Track and Field : Bubka Regains Indoor Vault Record at 19-9 1/4

OSAKA, Japan —  Sergei Bubka of the Soviet Union regained the world indoor pole vault record Saturday, then failed three times at clearing 20 feet in the Yomiuri-Chitose track and field meet.

Bubka, using the same pole as the one he used in winning the gold medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, cleared 19 feet 9 1/4 inches on his third and final attempt in front of 11,000 fans.

Bubka, the world record-holder at 19-10 1/2 and the two-time world outdoor champion, bettered the previous world indoor record of 19-9 set by compatriot Rodion Gataullin Feb. 4 at Gomel, USSR.

“Today’s performance was not so good technically, but my physical condition was good,” Bubka said. “I also like this arena.”

Although Bubka failed to clear 20 feet, he said: “If all conditions are fit for me, it will be possible to clear 6.20 meters (20-4 1/4 this season). I did it during training.”

He will not have the chance to reach the barrier in next month’s World Indoor Championships at Budapest, Hungary, because he is skipping the meet.

American Tim Bright cleared 18-8 1/4 to finish second.

Other men’s winners included Americans Joe DeLoach in the 60-meter dash, Danny Everett in the 400 meters, Mike Powell in the long jump and Willie Banks in the triple jump, and Sweden’s Patrik Sjoberg in the high jump.

Women’s winners included Evelyn Ashford in the 60 and Tamara Bykova of the Soviet Union in the high jump.

DeLoach, who defeated Carl Lewis in winning the gold medal in the 200 meters at Seoul, won the 60 in 6.60 seconds.

“I was satisfied with my second career race in the 60 meters,” DeLoach said. “I was aggressive at the start.”

He said he will focus on the 200 at the World Championships.

Everett, a bronze medalist at Seoul, led all the way in winning the 400 in 48.97.

“I’m satisfied with the result,” Everett said of his first indoor competition this season.

Powell, a silver medalist at Seoul, leaped 26-4 1/2 in winning the long jump.

Banks, the world record-holder at 58-11 1/2, won the triple jump at 53-2 1/4.

“My (physical) condition was good, but for some reason I couldn’t jump well,” Banks said.

Sjoberg’s winning height in the high jump was 7-4 1/2.

Ashford, winner of three gold medals and one silver in the last two Olympics, won the women’s 60 in 7.27, beating Jamaican Grace Jackson, who was second in 7.41.

“I’m trying to break my best time of 10.71 in the 100 meters and eventually beat (world record-holder) Florence Griffith Joyner,” Ashford said.

Bykova won the women’s high jump at 6-4 1/4, and American Louise Ritter, the Olympic gold medalist, finished fourth at 6-0 3/4.

“I did expect to win today,” Ritter said. “I was quite disappointed. It was the worst result this season after eight competitions. I had a bad stomach this morning. I think it’s a virus.”