"We're Ready"

The rigors of the trials were over, the showdown at Rome was still a fortnight away, but the U.S. Olympic men's track and field team was in no relaxing mood. The big idea at the final tune-up meet at California's Mount San Antonio Col lege, explained Hammer Thrower Hal Connolly, was "to go over there to Rome with something to scare 'em with." The scare was there: in one evening the U.S. stars broke four world records and tied two more.

The evening was still young when Connolly himself let loose a heave that sent the hammer thudding to earth 230 ft. 9 in. away--thereby breaking his own world record by 5 ft. 5 in. Discus thrower Rink Babka, 23, equaled the world record of Poland's Edmund Piatowski twice, with tosses that went 196 ft. 6 1/2 in. Shot-putter Bill Nieder, 26, had a special incentive to go for broke. Hampered by an injured knee at the July trials, he had made the Olympic squad only as an alternate, though he holds the world record of 65 ft. 7 in. Out to prove his ability, Nieder put the shot 65 ft. 10 in., and learned the following morning that he had been moved up on the squad in place of Dave Davis, who has a bad wrist. Said Nieder: "I just wanted to show that I don't choke."

In practice earlier this month, Sprinter Dave Sime, 23, had looked so fast in the 100 meters that he seemed to have won third place on the team from Paul Winder, 22, who had put the issue in doubt by tying him for third in the trials. At Mount

San Antonio, Sime whisked home in 10.1 sec. to tie the listed world record, sew up his place on the team.

But the most impressive feat of the night was scored by a lean, relaxed broad jumper from Laurel, Miss, named Ralph Boston. Delighted with the feel of the runway, Boston could hardly wait to begin jumping, remained undismayed even after spiking his knee so badly on an early try that he needed three stitches. Three times he flew over 26 ft. Then, arms flailing, Boston soared 26 ft. 11 1/4 in. to break by 3 in. the world record of Jesse Owens, a landmark of track that had stood for 25 years while every other standard was crumbling away. "Jesse said it was all right to break it," said Boston. "He said he was tired of it."

The spree was record-breaking enough to move even Olympic Coach Larry Snyder to laconic optimism when he contemplated the coming battle in Rome. Said he: "I'd say we were ready."

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