ADIDAS BOSTON INDOOR GAMES DISPLAY FIREWORKS OF ONE WORLD, THREE AMERICAN

Unuseasonably warm weather welcomed the participants of adidas Boston
Indoor Games to Reggie Lewis Track, not far from downtown Boston, Mass.
Things went from warm to hot very fast once the meet was under way, helped
by an array of precociously excellent early-season performances that, if for
a day, switched the attention of international athletics community back to
the New World.

Season`s best marks, produced in the women`s 800 m and 60 m hurdles
warmed up the crowd, which was then simply sent into a frenzy by the
announcement that their own New England Patriots had defeated the Steelers
and advanced into the Superbowl. Already on their feet, athletics-crazy
Bostonians did not lose that excitement for the duration of the men`s 3000 m
race and were rewarded with witnessing the first one of the three American
records that would be set over the course ot the night. In an inspiring
style that mixed daring front-running strategy with a gutsy effort over the
last 1000 m, Tim Broe claimed second place behind Kenyan Leonard Mucheru,
and, with it, a new American record of 7.39,23. The old record of 7.39,94,
set by famous miler Steve Scott, dated all the way back to 1981. Hometown
favorite Jonathon Riley did not come up short of further pleasing the crowd,
with a third-place effort of 7.46,84.

David Krummenacker exceeded everyone`s expectations in the men`s 1000
m, not only winning the head-to-head battle with ex-meet record holder Laban
Rotich of Kenya, but also setting a new American record in the event, all
this on the strength of a blitzing finishing spurt around the last curve and
down the homestretch. His time of 2.17,85 bettered the 2.18,19 AR
performance by Ocky Clark back in 1989.

Regina Jacobs continues to surprise her friends and foes alike, and she
did so in style today, setting new American and World records in the
seldomly-run women`s 2-mile event. With no one close to her from around the
1200 m mark all the way to the tape, Regina maintained the pace perfectly
and left the track (but not the building, as, following the conclusion of
the meet, she diligently signed autographs for a line of excited spectators)
credited with new American and World record of 9.23,38, shaving almost full
five seconds off Lynn Jennings mark set in 1986.

Men`s relays traditionally ended the meet, with the Univerity of
Arkansas of the Southeastern Conference dominating men`s DMR (Distance
Medley Relay, 1200 m--400 m--800 m--1 600 m), and Team Nike coming up a full
three seconds short in their announced World record attempt in the 4X400 m.

Denis Fedulov