Stage Is Set For Johnson’s Best Effort Quest By Lewis, 400 Final Put Spotlight On Track And Field
It’s time for Michael Johnson to switch it off cruise control in his drive to Olympic history.
“Everything is planned,” said Johnson, who at times in the opening rounds seemed to toy with his competition as he built toward tonight’s 400-meter final. “I plan to go through the rounds as easy as possible and then go into the final with as much energy as I possibly could have.”
The Olympic schedule twice was changed because of Johnson - first to accommodate his bid to become the first man to win both the 400 and 200, then for a wider TV audience (the 400 final will be at 9:10 p.m. EDT; the 200 begins Wednesday). And while he’s prime time, there will be plenty more potential for drama all around Olympic Stadium.
Eight-time gold medalist Carl Lewis begins his final Olympic appearance in the long jump qualifying round. Cuba’s Ana Quirot runs in the 800-meter final after her comeback from a fire that cost her unborn baby’s life. Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrselassie is in the 10,000-meter final, the first race in his quest for a grueling double gold, with the 5,000 meters ahead of him.
All told, eight track and field gold medals are at stake.
Johnson, who has switched from purple to gold running shoes for the Olympics, has no doubt he’ll win the 400. He dismissed suggestions he’s playing around with the rest of the field.
“I wouldn’t have come here if I had doubts,” he said. “I came here confident.
“But by no means am I toying with the other runners. I’m not even concerned with them. I’m out there trying to make sure that I can advance to the next round as easily as possible.”
In the first three rounds, Johnson purposely took it easy. He won Sunday night’s semifinal heat in 44.59 seconds, slowing in the final 50 meters and turning his head often to watch his opponents.
In the second round, he ran slowly for the first 300 meters and was in fifth place at the final turn before quickly turning on a little speed and winning easily, even though he let up in the final 10 meters. His time of 44.62 seconds was the fastest 400 of the day.
Twelve years after completing his own quest - to win four gold medals at the Los Angeles Olympics - Lewis, 35, prepared for a final bow. He added drama to Sunday night’s preliminaries by jumping 27 feet, 2-1/2 inches to qualify after starting his third and last leap in 15th place.
“It’s probably one of the most wide-open events of these games,” Lewis said of the long jump. “I think I have a very good chance. I’m rested.”
After failing to qualify in the 100 and 200 and being left off the 400 relay team, Lewis has been able to focus on his lone event. Winning would tie him with swimmer Mark Spitz for most golds by a U.S. athlete, and with discus thrower Al Oerter, the only athlete to win the same track and field event in four straight Olympics.
Indoors, gymnast Dominique Moceanu competes in the balance beam and floor exercises, while Shannon Miller competes on the beam, on which she won the silver at Barcelona, for the U.S. women. Jair Lynch is in the parallel bars competition, giving the U.S. men’s gymnastics team one last chance to medal.
xxxx WHAT’S AHEAD Medals at stake: Track and field, diving, gymnastics, table tennis, weightlifting, yachting