King faces pressures at World Junior Championships
By KATHLEEN O'BRIEN
Associate Sports Editor
Intense training workouts, poor timing and culture shock led Tameisha King to perform below her potential in the World Junior Championships in Santiago, Chile last week.
"It didn't go well at all," King said of her long jump showing. "It was really unfortunate. I didn't even make it to the finals."
King, who has leapt a school record 20 feet, 4 1/2 inches, jumped just 18-9 in the World Junior Championships.
"Tameisha knows she's better than that," Notre Dame jumps coach Scott Winsor said. "We know she's better than that. I think the USA Track and Field coaches know she's better than that."
In addition to the long jump, King ran the first leg of the U.S. 4x100-meter relay that finished seventh overall.
"I knew going in that she was considered as an alternate for the relays," Notre Dame sprints coach John Millar said, "but I really didn't think they would end up using her."
In the semifinals, the U.S. placed fifth despite a shaky handoff, leaving King hopeful for a promising run in the finals. Unfortunately, the race didn't go as well as planned.
"In the finals, there was another handoff mistake between the third and fourth legs," King said.
Competing in both events put an added strain on King. She went to Chile well-rested, but the U.S. coaches there put her through a double dose of practices the day before her competition.
"We had tapered her quite a bit to be able to perform well in the long jump," Winsor said. "But they decided to use her as an alternate in the sprint relays. The coaches did what they felt was necessary to get her ready for the relays. I don't know that it was necessary to throw her into double days.
"I don't know that you sacrifice her event to get ready for the relays," Winsor added.
The sophomore track star knew her body couldn't handle the extra practice, but the American coaches didn't listen.
"I even tried to hide in the shade the second workout," King said. "I kept telling her [the coach] I needed to rest for my jump the next day, that my hamstrings were tight. I think that because I was a Junior, and I wasn't on the world class level quite yet, I didn't have as much say so as I will in a few years."
U.S. competitors already found themselves at a disadvantage in the meet, since October is off-season for collegiate athletes.
"The USA team as a whole did pretty badly," King said. "It's a bad time of the season for us Juniors. It's off on our training schedule. I think that's the biggest reason why the U.S. team didn't do that well. Our performances weren't even close to where they should have been."
Nothing could prepare King for the world of difference between life in Chile and life in the U.S. Violence overwhelmed King in her first trip overseas.
"They told us it was really dangerous to go out of the premises," King said. "There were gates all around, and so we really couldn't leave the premises without a bodyguard. I called my mom Wednesday night crying about how people were walking around with machine guns."
The sophomore was also struck by the poverty, as Chilean youngsters crowded around the U.S. athletes chanting, "USA" and begging for anything from America.
"We tried to give them T-shirts and quarters," King said. "It made me appreciate a lot what I have here."
Next time she goes abroad, King will be better prepared for the competition.
"It has inspired me big-time," King said. "I want to be in the Olympics. Heck, I'm going to be in the Olympics."
Facing elite opposition overseas let King know what a challenge it is to run and jump with the world's best.
"If you want to compete at that level, it is a major, major commitment," Winsor said. "I can't think of anybody that would say Ôno' when they were asked if they want to be a great athlete, but not everybody is willing to make the sacrifices necessary to get there. I think she will."
When King arrived back in the United States Monday night, the first thing she did was call her coaches to assure them of her resolution to achieve greatness.
"I let my coaches know that I'm really serious and determined to compete on the world level," King said. "Definitely by the time the 2004 Olympics come around, I'll be ready."
All Sports Stories for Wednesday, October 25, 2000
