A controversy’s developed in the wake of UCLA’s 83-80 victory over USC in the men’s portion of the dual track meet last weekend. USC believes meet officials mixed up the results of the long jump and Trojan long jumper Jesse Williams won the event but was incorrectly placed second.
Williams jumped 24-feet, 2½-inches, a distance that was announced on the public-address system to the crowd and is audible on the Fox Sports telecast of the meet. But somehow on the official results, Williams is credited with 23-11½. UCLA’s Dominique Easterling is credited with winning the event with a jump of 24-1.
Mysteriously, track officials that worked the meet said the result sheets from the meet, which are done by hand for each individual event, had not located by Monday night. The head of officials referred the matter to an official in charge of the long jump, who does not remember Williams’ marks.
Witnesses in the pressbox said there was a debate during the long jump over the results.
It’s important because if Williams won the event, USC wins the meet, 82-81.