AREA ATHLETES : JOYNER-KERSEE'S BRONZE `SPECIAL'.

Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer

After winning the long-jump bronze medal, Canoga Park's Jackie Joyner-Kersee revealed that in at least one respect, it was better than her three golds.

``(Friday night) was very special,'' she said. ``Of all the medals I've won, this one I really had to work for. It's not that I didn't have to work for the other ones, but this really tested me as far as my determination and will. I really don't like pain, and I was in real bad pain (from a hamstring injury). One time, I said to myself, `You've just got to be mentally tough.' ''

Of the injury that forced her to withdraw from the heptathlon after one event, she said: ``I can't say it hindered my performance (in the long jump).

``But I know when I was running the hurdles that the leg did grab. At that time, I felt I had enough time between 100 hurdles and the high jump. I was just hoping time was on my side. At hurdles eight, nine and 10 I knew something was wrong. I'm just happy that I didn't further damage the leg.''

By the way, today is the 12th anniversary of Joyner-Kersee missing the heptathlon title at the L.A. Games by five points. She would of course, win it in 1988 and 1992.

On the same date in 1984, her older brother, Al, won the triple jump gold.

Elected: To the International Olympic Committee's Athletes Commission, former Pepperdine volleyball player Bob Ctvrtlik, the U.S. captain.

He was nominated by the U.S. Olympic Committee and then one of seven selected

by the IOC from an initial total of 53.

Smile and sign: Pasadena's Janet Evans was the hit of the publicity tour. She went to Chattanooga, Tenn., earlier in the week to speak to 500 young swimmers and sign autographs on behalf of Chattem Inc., a chlorine-removal shampoo she endorses.

Cover Girl II? Sherman Oaks surgeon/shortstop Dot Richardson is one of six or eight athletes being considered for a Wheaties cover, along with Kerri Strug, Shannon Miller, Tom Dolan, Mary Ellen Clark, Dan O'Brien, Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson.

Richardson is expected to appear on David Letterman's ``Late Show'' Tuesday night.

Hope she isn't scheduled for surgery at USC Medical Center Wednesday morning.

One of the best: U.S women's soccer coach Tony DiCicco explained Friday that he wanted to move UCLA soccer coach Joy Fawcett from defender to midfield for the Olympics. Problem was, DiCicco couldn't find an adequate replacement, so Fawcett remained in the backfield. It was from that position that she set up the gold medal-winning goal Thursday night.

This Bud's for me: After winning an individual gold medal Thursday and a team gold Friday, Simi Valley archer Justin Huish proclaimed: ``It's a Budweiser night tonight. I've got to go celebrate.''

Would you expect anything less from the everykid?

And finally: This item has nothing to do with area athletes, but its significance cannot be overlooked.

Saturday was the 60th anniversary of the first of Jesse Owens' four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Games - universally considered the landmark performance in track and field history.

Owens, called a ``black'' auxiliary'' by the Nazis, won the 100 meters in a time of 10.3 seconds - edging American Ralph Metcalfe by one-tenth.

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Photo, Chart

Photo: Jackie Joyner-Kersee said that overcoming a h amstring injury to finish third in the women's long jump tested her determination and will.

Associated Press

Chart: KEEPING WATCH OF AREA THLETES