Powell's recovery from injury made for a memorable 2007

By RON AGOSTINI
ragostini@modbee.com

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Failing to qualify for her third Olympic Games in 2004 took something out of Suzy Powell.

The unfortunate series of events, starting with the freak hamstring injury in training a month before the Trials in Sacramento, still gnaws at Modesto's most-decorated world-class athlete.

After her body failed her that warm night, she promised through watery eyes, "I'm not done."

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Powell, 31, verified that vow in 2007.

The Downey High graduate, encouraged by an 18-month program featuring a new coach (Dan Pfaff) and approach, rallied back to the top in the discus. Not only did she claim the American record as the tradewinds whistled through palm trees in Maui, she later won her first national championship in 11 years.

Powell then received arguably her greatest tribute at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan, when she was named the captain of the USA women's track and field team.

"That was an honor to me to be accepted by my peers," she said. "We tend to be the less glamorous of the events. How can a discus thrower be a team captain? I didn't realize people felt that way about me, especially the non-throwers."

They did, and so does The Bee, which ranks Powell's comeback as the top local sports story of the year.

"My goal is to finish in the top three at the Olympics next year," she said. "To be in the top three in the world on the day that it counts, maybe then I'll rest."

The top 20 sports stories of 2007:

1

Maui always shines for Powell. She and Tim Roos were married there three years ago, and the island was a favorite of Powell's late mother. But last April, Suzy found another reason to prefer Maui.

Powell broke in the inaugural Maui Big Wind Discus Challenge with her all-time best performance, a national-record toss of 222 feet as the tradewinds blew. Not only did she break Carol Cady's 16-year-old record of 216-10, she also avenged her 227-10 in La Jolla five years ago, which was disallowed due to a sloping sector.

Two months after her record, Powell produced a 198-11 on her final attempt to overtake Becky Breisch for her first American title since she broke through as the youngest member of the 1996 Olympic team.

2

Eric Medlen of Oakdale brightened every room and lightened every mood. He was bright, charismatic, ambitious and, yes, very fast.

He was one of the most popular Funny Car drivers on the NHRA circuit thanks to his victories the last three years and his top-five finishes in driver points.

Medlen was "the son I never had," said his boss John Force, the owner of the circuit's most prestigious racing team. Closer to home, Medlen simply was the gifted rodeo roper who chose another stage.

And then Medlen died in a Gainesville, Fla., hospital, last March, five days after a test run went terribly wrong. He was 33.

3

It was fitting that the Central Catholic High Raiders, winners of 15 Sac-Joaquin Section football titles over the years, became the area's first team to qualify for the state finals. It was equally fitting that Mike Glines (205-32-4), the coach of 12 section champions in 22 seasons and the hard-nosed architect of the CC skyscraper, ended his career at the top.

His last game ended in defeat, however, 35-21 to St. Bonaventure of Ventura in a hard-fought contest much closer than the score. Predictably, Glines appeared more disgusted in defeat than sentimental in his farewell game.