Goldengirl

After the Final, Goldine treated reporters to an impromptu press conference in the center of Hayward Field, casually throwing out the incredible fact that she did no serious running before this season. Her father, Dr. William Serafin, 59, a former professor at the California Institute of Human Science, persuaded her to try track as a recreation, recognised that she had extraordinary sprint potential, and arranged for her to be privately coached by Pete Klugman, former track coach to the Cornell and U.S. Olympic teams. ‘Pete advised me to concentrate on technique through the first few months,’ said Goldine, ‘so I didn’t get my feet wet competitively before June, when I reached the qualifying standards in a San Diego club meet. This is only my second meet, and now I guess Moscow will be my third.’ Asked if she had expected this afternoon’s victory, she commented, ‘In some ways it’s a dream, it’s all happened so soon, but I came to win, yes. It’s no use mentally settling for a minor placing, or you get nowhere.’

Triple Aim

Goldine’s 10.81 clocking makes her a clear challenger to East Berliner Ursula Krüll for the Olympic title, but before that she has more business to attend to in Eugene. ‘I enjoyed my run over 400 metres, and I’m definitely going for that as well as the 200,’ she told me. ‘If I could make the U.S. team in all three events, that would be nice. It means a lot of running, but I don’t give up easy.’ Goldine, 6’2’ and 163 lbs., looks to have the strength to get through the seven races remaining on her schedule here. If so, she could emerge as the first U.S. girl to represent the nation over 100, 200 and 400 metres at one Olympic Games. Whether it would be wise to attempt this ambitious triple on so little experience is an open question. Commented Jake McMurty, an AAU official: ‘After her running in San Diego we guessed this girl was saving something special for Eugene. She’s proved us right today. Maybe she would be wise to settle for two events, but it’s not for us to interfere.’

Meanwhile, Goldine is quickly learning what is involved in becoming an instant Olympic hope. ‘Next time I come out, I’ll make sure I have my comb in my sweatsuit pocket,’ she quipped as photographers closed in.

‘Campari?’

‘Uh?’ Melody groped for the fastener on her bikini top and snapped it shut. ‘Say, that’s a nice surprise.’ She rolled over on the tiled surface of the patio and squeaked at the contact. ‘Jeez, it’s hotter than I thought out here!’ Sitting up, she massaged the backs of her thighs before accepting the glass. ‘How did you know?’

‘About Campari?’ said Dryden. ‘A whisper I heard somewhere. You don’t mind me interrupting the cooking? I allowed twenty minutes each side.’

‘You’ve been here that long?’