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Posted at 5:51 p.m., Thursday, June 21, 2007

Track and field: Greer breaks own U.S. javelin mark

By Bob Baum
Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS — Another American record? No big deal. A U.S. title again? So what.

Breaux Greer wants more — a world javelin record, an Olympic gold medal — and he's not even sure that'd be enough.

"You look for the magic answer," he said. "What's going to make you happy. I'm not so sure an Olympic medal or a world record will. That's something I have to find out. Otherwise, I'm going to walk away still wanting."

Greer broke the American javelin record for the second time this year and won his eighth consecutive national title Thursday on the opening night of the U.S. track and field championships.

With the help of a tailwind, Greer threw 299 feet, 6 inches on his second attempt to break the record of 297-7 set with his first throw of the season, at the Addidas Classic in Carson, Calif., on May 20.

"I took it easy on the first one but I missed it," he said. "I wanted to hit one clean. I backed off, went about 75 percent. I didn't hit it hard but I hit it clean. It shows me there's quite a few more meters in there."

The sometimes wisecracking, occasionally serious thrower from Monroe, La., who now lives in Scottsdale, Ariz., raised his arms in triumph after the big throw sailed past his American-record mark. He passed on his remaining four throws.

"I'm sorry I'm boring today," he joked. "I'm kind of tired. I took two throws. I'm used to taking one."

Greer, who owns the world's top two marks in the event in this still-young season, brushed aside the fourth American record throw of his career.

"Honestly, it doesn't mean anything to me," he said. "One, because there's a lot more there. Two, because breaking that doesn't give me a worlds medal."

Only race-walker Henry Laskau has won more consecutive U.S. track titles. He won 10 in a row from 1948 to 1956. Greer is tied for second with hammer thrower James Mitchell, who won eight straight from 1889 to 1896.

In the evening's final event at the Carroll Stadium on the edge of downtown Indianapolis, Deena Kastor won her fifth U.S. 10,000-meter title. The Olympic bronze medalist in the marathon three years ago won easily in the 31 minutes, 57 seconds.

"It's a very sweet victory this evening," she said. "I'm taking a break from the marathon, trying to speed up these legs right now."

Tyson Gay eased into Friday's 100-meter semifinals with a preliminary-round 9.98-second run, the fastest of the qualifiers. He said he wanted to play it safe after the field had a false start. Any sprinter who had a false start after that would have been disqualified.

"After I came out of my drive phase (at about 30 meters), I didn't execute too good because my lower back was feeling kind of funny," Gay said. "I think it needs to be adjusted. I'll fix all that tomorrow."

Walter Dix, winner of the 100 and 200 for Florida State at the NCAA championships two weeks ago, won his heat with a wind-aided 10.08.

Dix is after Ato Bolden's collegiate record of 9.92 seconds, and even though he has the world's top 100 and 200 times this year, he said he didn't plan to take part in the world championships.

"If I get the record next round, I'm going to stop," he said.

The top three finishers in each event, providing they've met the appropriate standards, make the U.S. team for the world championships to be held Aug. 25-Sept. 2 in Osaka, Japan. Reigning world champions automatically make the U.S. squad.

Two days after passing his citizenship test, Lopez Lomong advanced through the preliminary round of the 800 meters.

"I just wanted to have fun with my fellow Americans," the former "Lost Boy of Sudan" said with a big smile.

Lomong won't officially be sworn in as a citizen until July 6 but he was allowed to participate in this week's nationals because he will be an American before he represent his country in any international competition later this summer.

A sophomore at Northern Arizona, Lomong won the NCAA 1,500 meters two weeks ago. He chose to run the 800 at the nationals to work on his speed.

Lomong finished third in by far the fastest of the four preliminary 800 heats with a personal best 1 minute, 46.28 seconds. It was the third-fastest time of all the qualifiers for Friday's semifinals. The only faster ones were the two who finished ahead of him in his heat, event favorite Nick Symmonds at 1:46.17 and Floyd Thompson in 1:46.24.

Lomong came to the United States under the "Lost Boys of Sudan" program in 2001 after spending 10 years in a Kenyan refugee camp. He said he was taken from his parents when he was 6 years old and imprisoned in a Sudanese rebel camp.

Three older boys escaped through a small hole in a fence and took him with them, Lomong said. According to Lomong, they ran for three days before encountering Kenyan border police, who took them to the refugee camp, his home for the next decade.

Me'Lisa Barber was the fastest qualifier in the women's 100 with a wind-aided 10.95. Torri Edwards was second-fastest at 11.01.

"It's my third race this season and I ran 10.95," Barber said. "I'm pretty pleased. I'm suffering from an Achilles' injury and I had shin splints, so I'm pretty satisfied."

Shani Marks defended her triple jump title with 46-2› effort. Somalia-born Abdi Abdirahman won the men's 10,000 at 28:13.51, with Oregon junior Galen Rupp second at 28:23.31. The times are well off the qualifying standards for the worlds.