European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 15, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse Is by de Reavis cuban Alberto Juantorena takes off in rerun of disputed 400-meter world cup race in Dusseldorf Germany. Is by Mike Spear Speed thundering Power Mammoth strides bring Victory in rerun to cuban finishing ahead of East German Volker Beck partly hidden Robert up Taylor of . By Mike Spear and de Reavis staff writers Hen cuban olympic runner Alberto Juantorena announced that he Page was going to Branch into Middle distance racing it May not have been exactly Welcome news to the masters of the metric mile. But when he reconfirmed it after dominating the world cup track and Field Competition at Dusseldorf West Ger Many some thought they sensed a perceptible shudder among the likes of John Walker of new zealand Filbert Bay of Tanzania and Steve Scott of the . There is no doubt that for some runners the news was threatening if not downright frightening. For the 6-foot-3, 185-Pound Juantorena Gold medal Winner in the 400 and 800-meter races in Montreal last summer let it be known that he has been training for the 1,500 meter race for some time and that next year he will compete in it. Speculation As to what that Means takes Many directions. But most prevalent is the belief that new records for that distance Are just a matter of time. For Juantorena s March nay Gallop through the world of track and Field since his Days on his native Oriente province basketball team has been nothing Short of electrifying. It began in 1971. With the help of Zygmunt Zabierzewski his polish coach he almost earned a spot in the 1972 olympics 400 meter race. As he continued to train he began to look to greater distances. Soon he was running the 800 meter. B in 1976 he was ready for Montreal. He swept the 400 and the 800 meter races in what Many consider to be Tho greatest running feat in olympic history overshadowing even finn Lasse Viren s capture of the 5,000 meter and the stars and stripes the 10,000 meter races in two olympics. Juantorena made it look easy. His 400 meter time of 44.26 was the fastest Ever recorded at sea level and his 800 meter time of 1 43.5 was a world record. Along the Way to the top he became known in his coun try Asel Caballo the horse but Eltoro might be More appropriate for a Bull he surely is. With an abundance of Pride and courage and using none of the racing tactics that Many runners use he just goes All out from the Start of a race his afro bulging from the sides of his head like horns and simply Burns his competitors off the track with Speed and Power. And now that it is certain that that he will compete in the 1,500 meter next year what of the years beyond Are the 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter within his reach if they Are will Lasse Viren stay Home in Finland Juantorena has a singleness of purpose and relentless drive that May bring it All about. He is a Man who has everything going for him. A hero of Mammoth proportions in his own country he is a member of the elite Young communist league and he is studying economics at the University of Havana. He is married and the father of two Young children. At the world cup the 25-year-old cuban dominated the Competition like no other and before it was Over some were calling it the three Days of he ran hardest protested loudest and ultimately the Force of his Achilleas Wrath probably got him what he wanted. Wherever he went often accompanied by his new coach Jorge Cumberbatch he was mobbed on the streets of Dusseldorf his hotel lobby or entering Rhein stadium. When he competed in the world cup and it amounted to four times although originally he was scheduled for three he never failed to amaze. His Speed thundering Power and Mammoth strides were awesome. His Speed for the 400 meter and Speed plus endurance for 800 meters would seem to be enough to chill the heart of any competitor. Said one female admirer All aglow after one of his races on the track he is How do you say a yes an animal Juantorena s first world cup race was the Hod meter and it promised to be exciting. Mike Boit of Kenya who had been seeking a race with the cuban for several years had finally run against him and lost the week before in Zurich and Boit wanted a Victory now in the worst Way. He almost got it. But Juantorena vowed to surpass his new world record of 1 43.43 for the 800 meter set recently in Sofia. Bulgaria. He led from the Start of the two Lap race then on the Back stretch of the second Lap he opened throttle and began to pull away from the Field. Boit moved to catch up and As they entered the final turn he began to gain steadily coming up on the cuban s right shoulder. As they came out of the turn Juantorena suddenly looked Over to his right saw Boit abreast of him and put on an All out burst of Speed. He was unable to shake Boit though and when they crossed the finish line it looked like a dead heat. It nearly was. The limes were 1 44 and 1 44.1. I knew my old Friend Mike was right there and 1 gave it everything i had Juantorena said afterwards to sorry it was t a world record but i m tired. I be been running since november and i m really but the race that brought out the cuban s Lull blown Wrath and caused excitement among fans and world cup officials for nearly a full Day came with the 400 meter race a Day later. It was to be a ked bloc Runoff Between Juantorena and Volker Beck of East Germany. As they got into starting position. A plane taking off from Disseldorf s Airport came Over the Western mde of the stadium and the racers were held in the set position longer than Normal. When the gun did fire there was obvious confusion. Juantorena took about three Steps then slowed and looked Back. Robert Taylor of the ., saw this and he too broke stride. But seeing the rest of the Field still run Ning they took off. If Ever Juantorena ran a race Flat out this was it. The stands were in almost Complete pandemonium As he gradually closed the Gap on Beck and Artur Podlas of Poland. Again it almost looked like a a dead heat but Juantorena came in third. It was Beck first with 45.79, Podlas second with 45.80 and Juantorena 45.83. If a Man s temper is in part a measure of him it became apparent that Juantorena was a Man to be reckoned with off the track As Well As on. The cuban s rage at what had befallen him rivalled that of Achilles on the Plains of Troy. First he went Over to a track official to protest then apparently getting no satisfaction turned and kicked a starting Marker Over. Back in the stadium dressing room his anger grew. He lodged a protest and let it be known that he would be satisfied with nothing less than a rerun. While he fumed world cup officials met to take it up. Taylor also entered a protest. The committee did decide to rerun the race probably a precedent for a race of world cup Caliper. The decision was based on the fact that there was noise from a plane and from High Speed cameras near the runner which caused the confusion according to Lutz be Benthal press officer for the German athletic federa Tion. Is by de Reavis i Only wanted equal conditions for All runners. The first race was unfair to the decision to hold the rerun came just before mid night and the new race was to Start the final Day of com petition. When they lined up again few doubted the result. Juantorena got off to a slow Start he says he always does then proceeded to pull slowly ahead of the rest of the Field to win. Becker ran a belter time than the Day before setting an East German record with a 45.50 but Juantorena s time was 45.36. For Juantorena it was almost a repeat of his Montreal performance. In a press conference after the race he an swered questions with the same Force and directness that he runs. I am stronger than any other runner Here he said in English he has been studying it for More than a year. When another question was asked he raised his hand for silence while he intently watched a rerun of his second 400 meter race on a nearby television set. As he saw himself Cross the finish line first a smile of satisfaction flickered across his face then he turned to answer the question. Did he think the decision to rerun the race came be cause he an olympic Champion was involved i think the decision was equal for All runners because yesterday s race was not Normal. I Only wanted equal conditions for All runners. The first race was unfair to Beck said the decision to repeat the race was Gro Tesque but he thought the second race was fairer and he was satisfied with his second place. The final race in the world cup for Juantorena was Anticlimactic by comparison. He ran a leg in the 1,600 meter relays but the cubans came in third. There is Little doubt that he welcomes the coming end of the outdoor racing season so that he can return the Havana to rest regroup and train for a new season. Meanwhile fans can Only speculate As to what Eltoro will do next season in the metric mile. Thursday september 15, 1977 the stars and stripes Page 15
