Jefferson wins NCAA

Rarely is an NCAA mile won in as decisive a fashion as the one sophomore Sean Jefferson claimed March 14. Grabbing the lead with just over 600 meters left, Jefferson crushed the field -- including reigning 2003 champion, hometown favorite Arkansas' Chris Mulvaney. \nCrossing the line with arms raised in 4:00.16, Jefferson gave IU its first individual track title since 1993. \nAs he shot a glance up at the massive monitor on the final turn of the NCAA Championships mile, he couldn't believe what he saw. \n"They were showing the second pack," Jefferson said. "I wasn't even in the picture. I had no idea how far ahead I was until then. I still can't believe it. It hasn't really set in." \nAt Atlantic Community High School in Delray Beach, Fla., Jefferson and twin brother John broke the national record for fastest twins in the mile, running 4:05 and 4:07 in a national class race. Sean also ran a state-record two-mile in 8:59, his third straight title at the distance. The pair arrived at IU with grand aspirations, convinced they could accomplish great feats. \nThe two have traded off success since. John earned All-American status his freshman year in the mile, while Sean sat out with an injury. Last year, John rallied for second place to Mulvaney in the final lap at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Outdoors, Sean set an IU freshman 5,000-meter record in 13:58, while John ran 3:41 for 1500-meters, then the year's best American mark. \nJohn has fought an injury since July, and Sean began their junior year alone. In cross country, Sean grabbed 19th place at the NCAA Championships, earning the twins' first cross country All-American accolade. Early in the indoor season, he blazed 4:00.83 in the mile just behind the U.S.A. indoor mile champ Rob Myers. \nTrackside at NCAAs, as Sean's victory became apparent, John crept closer to the track where he took second the previous year, watching his brother claim the family's first NCAA title.\n"No one's going to catch him," he said. "Sean's got it!"\nIU assistant coach Robert Chapman was similarly impressed.\n"All I have to do is not crash the van on the way to the meet," Chapman said. "I know when he gets here that he'll get the job done. His acceleration around the tight indoor turns is a serious advantage."\nSean has been the team's go-to guy all year. After leading the cross country team to 12th place, he anchored IU's school-record distance medley relay team to a stunning victory at the Tyson Invitational -- missing the world and collegiate record by a scant three seconds.\nNow Jefferson shifts his attention to the outdoor season. This coming weekend, he will compete at the Stanford Invitational in the 1500-meters -- the outdoor track equivalent to the indoor mile -- where he hopes to post an Olympic Trials qualifying time.\n"My main goal is to make the final at the Olympic Trials," Jefferson said. "The experience of that race will be very valuable for my future. The race is always wild, so I'll have a chance at making the team."\n-- Contact staff writer Rob DeWitte at rdewitte@indiana.edu.