Rams Blast Women Thinclads; Gopaul Posts Sub-Minute 440

The bellicose Rams from the University of Rhode Island battered the Crimson women thinclads' exposed weal flank in the sprints and field events Saturday, to give Harvard its first dual meet defeat of the season, 69-35, at the ITT.

Just the night before, though, freshman Darlene Beckford, touted in Sports Illustrated's February 4 "Faces in the Crowd" as "the eighth fastest woman in the world on an indoor track," nobly represented the Crimson at the prestigious Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden in New York.

The price of gold proved too high for Beckford against a national caliber field, but her impressive fourth-place time of 4:14.0 in the 1500 meters was a personal best for the Crimson star.

A strained hamstring kept ace Johanna Forman from running in the Millrose Games and sidelined her for the clash with the Rams.

Despite URI sweeps of both the 60-yd. dash and the 220-yd. run, the Crimson posted some impressive individual victories and times in Saturday's meet.

Senior Pat Gopaul broke a long-time personal barrier when she lept to an early lead in the 440 and powered her way to victory in 59.7 seconds. Her speedy performances marks the first time that a Harvard woman has run a sub-minute quarter mile.

Smilling Faces

The two-mile run also brought smiles to the faces of Crimson fans. After jockeying for position during the first mile, the Harvard trio of Ellen Hart, Kristin Mertz and Diane Jacobson held the first three slots in a synchronized blur of Crimson. The Harvard pack held tight until Hart, with a half mile remaining, turned on the jets and broke the tape in 11:21.3. Mertz took second and Jacobson third to complete the sweep.

Other winning efforts came form shotputter Kim Johnson, with her toss of 42ft.8 1/2in., and Martha Clabby, with her 2:15.8 victory in the 880.