John Capel: faster, older and wiser

The Hernando and UF sprint star says he's more mentally ready than ever to compete in the NCAA Indoor Championships that beging today.

By GREG AUMAN

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 10, 2000

John Capel is faster this time, but just as important, he's a year older.

As the former Hernando star prepares for his second NCAA Indoor Championships, which begin today at Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark., the biggest difference isn't something you'll see on a stopwatch.

"Mentally, he's really got himself ready," Florida coach Doug Brown said. "Coming into this meet as opposed to last year, I see a world of difference, psychologically and mentally. He knows what to expect, and he's very comfortable with himself."

Capel is among the five fastest qualifiers in the 60 meters and 200 meters, an event for which he is the defending NCAA outdoor champion. The indoor events are on smaller tracks, meaning less straightaways and more turns. Capel's personal outdoor best is more than a half-second faster than his indoor best, but in both events this weekend, his best times are within a tenth of a second of the fastest times in the country.

"It's so close that it's almost a shake of the dice," said Brown, who saw Capel take second in the 200 meters by 0.01 seconds behind Auburn's Coby Miller at the Southeastern Conference meet two weeks ago on the same track. Capel, too, is well aware of the level of competition he'll be up against.

"This is nationals. Everybody up there is going to be the best in the nation," he said. "The only thing I can do is go up there and do my best. I've been in this situation before. I know people will be looking for me as the outdoor champion, but the only thing I can control is what I do."

Last year, Capel finished third in the NCAA indoors with a time of 20.79 seconds. This year, he set a University of Florida record of 20.51 seconds, and his qualifying time is 0.08 seconds behind Clemson's Shawn Crawford, the fastest qualifier. Crawford also has the fastest 60-meter time, and Miller is second, ahead of Capel, in both events.

Capel and Miller have possibly the best rivalry in college track. Last year, Miller won the indoor 200-meter title and Capel won the outdoor crown. The two have made each other faster with more than a dozen head-to-head meetings, and Brown said they get along well when they're not at full speed too.

"It's a very healthy rivalry," Brown said. "They're very competitive, but they're also good friends off the track."

The 200-meter final is scheduled for tonight at 8:05, and the 60-meter final will be at 7:15 p.m. Saturday. Capel is looking forward to the meet not only as an individual runner, but as one of a school-record 11 Gators competing in the meet.

"I just want to help put the Gators on the national map," he said. "We didn't have the meet we wanted to at SECs up in Fayetteville the last time we were there, and we want to show everyone that Florida is for real and we're here to stay."

The indoor meet is the first in a series of events escalating in importance for Capel. In May, he'll defend his NCAA outdoor title in the 200 meters, and from there he'll prepare for the U.S. Olympic Trials in Sacramento, Calif., in July with the possibility of spending two weeks in Sydney, Australia, in September for the Olympics.

Speed is what will ultimately decide how far he goes this summer, but as the case should be this weekend, poise and maturity will take him a long way as well.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.