Lewis Anchors 800-Meter Relay Record

Six-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis teamed up with three other American running stars today to break the 11-year-old world record in the 800-meter relay, clocking 1 minute, 19.38 seconds at the Koblenz international track meet.

The 28-year-old Lewis combined with Danny Everett, LeRoy Burrell and Floyd Heard to better the old mark of 1:20.26 posted in 1978 by a USC team.

The unofficial time posted just after Lewis blazed across the finish was 1:19.37, but it was later officially adjusted.

The four Americans, racing for the Santa Monica Track Club, entered the meet with the intention of establishing a world record.

The American team boasted some of the world’s premier sprinters, including Lewis, the Olympic gold medalist.

Everett rocketed in front at the start of the race, handing over to Burrell. After the next handoff, Heard lost some ground to the Santa Monica Track Club II team, also competing in the race.

But Lewis, cheered on by a crowd of about 15,000, blasted down the last 200 meters after taking the baton, far ahead of Mark Witherspoon of the other Santa Monica team.

The U.S. club team shaved 0.88 of a second off the time despite two untidy baton changes.

Burrell looked to have blown their chances when he seemed to take off too early from his mark in the first changeover with Everett. Lewis also had to slow slightly before he received the baton from Heard and ran the anchor leg..

Asked whether the untidy baton changes could have ruined the team’s chances, a delighted Lewis responded: “What do you want? We broke the world record, didn’t we?”

“I am delighted for the club,” he added. “It has produced a lot of good sprinters over the years, some of the best.

“The record belongs to all four of us, not just me.”