University Daily Kansan, April 22, 1983
Page 9
KU athletes aspire to compete in'84 Olympics
By BOB LUDER
Sports Writer
The KU men's track team is well into its outdoor season and the coaches and athletes are busier than ever thinking about upcoming meets, especially the KU Relays this weekend and the College Championship at the University of Science Championships at the end of May.
But a few Jayhawk athletes, while concentrating on the current schedule, have one major meet on their minds, and it's more than a year away.
THE 23RD OLYMPIAD, July 22 through Aug. 5, 1984 in Los Angeles, is especially significant to American athletes because the Summer Olympics will be in the United States for the first time in 1982 when they were also in Los Angeles.
Four Jayhawk athletes, Deon Hogan, Jeff Buckingham, Warren Wilhote and Sanya Owolabi, have the best chances of qualifying for the '84 Games, but others could have a chance at qualifying to head track coach Bob Timmons.
"SURELY THOSE FOUR have a good shot for a place on the Olympic team in 1984." Timmons said. "Others, like (discuss thrower) Clint Johnson, will probably have a good chance in 1988."
To qualify for the U.S. team, an athlete must first qualify for the Olympic Trials by meeting or bettering The Athletic Congress' qualifying mark. Then the top three athletes of the Olympic Games will compete in the Los Angeles
All four Jawhawks, though cautious about predictions, seemed confident about fulfilling their quests for an Olympic medal.
Deon Hogan
Deon Hogan, who set a world indoor record in the 440-yard dash at the Big Eight Indoor Championships in February, said that his red-shirting last year's track season should help him in his preparation for the Games.
"I think I have a fairly decent chance at qualifying," Hogan said. "It helped me mentally to red-shirt last year. I'll train at a slower rate than the Olympians by concentrating on the outdoor season. I probably will run very little indoors."
HOGAN, WHO RAN his lifetime best of 45.38 three years ago at the Kansas Relays, was ranked in the U.S. Top 10 by Track and Field News on both last year. But he said the competition for the national team was tough.
"There's a whole bunch of good runners out there," Hogan said. "It's
hard to say who will be the toughest at the Trials, but I'd guess that it will take a time in the mid- to upper 44s to qualify."
Sanva Owolabi
Sanya Owolabi, who was ranked fourth in the U.S. in the triple jump last year by Track and Field News, was a hopeful about his Olympic chances.
"The competition should be really intense, but I think I have a good chance," Owolabi said. "I'd say there are at least six sumpers who have a good chance to be some great competition. But tough competition is part of jumping."
Owolabi said that if the weather was good on the day of the Trials, he'd have to jump 56-6 to qualify. His previous best jump outdoors is 55-73⁻¹.
Wilhoite said that if he could keep consistent in his long jumping, his chances of qualifying for the Olympics were good.
Warren Wilhoite
"I if I can get to jumping consistently around 26-8, my chances should be pretty good. Willote said, 'My team is not going to win.' In the trials I because I won't be competing for
KU next year and will be able to prepare more carefully."
Consistency has become Wilhelie's trademark in the past two months, with four wins in his last five meets, including two jumps over 26 feet and a big win at the prestigious Texas Relays. After three injury-plugged seasons, he's starting to show the U.S. track circle what he can do.
"This is the first outdoor season that I've been completely injury free," the three-time All-American said. "If I can stay healthy, this should be a great year for me."
Jeff Buckingham
Another KU athlete who's had his best season ever is pole vaulter Jeff Buckingham. After coming close but failing to clear 18-feet in competition during the past two years, Buckingham exploded with a collegiate indoor record vault of 19.5 feet at the brusks. He followed that with a 18-foot win at the Big Eight Indoor and an 18-3 clearance to place fourth at the NCAA National Indoor Championships.
The three-time All-American, now completely healed from painful skin splints, is also healthy for the first time in three years.
He remained confident but cautious about predicting his Olympic chances.
"I LOOK AT IT as if there's about 10 guys that have it a chance for a place on the team," Buckingham said. "I think it will take a jump of 18-8 to make it."
Buckingham said that although he will be出 of college eligibility after this season, he will stay here to concentrate on his vaulting. He was probably not what change his training much to prepare for the Games.
"I'll vault the same amount I did this year," he said, "but 'I'll run more because I'm rid of my shin soreness. I need to run more."
Two former Jayhawk track stand-outs, spinner Cliff Wiley and high jumper Tyke Peacock, also are strong contenders for the 84 Olympic team.
WILEY HAS BEEN ranked at the top of the U.S. 400-meter list for the past two years, and in 1981, was ranked number one in the world in the event. A 100- and 200-meter star in college, Wiley qualified for the 1980 Olympics in the 200, but didn't get to compete in the Moscow Games because of former President Jimmy Carter's decision to bccoyt the event.
way slipped to fourth in the world rankings last year, but maintained his dominance this country, winning the 400 for the second straight year at The Athletic Congress National Championship, and the recorded a best time of 44.70 for the one-lae race at
the TAC meet in 1981 and ran 44.86 in East Germany last summer.
"I think my chances for qualifying next year are very good," Wiley said. "It's difficult for me to say what my competition is going to be because I think that the 400 is the most talented event in track right now.
"THERE'S SO MUCH proven talent in the event and new talent coming in all the time. But nobody's going to sneak up in the 400. I think everyone knows who's going to be tough at the Trials and who's not."
writely is now finishing the requirements necessary to receive a law decision.
"My preparation for next year will change only because I won't have law school next year," he said. "At this stage, I'm more concerned with establishing a proper training pattern for both 1983 and 1984. There are a lot of big meets this year and I want to be able to run my best when I have to."
LIKE WILEY. PEACOOK was ranked first in the world in the high jump in 1981. Last year, he slipped to sixth in the world and second in the U.S. behind Dwight Stones. Peacock left KU and the Jayhawk track team in the middle of the outdoor season last year and is currently enrolled at Fresno State University and jumping for the Fresno State Track Club.
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