Day 3

By Lee Juillerat

For several hours it was just another day. Spoiled track and field fans were enjoying another round of sterling performances at the U.S. Olympic Trials in the sultry Eugene heat Sunday afternoon, but without the soul and passion that had marked Friday and Saturday. The pole vault competition seemed to lack drama; the triple jump finals were mechanical; even the finals in the hurdles seemed cool, especially in comparison to the very un-Eugene like 90-degree temperatures.

But late in the men's long competition something happened. The polite but half-hearted enthusiasm turned electric as the jumpers fired up themselves and the 20,000 people at Hayward Field. Four leapers took turns besting each other marks. Brian Johnson appeared safe for the gold after flying 27-2.3 feet. But on his final jump, Trevell Quinley literally flew from third to first with a crowd-stirring 27-5.5. Miguel Pate soon followed with a 26.11.75, good enough for the third and final spot to Beijing and enough to pass Dwight Phillips, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist. Pate looked like a human exclamation point - !!!!! - bounding wildly.

The old joints in Hayward field were jumping when the day's final event, the men's 100 meter run, followed. The wait to see how fast a man could run was the shortest ever, with Tyson Gay propelling the distance in 9.68. It won't be a world record because the wind was blowing at 4.1 meters per second, but in an event where gauntlets are thrown at opponents, it served notice that Gay is more than ready. The mark also rates as the fastest under any conditions. Completing the team were Walter Dix with 9.80, a time than any other day would have been stunning, and Darvis Patton.

Several minutes later, after enjoying a victory lap and on-track celebrations, Dix was exiting the field when he passed along a ropeline of excited fans, who treated him with roars of applause. Dix, who had been so composed on the track, looked stunned, heard a young boy ask for an autograph and, obviously temporarily confused, instead handed him the bouquet of flowers he had received moments before on the winner's podium. For that young boy, and for Dix and the rest of us, just another wasn't just another day. The magic continues.