U.S. Javelin Mark Set by Petranoff in Pretoria

PRETORIA, South Africa —  Expatriate athlete Tom Petranoff bettered his own American record in the javelin during a meet here Tuesday night.

Petranoff, formerly of Oceanside, threw 283 feet 2 inches on his last throw at an invitational meet. Petranoff’s old record was 280-1. However, there is some question whether his throw Tuesday will be recognized as a record.

Last year, Petranoff was banned for six years by The Athletics Congress, which governs track and field in the United States, for his participation in an unauthorized track and field tour of South Africa in 1988. It is against international rules to compete in South Africa because of the country’s policy of apartheid.

Since being banned, Petranoff--a two-time Olympian--and his family have been living in a suburb of Johannesburg.

Petranoff, 31, was jubilant after the throw, which delighted a crowd of 25,000 at Pilditch Stadium. When asked if the record would be recognized, he said, “That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it?”

Although international rules don’t allow records to be set by athletes serving drug suspensions, it is not immediately clear if a record set by a banned athlete can be ratified.

Petranoff, who has twice held the world record, also set South African and African Continental records with his throw. The world record of 287-6 is held by Jan Zelezny of Czechoslovakia.

The meet was billed as a big payday, with sponsors offering 250,000 Rand--$100,000--to anyone who broke a world record.