Getting a jump on things Getting a jump on things (August 10, 2005)

Stanford sophomore McLain ends season at World meet in Finland

by Rick Eymer

There's nowhere to go but up, or in this case up and out, for triple jumper Erica McLain.

The Stanford sophomore, the youngest American woman on the team, did not get out of the qualifying round of her event at the IAAF World Championships on Saturday in Helsinki, Finland.

The meet continues through Saturday. Stanford grad Toby Stevenson was expected to qualify for Thursday's men's pole vault final, while Menlo Park resident Grace Upshaw and Stanford grad Jackie Edwards, competing for the Bahamas, hope to qualify for Wednesday's women's long jump final.

McLain finished a disappointing 13th in her group with a leap of 43-7 1-4. She set the American junior record en route to her first U.S. title with a 45-11 3-4 in Carson last month.

The day's best mark was turned in by Chrisopiyi Devetzi of Greece at 48-3 1-4.

Although disappointed, McLain said the experience of competing against the world's best was beneficial.

"It was really exciting," she said. "Being the youngest here was really cool. I definitely think I should have done better. I probably had my worst competition in two years. I don't know what it was. It wasn't nerves. I guess it was just an off day."

USA Masters championships

A handful of Olympic athletes from the area were among the many who won events at the University of Hawaii over the weekend.

Stanford grad Dr. Duncan Macdonald, a 1976 Olympian, won the men's 5,000 meters in the 55-division with an 18:10.61 in his first effort since recovering from an Achilles' injury.

Menlo-Atherton High grad Trish (King) Porter, who participated at the 1988 Olympics, went 5-7 to win the women's-45 high jump.

Stanford grad Bud Held, a former world record holder in the javelin and a 1952 Olympian, was second in the men's-75 discus, throwing a 108-9.

Ed Burke, a three-time Olympian (1964, 68, 84) tossed the hammer 176-10 to set an American Men's-65 age division record. He beat the previous mark by nearly 17 feet.

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