'M' track looking for fast finish

By Chris Farah
Daily Sports Editor

There's no single story - no single angle - that stands out as the Michigan men's and women's track teams send individual Wolverines to compete at the NCAA championship meet.

That's because there are too many good stories for one to take precedence over all the others.

Today, seven Wolverines begin competition in Bloomington, each with his or her own story, each with his or her own motivation for success.

There are the seniors on the men's team - Neil Gardner and Kevin Sullivan. This will be the last meet for both of them in a Michigan uniform, but the national championship meet holds a much different significance for each.

After winning three NCAA championships, Sullivan had to take last year off to recover from an injury and is only recently beginning to regain his championship form - a form that will be tested in the 1,500-meter run at NCAAs.

"I'm getting there," Sullivan said of his recovery. "I won't really be able to tell until I get into nationals, against my toughest competition of the year. It was tough during cross country and indoors, just sitting around doing nothing. (But) things are really falling into place now."

Michigan distance coach Ron Warhurst said that although Sullivan isn't 100 percent yet, his attitude will allow him to perform above his ability at NCAAs.

"You miss a year of training as a distance runner and come back and train for 17 weeks, and you're still not going to be there," Warhurst said. "But he's real competitive. He's ranked seventh or eighth, but I guarantee he'll be top three.

"I know Kevin Sullivan, and there are not three runners in the country that can outkick him."

Gardner, on the other hand, has had his greatest success in the past year and will be defending his national title in the 400-meter hurdles, while also competing in the 110 hurdles.

"If I do my job, as far as running my race plan, I'll be tough to beat," Gardner said. "Right now, compared to last year, I'm running much faster in practice than I was at this time last year, so I expect I should run faster."

Rounding out the men's team is sophomore John Mortimer. Although this will not be Mortimer's last collegiate race, the pressure to perform in the 3,000 steeplechase is still there.

Having just won Athlete of the Championship for his dominant performance at last week's Big Ten championships, Mortimer has a tough act to follow - himself.

"My goal for the weekend is top three," Mortimer said. "I have yet to be pushed in the steeplechase this year, so I'm looking forward to running with guys that are pretty quick."

Representing the distance crew of the Michigan women's team are sophomores Katie McGregor and Marcy Akard, who will run the 5,000. McGregor was considering running the 3,000 instead, but decided to join her teammate in the same race.

"I chose the 5,000 because I think I have a lot of room for improvement in it," McGregor said. "I've only run it twice this year, and I was basically running it by myself. We're going to go there and run with a high level of competition - unbelievably good runners. Hopefully we'll just go along with them, finish as fast as we can and come out winners."

Sophomore high jumper Nicole Forrester adds an element of uncertainty to the NCAAs. Still seemingly gaining confidence in her ability, Forrester has demonstrated the potential to jump as high as 6-foot-2 3/4 - or as low as a no-height - all in the same season.

"For nationals, I shouldn't even be worried about not making six feet," Forrester said. "If I do what I'm supposed to do, I should be able to perform well. It depends on the weather, it depends on how everyone else does - sometimes everyone's having a bad day, and sometimes everyone's having a good day."

Junior Tania Longe had a surprisingly poor performance in the indoor NCAA championships earlier this year. Longe placed 15th in the triple jump indoors, but expects to do much better in the final outdoor meet.

Considering that last week Longe set a new Big Ten record in the long jump and a Michigan record in the heptathlon, she seems well on track to peak in the two events in Bloomington.

"I'm prepared in outdoor more than indoor," Longe said. Indoors, "I guess the crowd kind of got to me, and entering an event (the triple jump) that was new to me - I lost some confidence. But I've done the long jump and the heptathlon since I was 11, and they're just events that I'm more comfortable with."

Michigan coach James Henry said that Forrester and Longe have different factors to consider in trying to optimize their performances.

"Longe is such a team person," Henry said. "Her team and the environment motivates her. She will be alone with three other athletes, and there won't be that crowd saying 'Let's go.' That is going to be a barrier, but she's going to have to bring it out from within.

"Nicole is used to being out and competing by herself. Her biggest enemy is herself. She tries too hard. Both of them have the opportunity to be national champions. It just depends on the day, a good early start, and luck as well."

MARGARET MYERS/Daily Although he easily won the 3,000-meter steeplechase at last week's Big Ten championships, John Mortimer will face his toughest competition of the season at the NCAA championships, starting today in Bloomington.	MARGARET MYERS/Daily After four seasons and two national titles, Michigan hurdler Neil Gardner will close out his career in style this weekend at the NCAA track and field championships in Bloomington.

On your mark ... Michigan NCAA track and field championship competitors*
Men: Neil Gardner, 400-meter hurdles, 110-meter hurdles John Mortimer, 3,000-meter steeplechase Kevin Sullivan, 1,500-meter run
Women: Marcy Akard, 5,000-meter run Nicole Forrester, high jump Tania Longe, heptathlon, long jump Katie McGregor, 5,000-meter run
*competition takes place today through Saturday in Bloomington.

06-04-97