Sprinter Pintusevych earns two silvers for Ukraine at Goodwill Games (07/26/98)

Sprinter Pintusevych earns two silvers for Ukraine at Goodwill Games

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - Amid all the hype about U.S. sprinter Marion Jones' dominance of the sport, No. 2 at the fourth Goodwill Games is a Ukrainian: Zhanna Pintusevych of Kyiv, the world champion in the 200 meters.

Ms. Pintusevych placed second in the 100-meter dash, with a time of 11.09 seconds, on the opening day of the1998 Goodwill Games, July 19. She finished behind Ms. Jones, who won her ninth consecutive 100-meter dash with a time of 10.90. Inger Miller of the U.S. posted a time of 11.21 for third.

The next day Ms. Jones took another gold - and Ms. Pintusevych another silver - in the 200 meters. Ms. Jones ran 21.80 to Ms. Pintusevych's 22.46. Jamaican Beverly McDonald was third with 22.67.

A third silver for Ukraine came on July 22 courtesy of gymnast Olha Teslenko in the beam (with a score of 9.725). She was beaten for the gold medal in that event by a mere .05 points by Kristin Maloney of the United States (9.775); in third was Corina Ungureanu of Romania (9.700).

The 15-day Goodwill Games, being held this year in New York City, have brought together approximately 1,500 athletes from 66 countries who have been invited to compete in 15 sports. Like the Olympics, the event draws the world's top athletes; unlike the Olympics, however, there is prize money to be earned - $5 million of it. In addition to summer sports, the 1998 Goodwill Games feature competition in figure skating.

Ukraine's contingent includes 29 athletes, coaches, judges and other sports officials. According to a roster issued by the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, the team includes athletes who are to compete in track and field (sprints, shot put and pole vault), boxing, gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, swimming and diving.

In the women's shot put event held on July 19, Ukraine's Valentyna Fediushina of Crimea placed third (62 feet, 6 3/4 inches). Athletes from Russia and the U.S., respectively, Irina Korzhanenko and Connie Price-Smith, came in first and second.

Among men, Yurii Bilonoh came in fourth (66-5 3/4). Ahead of him were John Godina, C.J. Hunter and Adam Nelson, who came in one-two-three for the U.S.

Ms. Teslenko managed a sixth-place finish on July 19 in the women's individual all-round gymnastics competition, whose winner was Dominique Moceanu of the U.S. A duo of gymnasts from Romania, Maria Olaru and Simona Amanar, came in second and third; while fourth and fifth were taken by Fei Meng of China and Sierra Sapunar of the U.S.

Ms. Teslenko came in sixth also in the uneven bars competition, held on July 21, behind Svetlana Khorkina of Russia, Elise Ray of the U.S., Ms. Amanar and Ms. Ungureanu of Romania, and Dominique Dawes of the U.S.

She also had a third sixth-place finish on July 22 in the floor exercise, in which the medalists were Vanessa Alter of the U.S., gold; Ms. Amanar, silver; and Ms. Ungureanu, bronze.

On July 20, Roman Zozulia finished fourth in the individual men's gymnastics all-around competition. Ivan Ivankov of Belarus emerged as the champion, with Aleksei Bondarenko of Russia and Blaine Wilson of the U.S. in second and third.

The next day Mr. Zozulia was seventh in the individual floor exercise. The top three were Aleksei Nemov of Russia, Jay Thornton of the U.S. and Mr. Bondarenko of Russia.

The Ukrainian gymnast was seventh again on July 22 in the rings competition won by Chris Lamorte of the U.S; Messrs. Ivankov and Bondarenko tied for second place.

Founded in 1986 by media mogul Ted Turner in the wake of Cold War boycotts of several consecutive Olympic Games (1976, 1980 and 1984), the first Goodwill Games took place in Moscow in 1986. Subsequent competitions were held in Seattle in 1990 and St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1994. The next games are scheduled for 2001 in Brisbane, Australia.

In New York the venues for various sports competitions include Central Park, Battery Park and Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Eisenhower Park and the Mitchel Athletic Complex on Long Island, and Wagner College on Staten Island.