ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, July 15, 1996 TAG: 9607150106
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: GAMES NOTES
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
It's not everyday that a guy can go jogging and take a break every so often to squeeze off a few rounds from a .22-caliber rifle.
Talk about your run-and-shoot offense. That was the story during the summer biathlon competition of Sunday's Commonwealth Games, where the best-armed joggers this side of New York's Central Park traversed the rugged dirt roads near the Roanoke Rifle and Revolver Club in north Franklin County.
The summer biathlon is essentially like its wintertime sibling, only without the skiing. In fact, a little snowfall would have been welcome on this muggy morning. Competitors in the summer biathlon begin with a run of approximately one mile, then stop just long enough to take five shots at small metal targets with a Marlin target rifle from a ``prone'' or lying position.
Then it's off for another jog, five more shots from a standing position and a final run. Seconds are subtracted from a competitor's time for each target hit.
Which begs the question: Is the biathlon a sport for runners who shoot or for shooters who run?
``Well, I'm a runner who's never shot much,'' said Mark Bayless of Winchester, a fitting place for a rifleman to reside.
``It's hard to find a sport you've never tried before.''
So, Bayless decided spicing up a five-kilometer run with some gunplay was just the thing for him.
Bayless' apprehension with the shooting subsided after he nailed all five targets from the prone position.
``I haven't shot in 10 years!'' he exclaimed to no one in particular while getting up. He was so excited with his marksmanship that he began running through one of the walk zones.
``Oh, I'm sorry,'' he said, slowing his pace. ``Walk zone, I see.''
Some of the competitors who knew their way around a shooting range had some trouble with the running.
``Those hills ... were tough,'' said Chuck Dietz, a National Guardsman from Fairlawn who has competed in the biathlon for three years. ``It's fun, but I hate it.''
There were other creative ways to measure performance.
``I'll take on anybody my weight,'' said Mike Norris, a 220-pound Roanoker. ``I'm the fattest guy out here.''
Bayless dead-eyed four targets from a standing position and appeared to be a favorite for the overall title until 19-year-old Jonathan Dean from Harrisonburg finished his circuit in less than 17 minutes. So swift was the Bridgewater College cross country runner, he could have missed all 10 targets and still won.
As it was, he only missed nine.
``My shooting is very poor,'' he said. ``My running made up for it.''
GOOD SHOT: Former Virginia Tech basketball player Shawn Good, who played for the Blacksburg team in the Games' 19-and-older bracket, said he is waiting to hear if any NBA teams want to invite him to tryouts this summer.
Good said he has heard from the Orlando Magic and the Vancouver Grizzlies, but there have been no substantive offers. He also has a connection with a pro team in Italy.
``I'm hoping basketball will be my job for at least another year or two before I go back and get my degree,'' said Good, who is about two semesters short of completing his liberal arts and sciences degree.
ETC.: One of the more impressive performers during the roller hockey tournament was Sarah Dean, a goalie for the Roanoke Red Wings. Dean, who backstopped her team within one game of the medal round, was the only girl playing for any Roanoke teams. ... Talk about a power play. Just as Jerry Hamlett of the Collinsville Ridgerunners uncorked a shot in a roller hockey game, the lights were knocked out by a passing thunderstorm. When they came back on, it was revealed that Hamlett's shot had found the back of the net.
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ERIC BRADY Staff Biathlon competitors (top to bottom)by CNBKenneth Dean, Jonathan Dean and Mark Ramey take aim during Sunday's
action.