U.S. Regains Dominance As a Track Superpower

STUTTGART, Germany The United States is back as the world'sdominant track and field power.

With the breakup of the Soviet Union and the consolidation ofthe Germans into one team, the Americans have regained the positionthey held before those nations emerged strongly into the sport.

The Americans did it with an overpowering performance at theWorld Championships, which ended Sunday.

For the first time, the Americans finished atop the medalstandings, collecting 26 medals, half of them golds.

At the 1991 Tokyo Championships, the U.S. team also earned 26medals, 10 golds, but finished second in total medals to the SovietUnion's 28. This time, the Russian team got only 16 medals,including three golds, all won by women. However, other formerSoviet republics won nine more medals, adding up to 25 for what usedto be the USSR.

Germany, medals leader at the first two championships in 1983and 1987 with 30 and 34 medals, respectively - the totals acombination of the West and East German teams - wound up with 17medals in 1991 and only eight this time.

The biggest improvement for the United States team was among thewomen. After garnering a total of only six golds in the previousthree championships, they won five in this meet - Gail Devers with arare double in the 100-meter dash and the 100-meter hurdles, JearlMiles in the 400, Jackie Joyner-Kersee in the heptathlon and the1,600-meter relay team of Gwen Torrence, Maicel Malone, NatashaKaiser-Brown and Miles.

"I think it is a flavor of things to come for the women, becausethere are a lot of young women out there," U.S. women's coach ErnieGregoire said. "Most of our medalists are in their mid- to late 20s,and there's some good legs left under them."

The U.S. men's team also appears to have a solid future.

"We have some great, young talent coming up," said MichaelJohnson, the world 400-meter champion.