Bev Plocki and Carol Hutchins are among the most successful coaches at the University but Wednesday m own. For details see page 14.Daly , 1997 1 M'man of steel defies By Chris Farah Daily Sports Editor The form taken by greatness is often unassuming. True, this does sound like a phrase found on the crinkled strip of paper inside a fortune cookie. But the idea is not without validity. For proof, one needs to search no fur- 'her than Kevin Sullivan. Relatively mild-mannered, thin and of moderate stature, the native of Ontario seems to fit the \ bill for some kind of Canadian version of Clark Kent. The similarity to Superman's alter - ego becomes even more accurate when one exam- ines Sullivan's accomplishments - which could very easily belong to the Man of Steel. The distance runner's ridiculously extensive resume includes three NCAA track championships, eight Big Ten track championships, three Big Ten records, three Canadian national records ... You get the point. 0 This list of achievements demands the question: Is Sullivan the greatest Michigan track athlete of all time? A quick scan of the record books pro- vides no solid conclusions. Sullivan appears frequently, but so do many others. To find Sullivan's true worth, one must look beyond the numbers. In 1996, bursitis in Sullivan's right achilles put a temporary halt to what had d een a spectacular career. After missing wo seasons because of his injury, Sullivan's greatness was truly tested. How many athletes have dominated their sports, only to succumb to a nag- ging injury? Aside from the obvious Sullivan breaks Cadian record By Chris Farah Daity Sports Editor Michigan track star Kevin Sullivan has a knack for doingthings on a grand scale. In his first thee years of collegiate competition, Sullivan established a huge reputation - winning three national and seven Big Ten championships. Then Sullivan's career was stopped short -again, in a very big way. Bursitis in his right ankle forced Sullivan to sit out the 1996 cross country season and the 1997 indoortrack season. Now, only 20 weeks have passed since Sullivan began his comeback bid. And once again, Sullivan is doing it big. Still far from top form, Sullivan set a new Canadian record in the 1,500 meter run with a time of 3:35.19 at Gottlieb- Daimler Stadium in Stuttgart, Germany, on July 13. Sullivan's time was only good enough for sixth place, but still managed to beat the former Canadian record of 3:35.27. Sullivan already holds the Canadian records in the indoor and outdoor mile (1,600 meters), but his record-setting time in the 1,500 was unexpected. "I kind of surprised myself," Sullivan said. "I'm very strong right now, and I can run pretty well off a fast pace. I got in there and ran, and it just happened.' Following his performance in Germany, Sullivan placed second at last weekend's Canadian championships. His time of 3:46.54 at the Canadian nationals nut him less than one second behind winner Graham Hood -the pre- vious owner of Canada's 1,500 record. Sullivan's performance at the champi- onships served as an indication of the progress of his training. Hood managed to outkick him at the end of the race, meaning Sullivan will have to work on speed training in the weeks to come. "I really need to work on my closing speed right now," Sullivan said. "I can handle a fast pace, but when it comes down to a slow pace where I have to kick really hard, I can only get to a certain point and then I'm maxed out." The second-place finish at the nation- al meet would have qualified Sullitn for the world championships beginning Aug. 1 in Athens, but he had already earned a spot at the competition with his time in Germany - meeting the quali- fying standard of 3:37. Although Sullivan's injury prevented him from competing in the 1996 Olympics, he has experience on the world level. Sullivan placed fifth in the 1,500 at the 1995 world championships. "I'm going to take it one race at a time," Sullivan said. "I'm looking to get back into the final heat. Fromthere, any- thing can happen." 0, CANADA: Michigan sent another athlete to the Canadian championships -- with results mirroring Sullivan's. Nicole Forrester placed second in the high jump with a mark of 5-foot-10 1/2. Forrester will join Sullivan in represent- ing Canada at the world chamoionshios. After only 20 weeks of post-injury training, Kevin Sullivan is still compiling record times. He set the Canadian outdoor 1,500-meter record last week in Germany. physical obstacle his injury presented, such a blow can do irreparable harm to an athlete's motivation and self confidence. How must it feel for a man accus- tomed to winning every race to return after several months off, discovering he lost the edge he worked so hard to gain? For many of the best athletes, having to start all over again - having to develop strength, as well as the speed to win a race in the final stretch - would have been too much to endure. Considering the glory Sullivan attained in the past, it would have been easier to ride out his college career enjoying the place in Michigan history he had already earned. But that simply was not enough for Sullivan. He couldn't bear sitting on the sidelines, watching his teammates com- pete. In only 20 weeks, he regained enough of his form to do what no Canadian had done before - run the outdoor 1,500-meter dash in 3:35.19. Twenty weeks to do what no one had accomplished in the history of a nation. The talent and sheer willpower it took to make that kind of comeback - a comeback that isn't yet complete - is what distinguishes Sullivan from the rest. That, along with a mysterious aver- sion to kryptonite. Fisher's fans 'believe in Steve' I ~ GRE'."LSAT DATMCAT 1 By Mark Snyder 3aily Sports Editor Tomorrow night, Michigan basketball coach Steve Fisher will be able to do something he probably hasn't done in a long time - relax. Jin Duggan, a Wayne County execu- tive, is planning a party for Fisher. "A bunch of Steve's friends got togeth- ei to show they carc:' Dgga said. The "We Beleve in Sieve' raly is scdukd for o'rorcow from (s-8 peer. t 5 *icLDoublcre H11e in 'Nov. fP-aes icude a nigt of feseivities red c elebits ag to seppor I 'Ie n. beeCfie Iocal chae C "Some se foe Miia p eyes wr I be attending," Duggan said. Former WDIV news anchor Mort Crim will emcee the event. Former assistants Jay Smith and Scott Perry will also be at the party. A connection of Perry's will aid the silent auction being held for charity. His father was a roommate of actor James Earl Jones while at Michigan and con- vinced Jones to donate an actographed Darthi \ader heLet o bte auction booty. lTre prceds Is ecre aecee it Chilret' .Hostat. Asede fr bhe orIrc Cres'Ces different variety. Personnel problems began when Maurice Taylor went to the NBA and Brandun Hughes wasKdismissed from the team. On top of player issues, Fisher has contended with media speculation regarding possible NCAA violations. A Kansas law firm is investigating on behalf of the University. 1 he unusual circumeneces are not inerded as an appert her thre NCAA's softer sede, tOwever. I don'telik th- NcAA cars seal we d), DI)g' anesid Iut Ihcr s ean do creendtey e eete by tehunrdsI tomocow. Achieve Your Maximum Score At EXCEL, we focus upon the key distinctions that result in great scores. You will learn to anticipate the exam's thinking, manage your time more effectively, control exam-day anxiety, and refine your test-taking strategies. 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