Local Sports

By HAROLD WILSON
Staff Writer

The opening bell on the Beijing Olympic dreams of one East Texas will ring later tonight.

Kilgore native Kenta Bell begins his quest for glory in the triple jump with the qualifying round at 9 p.m. Central Standard Time.

Bell is making his second appearance at the Summer Games after finishing ninth in the triple jump at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

In his only other appearance in Beijing, Bell came away victorious at the 2001 World University Games.

If the math adds up, the 31-year old, who is ranked No. 24 in the world in his event, could duplicate the performance from seven years ago on an even bigger world stage.

In 2008 Bell owns a first-place finish from the Walnut Mt. SAC Relays Invitational back in April He placed in the top five three other times at a meet in Sao Paulo, Brazil (fifth), the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore (fourth) and in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (fifth).

His best jump of the year (17.23 meters, 56feet, 6½ feet) occurred at the U.S. Olympic trials last month, where he placed second.

Bell, a three-time All-American at Northwestern State, owns a career-best mark of 57-10¼. He neared that distance in 2004, when he leapt 57-8¼ at the trials. He maxed out at 55-5½ at the 2004 Olympic Games, but has yet to reach 57 feet since (or even 56-9¼) since the trials earlier that year.

A jump of 57-feet plus is likely needed to medal. In 2004, the top three finishes went 58-4½ (Christian Olsson, Sweden), 57-7 (Marian Oprea, Romania) and 57-4¼ (Danil Burkenya, Russia). All three medalists made it back to the Olympics, though neither is ranked among the world's top 10.

The top American hopeful is Walter Davis, the third-ranked triple jumper in the world who finished first ahead of Bell at the trials.

Bell, who will be watched in person by his mother, Dianne Bell, and wife Lakeshia, hopes to draw on the previous trip to Beijing. During that appearance in Beijing he jumped 56-6¾ to take the gold.

For a sprinter who claims to "leap by faith," that experience matters.

"The first time I ever went to Beijing I won, so I think this is my place," Bell said.

The top 12 advance to the finals, set for Thursday morning.