Greer leads javelin qualifiers

By STEVE RIVERA

Gannett News Service

ATHENS, Greece - On Breaux Greer's right hand is written ``For what'' and ``17.''

It's a tribute to 17 friends who have had died over the past few years while he's trained for his 2004 Olympic Games moment.

``I'm kind of out there for them, too. It's a personal message,'' he said, declining to elaborate.

They would have been proud - even if it was just a preliminary performance at Olympic Stadium on Thursday night.

Making it a short night, he qualified for the javelin finals on Saturday with his one and only throw as it traveled 286.25 feet - best of the qualifying round.

Most importantly, he did not tax his injured left knee as he heads into the finals.

``That was the plan,'' said Greer, out of the University of Louisiana-Monroe. ``As long as I got over the qualifying mark (80 meters), I'm not going to complain.''

He also came away feeling relatively great, other than the usual pain a completely torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left leg knee causes in every-day situations, such as when he jumps or takes a misstep.

Thursday there weren't any.

Will it hold up for the finals?

``I pray it does,'' he said. ``A little more duct tape (will help).''

Saturday could be the tale of the tape. He's hoping his throw improves at least 10 more feet beyond the 90-meter mark (295.27 feet).

``I hope it's over 90 (meters),'' he said. ``If I won a gold medal and it's not over 90, I won't be happy. I want to do better. I want to throw 200 meters here.''

He said Friday's rest day should help him get recharged.

``It helps a lot,'' he said.

He refuses to worry about how the knee will hold up on Saturday.

``I'm just here to throw the stick; I'm not worried,'' he said. ``I don't get nervous. Obviously there is one medal out here, and I'd like to have it. I'll say it again: I didn't come to get second. Hopefully, I can live up to that, but as long as I'm having fun, that's all that matters.''