New Challenger

Ever since 1948, skivvy-clad sprinters have strained to get a stride in front of Mel Patton's sizzling 9.3 sec. world record for the 100-yd. dash. Although ten men have matched his time,* no one yet has raced past Patton into the record book. But this year the old champ has a new, more dangerous challenger: San Jose State's cocky Dennis Johnson, a whippet-fast Jamaican who is undefeated in eleven straight races, and this month became the first runner in history to tie Patton's world record four times in a single season. Says Johnson: "I should break the record this summer. I'll do it the first time I get any competition."

Olympic Flop. Born in Kingston, 22-year-old Sprinter Johnson ran the 100 in 11.5 sec. at the age of twelve, and caught the eye of Jamaican Track Star Herb McKenley. The ex-Olympian painstakingly tutored Johnson for six years, coached him to Jamaican high school records of 9.6 sec. in the 100, 21.1 sec. in the 220, and 50.7 sec. in the 440. In 1959 he entered Bakersfield (Calif.) College, and cut his running times to a creditable 9.4 sec. in the 100, 20.6 in the 220. Unhappy with his poor showing in the 1960 Olympics--he started sloppily, was eliminated in the loo-meter quarter-finals--Johnson transferred to San Jose State to work under canny Track Coach Lloyd ("Bud") Winter, who developed U.S. Sprinters Ray Norton and Bobby Poynter.

Together, Johnson and Winter carefully studied movies of Germany's gabby Olympic Champion Armin Hary. They decided that Hary won his races at the start. "I knew my own start was terrible," says Johnson. He tried moving his starting blocks back farther than normal, rising more leisurely into the "set"' position, taking a quicker first stride to get the jump on the rest of the field. Purpose of the "slow rising" technique, says Winter, is to keep Johnson completely relaxed until the moment the starter's gun fires. "Our research shows that reaction time is improved by relaxation.''

Starting Flap. Johnson's new start has worked so well (last month he ran a wind-aided 9.2; fortnight ago, at Fresno's West Coast Relays, he won in 9.4 despite a strained groin muscle) that rival coaches are screaming foul. Occidental College's Chuck Coker argues that Johnson is using an illegal "rolling start"; that he is in motion before the starter's gun. The University of Illinois' Leo Johnson has threatened to force changes in N.C.A.A. track rules to ban his namesake's "questionable" technique. But most track officials agree with Coach Winter that Sprinter Johnson's starts are perfectly proper. "There's nothing remotely illegal about Dennis' start." says Winter. "The only sin he's committed is to run 9.3." Johnson himself is unconcerned by the ruckus. "I've never had any complaint, not even a black look," he says, "from any of the guys I've raced against. All I get from them are congratulations."

* Among them: Australia's Hector Hogan (1954), the U.S.'s Dave Sime (twice in 1956, once in 1957), Bobby Morrow (1957) and Ray Norton (1958, 1960).

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