Slaney’s Win In Indoor Mile Fastest In World Since 1990

Mary Slaney, queen of American distance running, made her first appearance in 23 years in the U.S. Indoor Championships Saturday a display reminiscent of when she won two world outdoor titles in 1983.

Running injury free and confident for the first time in years, Slaney won the women’s mile in 4 minutes, 3.08 seconds, fastest in the world since Doina Melinte of Romania set the world record of 4:00.27 in 1990.

The American indoor record-holder at 800 meters, 880 yards, 1,000 meters, 1,500 meters and the mile, Slaney bolted to the front and never was seriously challenged as she beat runner-up Suzy Hamilton by about 40 meters.

In the meet’s biggest showdown, two-time Olympic 100-meter champion Gail Devers beat Olympic bronze medalist Gwen Torrence by about 2 meters in the 60-meter dash in 7.00, fastest in the world this year.

The top two finishers in each event qualified for the world indoors championships, but Torrence has said she is not going.

At Sindelfingen, Germany, Alicier Urrutia of Cuba set an indoor record in the triple jump with a leap of 58 feet 6 inches at an international meet, breaking the old mark by 2-1/4 inches.