Heike Henkel

Hurdler Kevin Young and German high jumper Heike Henkel were named athletes of the year by the International Amateur Athletic Federation.

Hurdler Kevin Young and German high jumper Heike Henkel were named athletes of the year by the International Amateur Athletic Federation.

Heike Henkel of Germany set a world indoor record in the women's high jump Saturday, clearing 6 feet 9 1/2 inches on her third attempt at the German Indoor Track and Field Championships at Karlruhe. Henkel, 27, the 1991 world outdoor champion who formerly competed for West Germany, broke the mark of 6-9 set by Stefka Kostadinova of Bulgaria on Feb. 27, 1988. "At the last minute, I thought the bar would fall off," Henkel said. "I'm already thinking about 2.10 meters (6-10 3/4).

At the Mobil IAAF Grand Prix in Barcelona--the last major track and field meet of 1991--Michael Johnson capped an undefeated year in the 200 meters, winning with the season's fastest time, 19.88 seconds. Sergei Bubka of the Soviet Union won the pole vault and men's overall Grand Prix title, though he failed to set his 29th world record. He missed two attempts at 20-0 1/2 feet, which would have broken his world record of 20-0.

Olympic silver medalist Colin Jackson led a one-two British finish in the men's 110-meter hurdles at the European Track and Field Championships today. Jackson trailed teammate Tony Jarrett early in the race but powered into the lead at the last hurdle and won with a time of 13.18 seconds, the third-fastest in the world this season and a meet record. Jarrett took the silver at 13.21, and Dietmar Koszewski of West Germany finished third.

Colin Jackson needed a strong finish to win the 110-meter high hurdles in 13.18 seconds, giving Britain its eighth gold medal at the European Track and Field Championships Friday. The British tied East Germany in golds. The Soviets won five golds Friday for a total of six going into today's final day of competition. West Germany, which had won only one gold, added two Friday. Jackson rallied to beat teammate Tony Jarrett, who finished second in 13.21. "I guess it is time I am rated No.

Through the first five events in the decathlon Thursday in track and field's World Championships at Gottlieb Daimler Stadium, defending champion Dan O'Brien had a hardly commanding four-point lead over Germany's Paul Meier. If he is sound and healthy, O'Brien should put more distance between himself and the field today because he usually scores better in the final five events. But that is no small if.

There were more causes represented in track and field competition Saturday at the Summer Olympics than there were issues at the Democratic Convention. Hassiba Boulmerka ran for Algeria, Algerian women specifically, and her country's assassinated president. Fermin Cacho Ruiz ran for the pride of the host country. Heike Henkel jumped for her just-say-no-to-steroids campaign. Didn't anyone go to Montjuic Stadium simply to compete? Actually, someone did.

Tour rookie J.B. Holmes shot a six-under-par 65 to take a one-shot lead in the FBR Open at Scottsdale, Ariz., while a raucous record crowd of 168,337 partied around him Saturday. The 23-year-old from Kentucky was at 16-under 197 through 54 holes. Second-round leader J.J. Henry (70) and Ryan Palmer (64) were one behind at 15 under. "I've got the putter working," Holmes said, "and if you get the putter working, you can make some birdies."

How can track and field expect to draw crowds when its own world championships can't draw athletes? Day 2 of the World Indoor Championships featured no-shows both on and off the track, as officials struggled to persuade the sport's elite athletes to attend its biennial indoor showcase. Judging by the sparse attendance at the SkyDome Saturday, the public also has yet to be sold on indoor track.

When International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch returned to his home here last week to meet with organizers of the July 25-Aug. 12 Summer Games, he was still perturbed about the choice of a former soccer player, Michel Platini, as the final torchbearer during the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics.