% 78 100 Javelin 184.1% 185.4% 71 100 Javelin 184.1% 185.4% 71 100 A trend toward not only improvement, but also improvement at a younger age is evident. Of the Olympic records held by athletes 1982 and even be national high school bests she The final column shows the number of times athletes bettered the 1952 Olympic standards in 1975. Excluding the four top 10 athletes, the average of at least 70 athletes recorded marks during 1978 that were better than Olympic records 24 years earlier. How long 1952 THE WORLD record in the mile was 4:01.3. Had someone suggested then that in just 24 years the 3:50 barrier would be enforced, people would have thought it crazy. Based on the percentage improvement of marks between 1952 and 1976, projections were made for the world records of the year 2000. Staff photo by GEORGE MILLENER Event 1952 World Records 1976 World Records Project for year 100 M M 10.3 9.9 9.6 90 M M 15.2 10.9 10.9 90 M M 40.8 43.0 41.9 90 M M 11.9 13.8 14.7 150 M M 3-13.0 3-12.2 3-12.8 150 M M 6-13.0 6-12.2 6-12.8 500 M M 13.3-8.2 13.1-13.0 12.3-10.0 500 M M 29.9-18.2 29.1-18.2 29.1-18.2 300 Steeple Jump 8.4-1.8 0.99-1.8 7.18-0.5 400 Hurdles 30.4 30.4 30.4 600 Hurdles 60.8 60.8 60.8 Hlub Jump 6-7.4 47.8 47.8 Triple Jump 68.3-29.1 29.1-29.1 32.0 Triple Jump 38.3-29.1 29.1-29.1 32.0 Scooter Pull 15-1.4 18-6.1 25-1.1 Scooter Pull 58-10.3 18-6.1 25-1.1 Hammer 18-6.1 226.4 275.1 Hammer 100-1.1 308.1-8.1 308.1-8.1 "How much faster can you make a bag?" Timmons asked. "How much can you impress me?" Reaction to the projected marks brought varied reactions. Bob Timmons, University of Kansas track coach, said he doubted that much improvement would take place by the team. The basis for his view, Timmons said, stemmed from the tremendous amount of changes that have occurred since World War II. First women's official named For the first time this year, there will be a women's division referee at the Kansas Barry Anderson, the head women's track coach at Kansas State University, has been a member of the women's events added to the women's division this year and open competition between high school and college women. KU track coach Andy Nutt was the moment of a women's referee was essential. New coaching methods, such as over-distance workouts for runners; improved facilities, such as synthetic track surfaces; advances in equipment, notably the fiberglass vaulting pole; and better training were examples mentioned by Timmons. He went on to say that he doubled the next years would produce an equal amount of money. THERE WILL CONTINUE to be world records set, in the longer distance events, he said, but the sprints and technique (field) events would progress rather slowly. KU sprinters Randy Benson and Cliff Wiley agreed with Timmons on the dash question, saying there simply wasn't much room left for improvement. "The body just isn't going to go that much faster," Wiley said. He said he thought a time of 8.8 or 9.2 for the 100-meter dash was too long, so he switched to 43.0 would be the limit in the 400 meters. BENSON PLACED THE minimum at 8.7 for 100 yards, 19.5 for 200 meters and 42.5 for 400 meters. However, he said a clocking rule is the best record by the year, 2000. The athletes expressed views just as varied in the area of field events. KU vaulter Tad Cales said there were no reasons he forewax the world record for a speed of 430km/h. FIRST, THE ATHLETE himself would be different he said, describing the vaulter of the future as much bigger, stronger and faster. able to run the 104-ward dash in 9.5. Concerning middle distance running events. Wes Santee, the former KU great who came close to being the first miler under four minutes, held the opinion that he had to be moved up and recorded. He said a 3:46.0 mile within the next few years wasn't out of the question. In addition, Scales said he thought the vaulting pole would continue to undergo changes. These changes would make the lighter lighter and easier to bend, and would result in giving the vaulter a "bigger snap" and access to lifters higher. There will, however, come a time when the record will reach a plateau because of too many injuries. "YOU CAN ONLY HOLD high on a pole," Scales said. "And once that point is reached, then improvements will come in smaller amounts." Assuming each generation continues to get physically stronger, Suttee said that by 2038 he would be able to run 100 miles. "I DON'T THINK that that's an unrealistic appraisal of what it could to go," said Mr. Browne. Kansas weightmen Rudy Guevara and Roger Hammond predicted longer throws The current world best, but not world amateur record, is pro Brian Oldfield's heave of 75 feet, a distance that astounds Guevara. "To me, 75 feet is almost unbelievable," he said. He suggested 325 feet might be the limit, but instead someone would really pop on wouldn't So what are man's limits? Nobody really knows for sure; there are too many variables involved. But perhaps Santee pinpointed the most crucial consideration. "The javelin has already begun to level off." Harmond said. ahead, but Guewu stressed they wouldn't continue at the rapid pace shot putters had He said, "The most important intaginate ingredient is that burning desire." FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL years the 75-foot range would remain out of the range of most putters, he said, but by the time 2000 rounds around the record should be near 80 Saunter over to the Kansas Union and bowl a few lines. Modern, air-conditioned facilities and 12 lanes Make the most of your weekend in Lawrence. That, in spite of all that's been written, is the reason man will continue to run, jump and fly. Call 864-3545 --one of the most bizarre promotions ever seen at the Kansas Relays was the one "Phog" Allen literally cooked up in 1930—a rodeo and a buffalo barbecue. --one of the most bizarre promotions ever seen at the Kansas Relays was the one "Phog" Allen literally cooked up in 1930—a rodeo and a buffalo barbecue. Allen great Relays promoter That famous year, a conventional rodeo was held on Friday night, after the high school track meet, on the football field. Later, a buffalo was slaughtered and barbecued as a meal for the coaches and students. The student contest to guess the buffalo's weight. The student guessing his weight the closest was awarded four tickets to the Allen and other Relays officials made a thousand mile airplane trip around Kansas promoting the Relays. The referent that year was Avery Brundage, who later became president of the International Olympic Committee. rodees and relays. The second most accurate guess received three tickets. Edwin Elibel, the longtime Relays manager, was present for the bizarre incident. "Yes, I saw this," Eibel admitted. "It was quite an affair. And I'm sure it was a dwarf buffalo because it was the toughest thing I ever tasted."