That could change in the nine finals scheduled for today, the last day of the trials. Among the world champions competing are Michael Johnson in the 200, Jackie Joyner-Kersee in the long jump, Greg Foster in the 110-meter high hurdles and Charles Austin in the high jump.
Joyner-Kersee competed Saturday in two rounds of the 100-meter hurdles, failing to qualify for today's final when she finished fifth in her semifinal heat. But she did not seem disappointed, saying that she was conserving her energy for the long jump. She won the heptathlon competition last week.
In the two other finals Saturday, Mike Stulce won the shotput at 70-5 1/4, the second-best in the world this year, and NCAA champion Tonya Hughes took the women's high jump at 6-3 1/2.
Today's highlight could be the 200, in which some of the world's fastest sprinters--Johnson, Lewis, Leroy Burrell, Mike Marsh and Dennis Mitchell--are among the finalists.
For the first time, Johnson and Lewis, the United States' two most celebrated male track and field athletes in recent years, were on the track at the same time Saturday, when they ran against each other in two heats. Johnson won the first ahead of the second-place Lewis in 20.49, but they finished second and third, respectively, in the semifinal behind Marsh at 20.26.
Johnson did not speak with reporters afterward, but he once said: "Beating Carl Lewis in the 200 meters does not impress me."
It was Lewis' turn to be unimpressed Saturday.
"He put out a lot," Lewis said of Johnson. "I didn't put out a lot. Michael Johnson has something to prove. I have nothing to prove."
* THAT'S SHOE BIZ
Reebok has to pull its commercials and come up with a new campaign after O'Brien loses. C14
