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Show Signpost Tuesday, 1 July 1986 . . . Ex-WSC track star eyes '88 Olympics Farley Gerber Michael J. Tupa Ass't Sports Editor "But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. " Robert Frost Former Wildcat track legend and world class steeplechaser Farley Gerber knows the special kind of restlessness which Frost wrote of. For Gerber, his rest won't come until sometime after the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea, until he reaches down inside to run an 8: 12 steeplechase and contends for a medal. Until then and probably even beyond, there will be miles and miles of running preparation and competition ahead. The miles and accomplishments Gerber has already put in on the way to his Olympic goal are almost staggering. Gerber, a native of South Jordan, Utah, has already run the 3000-meter steeplechase race faster than any U.S. -born collegian in history. The Wood named club president Weber State alumnus also currently holds the fourth fastest steeplechase ever run by an American. It was 1984 when Gerber ran his record time while participating in the NCAA track and field championships in Eugene, Oregon. His shocking victory in a time of 8:19.27 catapulted him to sports prominence which had undeservedly been lacking before that run. In reporting on his unexpected victory, Sports Illustrated characterized him as "little-known Farley Gerber, a 24-year old senior from Weber State." His time was the fastest steeplechase run in the world in 1984 up until the June race and was the second fastest ever by an American behind U.S. Olympian Henry Marsh. Gerber said, "I run because I'm good at it." He already had a string of credentials as long as a steeplechase lap before the June 1984 NCAA championships.He was the third-ranked U.S. steeplechaser going into the 1984 outdoor track season. In 1983, he came in second in the finals of the World University Games, competing against the world's best collegiate steeplechasers. In the spring of 1984, Gerber became the first Utah native competing for a Utah college to run a sub-four minute mile. He accomplished this at the prestigious Modesto relays in California, as he had a converted mile time of 3:57.8 from a 1500-meter run of 3:40.2 Included among the Weber records Gerber set while running for thepurple-and-white were the indoors 1500 meters at 3:47.99, the 5000 meters at 14:13.0, the 3000-meter indoor at 18:08.0, the two mile outdoors at 8:46.6, and the outdoor 1500 meters at 3:40.2. He also anchored a record-setting distance medley relay team with a time of 4:03.0, was on the all-conference team for two years in cross-country, and was named to the Big Sky all-academic team for both cross country and track. Besides his athletic accomplishments in college, Gerber was a champ off the track as well, according to his WSC track coach Chick Hislop. Hislop said Gerber was congenial, a very easy person to work with, someone who always did what he was asked "a hundred-percenter."After the 1984 NCAA championships, Gerber was touted by one national TV announcer as "the find of the season." It was shortly after that meet that Gerber suffered what he calls the biggest disappointment of his career to date . . . the failure to qualify for the 1984 U.S. Olympic squad. Gerber was listed as one of the favorites to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team in the steeplechase along with former BYU great and personal friend Marsh and top runners Brian Diemer and John Gregorek. Only the fastest three would go to the games held in Los Angeles that year. In the Olympic trial finals, Gerber led briefly for the last lap, and his Olympic berth was only a few hundred strides away. But disaster struck as Marsh bolted to the lead and Gerber fell behind Diemer and Gregorek. The race ended with Marsh finishing at 8:15.91, Diemer at 8:17.0, Gregorek at 8:18.45, with Gerber at 8:22.54. The failure to qualify was a hard one to swallow for the Wildcat runner. "I ran a good race. I just got flat out beat," said Gerber. "It was hard to adjust to not making the Olympics . . . and straighten out mentally." Gerber said he decided to go directly from the trials to compete in Europe or "I think I would have stewed all summer." He flew over to Europe with other athletes in a similar situation who knew they weren't second-class but who had failed to qualify. "The pain seems to go by when you talk to someone in the same boat," Gerber said, and they were all reminded after a while of the things more impor tant than the Olympics, things that they "had put on the shelf" during training, such as families and appreciation for good health. Gerber's search for steeplechase excellence is still driving him restlessly to 1988 in a career whose potential has just been barely reached. He is on track this summer and is ready to "wreak some havoc" in Europe in steeplechase competition. He left last week after running his fastest time since the 1984 NCAA's. Gerber's time came in a "bittersweet run" in the U.S. outdoor track and field championships in Eugene, Oregon two weeks ago. It was bittersweet because he was trying to qualify for the Goodwill Games in Moscow in July and had to finish first or second to qualify. He went into the finals with the "attitude I wanted to win." The race was a dogfight between him, Marsh and Jim Cooper for the top two spots, and at the finish line, Cooper outleaned him for second place. "It was a fighting, scratching finish," Gerber said, and the final times demonstrated his point. Marsh won with a time of 8:19.16, Cooper qualified next at 8:19.88, and Gerber came in a whisker behind at 8:20.07. Although Gerber would rather be in Moscow in July, the trip to Europe may be a memorable one, according to Hislop. He has a good chance to set a personal best there and again establish himself timewise as America's second best steeplechaser, Hislop said. About Gerber's Olympic chances, Hislop said, "I think it's very conceivable he can run 8:12 or better." Since the 1984 Olympics was won with a time of 8:11.76, Gerber's prospects for Olympic glory are high, according to his former mentor. And Gerber knows, as do all champions, the price he has to pay to run the steeplechase a race with 35 barriers around a seven-lap course, faster than mental and physical pain and beyond endurance. Bert Rich Staff Reporter The , Weber State Wildcat Club recently selected Larry Wood as their 1986-87 president at its annual board of directors meeting. The Wildcat Club plays a key role for Weber State athletics. Its stated objective is to promote and support Weber State's sports programs. Probably the most important contribution the club makes is the financial aid the organization gives the WSC athletic program. As the new Wildcat Club president, Wood is already facing the pro blem of raising funds, which is his main duty. Wood's task will be a difficult one since he said the Weber State boosters will have to come up with $200,000 this year to meet their goal. Wood will begin campaigning the first of August to try and get more people interested in supporting WSC athletics. Some of the fund raising activies provided by the Wildcat Club for future months include fashion shows, golf tournaments and auctions. Besides raising money, Wood wants more participation from local (see WILDCAT on page 8) Weber corrals eighth place in rodeo finals Dave Allison Sports Editor Competing against the nation's best collegiate rodeo teams, Weber State's women's team rode to an eighth place finish in Bozeman, Montana on Saturday June 21. The Lady Cat riders finished 10th during the national rodeo competition, with 150 points, host Montana State captured the women's team crown by mounting 435 points. Western Texas College won the men's team title with 754.5 points. For the ,; Weber women their tenth place showing, combined with the additional points awarded during the regular rodeo season wound-up eigth overall in the final standings. The Lady Cat's performance was the best showing ever against national collegiate competition by a Weber State women's rodeo team. "They came along and did a great job, "said Lynn Corbridge, WSC's rodeo team advisor. "They were fourth at one time during the rodeo. . . and since I've been with the team it's their best finish ever." Weber State's men's team did not qualify as a team for the college finals but sent four riders to compete in individual events. Lex Hadiey, Brad Hodson, Chris Paskett and Brad Thacker represented the 'Cats but each faltered after having good first go-arounds. No Wildcat would place amoung the individual competitors. ' Lori Hadiey, a cousin of Lex Hadiey, led the Lady Cat riders individually. Hadiey shared eighth place in. the goat tying event with a time of 7.4 in the second go-around and totaled 490 points. Karen Kent also rode well and had a fourth place perfomance in breakaway roping after the first go-round. Kent roped her calf in a time of 2.6 . The National Collegiate rodeo concludes the yeari for Weber State'? ro-'eo teams but both teams are keeping busy this summer. Uiv.'c is concentrating on recruits for next year's squad a...' WSC rodeo members are currently working on a Wcurn appreciation display at the Newgate Mall. The display is for the July 4 and z-. -elebrations and may be seen through the week of the 14U. -nd 18th of July. |