European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 12, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 20 b the stars and stripes sunday april 12, 1902t h o olympians Brien expects decathlon Gold up Fite decathlon favorite Dan o Brien will take a fling at 9,000 Points in Barcelona. By Bob Baum Portland Ore. A maybe you be never heard of him but by the end of 1992 Dan of Brien intends to be among the most famous athletes in America. A world record in the decathlon an olympic Gold medal and recognition As the greatest athlete on Earth i old do that for anyone a reputation. Of Brien is favored to be the first american to win the olympic decathlon Gold medal since Bruce Jenner in 1976. A i do feel pressure a of Brien said this week. A but i also feel that i can although he won the world championship and set an american record in Tokyo last year of Brien Isnit widely known in the United states. In Japan he was a victim of timing. His Victory came the same Day Mike Powell broke Bob Beamons 23-year-old world record and ended Carl Lewis 10-year, 65-meet winning Streak in the Long jump. Of Briens total of 3,812 Points in Tokyo was Only 45 Short of Daley Thompsons world record. Considering what happened in the Long jump of Brien did no to mind missing the world Mark. A a in a really glad i did no to break the world record because it would have been overshadowed a he said. The Media exposure already has begun. Of Brien and fellow american Dave Johnson Are the subjects of a series of Reebok ads that made their debut this month. Of Brien also is making promotional appearances for visa. Thus far however he feels like a Well kept secret As he trains at the University of Idaho in Moscow a i had a Good year but so did a lot of other people a he said. A but i feel if i do it this year it will be really big. A was far As in a concerned in a a country boy out Here in Idaho who a been going to a lot of track meets. But the de Cathlon is going to be a craze by the end of the the decathlon attracted of Brien at the 1988 olympic trials. He saw a Lack of big time Talent in the Competition. Quot i said if i can be the top Guy in the Field i can make a name for myself and make some Money a he said. Of Briens All time Best is 8,444 Points at last years . Championships just three Short of the world record. But it did no to count As an american record because there was no wind gauge. Because he a been so close he considers breaking the world record a foregone conclusion. A i feel in my mind that in be already passed it a he said. Quot in a looking More now at 9,000.�?� Over the Winter of Brien concentrated on the 1,500 meters his weakest event. A if i can take 10 seconds off that a 100 Points right there a he said. He plans to compete in single events at various indoor and outdoor meets but will compete in Only one decathlon before the olympics at the . Olympic trials in new Orleans in june. He said he a taking care to avoid injury a a in a very careful about Messing around a of Brien said. A i done to play basketball anymore. I done to ski. You be got to be careful but you can to go around worrying about As for what makes him arguably the Best de athlete of All time of Brien thinks its his mental approach to the 10 events. A a in be got passion to learn them a he said. A i want to learn them. I done to want to be kind of Good at some of them. I want to be Good at All of and As far As he a concerned there a no stopping him. A i done to see any limitation physically or mentally a of Brien said Lone wolves made decathlon history by Mary Foster new Orleans a the main thing Bob Mathias remembers is the loneliness. Milt Campbell agrees. Mathias and Campbell won olympic medals and set records in decathlon in the Days before athletic shoes hyped the sport or television spotlighted it. A the main thing i remember is being alone All the time a Mathias said. A we trained by ourselves. The Only time we saw other decathlon Guys was on the Day of the meet and we usually Only had one meet a Mathias is America s Only living two time olympic decathlon Gold medallist. He won it in 1948 and 1952. Campbell won the Silver in 1952 and the Gold in 1956 a setting an olympic record in the process. Alone and lonely Mathias and Campbell became dec athletes almost overnight. A a in a never heard of the decathlon a Mathias said. A my High school track coach came to me and said he had just heard of some event called the decathlon. He did no to know what All was involved but knew i already did four or five different events and said head find out what made up the Mathias was 17 at the time. Six weeks later in London he won his first Gold medal. Four years later Mathias bested his performance setting olympic and world records in the process. Campbell set an olympic record in the 1956 games after competing in Only four decathlon in his life a including the 1952 olympics where he won the Silver medal. Quot my first Competition in decathlon was the tryouts a Campbell said. A i lived in a Small town where acids participated in four or five events and that s what i did. But it Wasny to the age of in fact it Wasny to even the age of coaching. Mathias and Campbell who were in new Orleans recently As part of the build up to the olympic trials in june laughed when they compared their olympic preparation to that of Dan of Brien and Dave Johnson. Johnson works with 20 coaches trainers and specialists. Of Brien has two coaches an athletic Trainer Bone specialist Massage therapist and dietician. A i had a part time coach who was basically the track coach and would help when he had time a Mathias said. A in College my coach was basically a hurdler. I really Learned by asking other athletes when i d see them. A How do you hold a javelin How do you do that jump a a Campbell did no to have a coach at All and Only trained part time. Many observers feel Campbell never came close to his potential in several of the decathlon events including the pole a fault discus javelin and shot put. A former High school swimming Champion Campbell played football for three years at Indiana followed by 10 years in the nil and Canadian football league. He was also a world class hurdler a tying the world re Cord for that event in 1957. A we did no to know what could go wrong in those Days a Campbell said. Quot i keep hearing these Young Guys say a of in a just trying to stay we did no to think about injuries and you have to remember in those Days we were frequently dropping into wet Sand after a jump. Now they have everything and worry about these Days the sport is High tech and the athletes Are specialists they said. Unlike Mathias and Campbell today s de athletes know everything from the Way they must score to How Many pounds of pressure per Square Inch is applied to their feet during an event. A i did no to worry about my fat Content a Campbell said. A hell i did no to even know i had one. If i was overweight i just worked harder and lost they also did t know As much about making Money the men said. There were no endorsements no commercials no instant Fame for Mathias and Campbell. There was the incredible excitement of winning a medal for the United states and lasting rewards Learned from their sport a things like discipline hard work and patience. There is also a lingering compete Ness. A if i were competing now with the same sports Medicine technical training conditioning programs. I think i could beat All of these Guys a Mathias said. A of course we All fee that Way right Milt a a no doubt about it a Campbell agreed. �?o1 think i could take any of double medallist Milt Campbell resurfaces at a card show last summer. T
