CELEBRATION, Fla. — He didn't break his own world record, but Nestle and handler Angela Jones did the next best thing Sunday: They won the first-ever gold medal in The Launch event at ESPN's Great Outdoor Games presented by Dodge.

The Launch measures how far a canine athlete can jump in an effort to catch a suspended "dummy" with his mouth. It took place at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex.

	Angela Jones and Nestle caught the most air in the Great Outdoor Games' Launch event.

Nestle was the only one of eight dogs in Sunday's second round and finals to successfully complete two jumps at 6 feet, 8 inches. With that, Jones, a high school track coach from Hanover, Pa., and her chocolate Labrador, became champions of the new event.

"Nestle's my little furry superstar," Jones said.

Nestle had been simply Jones' house pet until she saw the Big Air event during the Games and started training her dog for the event. She used the same methods she does for coaching her track athletes.

"We have days when we do strength training, we have days when we work on our sprints and our plyometrics and we have days when we do a little technique work," said Jones, who also teaches middle-school physical education.

It worked in Sunday's second round. Nestle, the world-record holder at 6 feet, 10 inches, easily snatched the plastic dummy, set at 6 feet, 8 inches, on both of his jumps for a two-round total of 50 points.

The nine other dogs in the second round weren't so successful. The first eight, other than Nestle, couldn't reach 6 feet, 8 inches, on either of their two attempts.

	Ken Butler and Sly took home the silver medal in The Launch.

Sly, with handler Kevin Butler of Tulsa, Okla., who won the silver in last year's Big Air event, missed his first jump, but completed the second jump to give Nestle a competitor in the gold medal match.

"The pressure was on," Butler said. "He's a real smart dog. He can adapt really well, and he did adapt well."

The dummy was raised to 6 feet, 11 inches, and the two dogs had two chances each at setting a new world record, but neither could get that high — although both came close.

"I was definitely thinking we could get it today," Jones said. "In the future we're going to get it."

Koko, with handler Mike McWilliams of Breaux Bridge, La., came out of a five-dog "jump-off" for the bronze medal by jumping 6 feet, 7 inches.

Final standings

1. Angela Jones, Nestle — Hanover, Pa.
2. Ken Butler, Sly — Tulsa, Okla.
3. Mike McWilliams, Koko — Breaux Bridge, La.
4. David Heinsohn, Kota — Chetek, Wis.
4. Dave Breen, Black Jack — Oregon, Ill.
6. Tom Dropik, Tucker — New Prague, Minn.
6. Mark Kinsey, Tuck — Hixson, Tenn.
8. Mark Stuart, Hogan — La Jolla, Calif.
8. Andrea Yankovsky, Haley — La Jolla, Calif.
8. Al Victoria, Max — Chattanooga, Tenn.
11. Lisa Heitmiller, Ida — Perris, Calif.
11. Larry Wofford, Tank — Broken Arrow, Okla.

The Games will be aired on ESPN and ABC Sports July 13-17, 2005. Click here for the broadcast schedule.