Hurdlers: On Mark, Set, Squabble : Nehemiah and His Gibes Are Back; Foster Appears Ready

Renaldo (Skeets) Nehemiah has returned to the track and field world after an absence of almost five years--and he has brought his needle with him.

That needle, deftly planted, was usually directed at Greg Foster, his longtime rival in the 110-meter high hurdles.

He would say with a straight face that Foster was, perhaps, too big for the event, that he came up on the hurdles too fast.

Nehemiah was even quoted in 1979 as saying: “Greg Foster is big and has to run with his legs. His arms hang. He’d be better if he cut them off.”

Nehemiah, who had a fling at professional football with the San Francisco 49ers as a wide receiver, is now saying that the event hasn’t progressed in his absence and that Foster and Roger Kingdom, the 1984 Olympic champion, aren’t real students of the hurdles, as he is.

Such remarks might have caused Foster to sulk or respond in anger in earlier years. It was enough to deal with Nehemiah on the track. When Nehemiah set the still-existing world record of 12.93 seconds in 1979, Foster was second with a still-personal best time of 13.03.

There was also the frustrating picture that appeared in newspapers of Foster splintering a hurdle as if it was balsa wood in the 1979 NCAA meet.

Nehemiah won, as usual, in the fast, wind-aided time of 12.91. Foster, as usual, was chasing him.

But Foster has apparently mellowed during Nehemiah’s absence. And, if there is still some flickering feud between them, Foster isn’t fueling it.

They will renew their rivalry Jan. 16 in the 60-meter hurdles at the Sunkist Invitational in the Sports Arena, and Foster was asked to respond to Nehemiah’s latest remarks Tuesday at a track luncheon.

As for the event not progressing--no one has run faster than 13.10 since Nehemiah left the track scene--Foster said:

“Basically, my answer to that is the Americans are still on top. It’s not a matter of time. It’s a matter of consistency. I got my No. 1 ranking back. I’ve been consistent for the last seven years as No. 1 or No. 2 in the world. I’m happy with consistency.

“I’m not looking for 13.0 or 13.8. I’m looking for a 13.2 or 13.1. If the world record falls, I’m happy with that, but I’m not going out every day and run under 13 seconds.”

As for not studying the event like Professor Nehemiah, Foster said dryly:

“I think I know the event pretty well. I don’t have any problems with it. My technique has basically turned around since four or five years ago. I have been training on my own for a year and a half and haven’t done too badly.”

Foster regained his No. 1 ranking last year, winning in the national championship meet and the Goodwill Games in Moscow, among other races.

And if Nehemiah is working his old psych games on Foster again, the former UCLA star apparently isn’t taking the bait.

“I was asked a question about Nehemiah having my number. My response to that is my number has been changed,” Foster said good-naturedly.

He also seems unconcerned about any controversy associated with him and Nehemiah.

“Every time he brings up my name, he’s worried about me as well,” Foster said. “If he wasn’t worried about me, he wouldn’t mention my name. It lets me know that he’s thinking about Greg Foster and no one else.”

Asked if he’s now immune to Nehemiah’s barbs, Foster said:.

“I’d say I’m more used to it. It goes in one ear and out the other. I haven’t even seen the article (Nehemiah’s quotes) that everyone is referring to.

“But I think (the rivalry is) good for the sport because every time we were together it was definitely a fast race.”

The most significant question is whether Nehemiah can return to a semblance of his world-class form after dabbling in the violent world of pro football. He hasn’t competed in track since the 1982 indoor season.

“I don’t know. I’ve never played pro football and I’ve never taken a hit,” Foster said. “I think a lot of people are looking forward to what happens. Whether (the absence) would hurt him, or help him, I’d have to be 50-50 on that right now.

“A lot of people approach me on the street and say that they’ll be there to see the race. Hopefully, I’ll be there, too.”

No bitterness. No recriminations. Foster seemed almost serene as he talked about the man who was once his nemesis--and could be again.

These days, Foster is taking it in stride.

Track Notes Al Joyner, the 1984 Olympic champion in the triple jump and brother of world heptathlon record-holder Jackie Joyner Kersee, virtually abandoned the event after winning the gold medal. He has since concentrated on the hurdles, but he has a renewed interest in the triple jump now. “I’m saying that Mike Conley, Charlie Simpkins and Willie Banks better be ready because Al Joyner is back,” said Joyner, who will compete in the meet Jan. 16. “I went to Europe last year and I didn’t compete as well as I should have and (the other triple jumpers) treated me like dirt. They just didn’t give me any respect. My goal is to prove the Olympic Games wasn’t a fluke. I’m concentrating on the triple jump now. I feel I’ll be jumping 18 meters plus (59 feet).” . . . His sister Jackie said that her goal is improving her heptathlon record from 7,158 points to 7,230 while working to improve on her weaker events, javelin and shotput.

Johnny Gray, who will compete in the 1,000-yard run in the Sports Arena meet, was ranked No. 3 in the world in the 800 meters in 1986 behind Britain’s Sebastian Coe and Steve Cram. “I don’t duck anyone. I run in all the major meets,” said Gray, who added that he split two races with Coe. “I beat him earlier in the European season and then he beat me after the Goodwill Games in Moscow, where I was living on granola bars and Coca-Cola for five days.” . . . Steve Scott, who was ranked No. 3 in the world in the 1,500 last year, will be in a mile field that includes New Zealand’s John Walker and Ireland’s Paul Donovan. Scott has has been ranked among the world’s top 10 metric milers for 10 consecutive years, an unprecedented accomplishment. “I take pride in that,” Scott said. “I guess you could call me the Lou Gehrig of the mile.” When asked to comment on world indoor mile record-holder Eamonn Coghlan being attacked by a dog while training in Ireland, Scott quipped: “Eamonn never could run outdoors.”