Billy Konchellah

Two-time world champion Billy Konchellah led a 1-2-3 Kenyan sweep in the 800 meters, and sprinter Thomas Jefferson won the 100 and 200 meters in an international meet at New Delhi. Konchellah finished in 1:45.93, slower than his best of 1:43.06, in 95-degree heat. Jefferson, who did not compete in Tokyo, won the 100 in 10.29 seconds and the 200 in 20.92.

Billy Konchellah was in his element. The hot humid air in Tokyo hung on the spectators and athletes during the men's 800-meter run on Aug. 27 at the World Championships of Track and Field. Konchellah, dressed in the green-and-red uniform of Kenya, was not the favorite. The spectators looked toward Brazil's Jose Luiz Barbosa, the United States' Mark Everett and Konchellah's countryman, Paul Ereng. Konchellah was considered a long shot. But with 100 meters left, Konchellah and Ereng made a move.

Two-time world champion Billy Konchellah led a 1-2-3 Kenyan sweep in the 800 meters, and sprinter Thomas Jefferson won the 100 and 200 meters in an international meet at New Delhi. Konchellah finished in 1:45.93, slower than his best of 1:43.06, in 95-degree heat. Jefferson, who did not compete in Tokyo, won the 100 in 10.29 seconds and the 200 in 20.92.

Were Friday night's Sunkist Invitational an election, you would need to count the absentee ballots to determine the winner. That's how many important people were missing. It started with Billy Konchellah in the 880-yard run. Rather, it started without him. No reason was given to the crowd of 12,003 at the Sports Arena why the 1987 world champion in the 800 meters missed the race.

Billy Konchellah was in his element. The hot humid air in Tokyo hung on the spectators and athletes during the men's 800-meter run on Aug. 27 at the World Championships of Track and Field. Konchellah, dressed in the green-and-red uniform of Kenya, was not the favorite. The spectators looked toward Brazil's Jose Luiz Barbosa, the United States' Mark Everett and Konchellah's countryman, Paul Ereng. Konchellah was considered a long shot. But with 100 meters left, Konchellah and Ereng made a move.

American 800-meter runner Mark Everett ran his fastest and British javelin thrower Steve Backley uncorked his best throw at a track and field meet in Sheffield, England. Beaten by Kenyan Billy Konchellah and Brazilian Jose-Luis Barbosa at the World Championships in Tokyo last month, Everett beat them both at Don Valley Stadium with a time of 1 minute 43.93 seconds. Konchellah was second and Barbosa fourth, behind Britain's Kevin McKay.

Michael Johnson of the United States dominated the 200 meters Tuesday night at track and field's World Championships in Tokyo as no one has in a major competition since Jesse Owens in 1936, and if Johnson had not been running into a 3.4 meters-per-second head wind, he might have set a world record. His time of 20.

Were Friday night's Sunkist Invitational an election, you would need to count the absentee ballots to determine the winner. That's how many important people were missing. It started with Billy Konchellah in the 880-yard run. Rather, it started without him. No reason was given to the crowd of 12,003 at the Sports Arena why the 1987 world champion in the 800 meters missed the race.

Athletes from five national teams--Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the United States--will be involved in the two-day Foot Locker Summer Games and Pacific Conference Games next Saturday and Sunday at the University of California's Edwards Stadium in Berkeley. In addition to the 35-men and women national teams, the meet officials have put together eight invitational events, which are expected to draw most of the attention.