Hammer Throw By Kiss Doesn’t Go Down The Toilet
If he had a hammer, he’d throw it over the fence.
But thanks to some shrewd organizers of the Pacific-10 Conference track meet at the University of Arizona, USC’s Balazs Kiss didn’t have to.
The layout of the hammer-throw area included a fence 264 feet from the ring - and a few feet beyond that, a row of porta-potties.
Normally, that’s no problem. But with USC’s two-time national champ Balazs Kiss coming in with a best of 257-5, officials were a bit edgy. So they backed up the fence and the portable facilities.
Good thing. Kiss improved his NCAA-record distance by a whopping 11 feet, 5 inches to 268-10.
Justin time for track
When Justin Strand left Gonzaga Prep for Stanford, his future seemed destined to include success as a linebacker.
Strand, though, is not doing badly on the track.
A sophomore, Strand took sixth in the Pac-10 discus with a PR of 164-2. Friday, he was ninth in the hammer with a toss of 201.
Strand redshirted last year’s football season after having surgery to remove a “cystic growth” on his right knee.
“It’s not structural damage, it’s just a growth that causes trouble that they have to remove,” said Strand, who’s gone through the procedure four times.
An economics major, Strand took 22 credits during the quarter he was redshirting football.
What do coaches know?
Sometimes, not much.
Two years ago, Viola Schaffer asked Arizona coach Dave Murray if she could walk on to the Wildcats’ team.
Murray suggested that she not bother wasting her time.
Friday night, Schaffer won the Pac-10 10,000 meters, and coming into the meet, she had the thirdfastest time in the nation. Saturday, she took second in the 5,000.
What do fathers know?
Sometimes, not much.
Kenyan distance great Kip Keino, for instance, was asked of his son’s potential as a runner when he enrolled young Martin at Fork Union Military Academy nine years ago. The elder Keino responded that Martin, sadly, did not appear to have the aptitude for running. Maybe he’d have a future in soccer.
All Martin Keino has done since was win three conference distance titles for Arizona in 1993 and add three more at this weekend’s meet.
Tube time
ESPN filmed highlights of the meet Saturday and will broadcast a 2-hour show on June 19.