NEW YORK, Feb 1 (Reuter):' Nobody can make Heike Drechsler jump like Jackie Joy-ner-Kersee.

Because the German world champion long jumper doesn't often go up against the American ex-champion, Drechsler regards Friday's contest at the Millrose Games in Madison Square Garden as "the best competition of the indoor season. Just because I get to jump against Jackie."

The confrontation between the two greatest jumpers of the past decade highlights a meet that Includes 11 Olympic and 19 world champions, including Russian pole vaulter Sergei Bubka. Moroccan legend in the mile Said Aouita and US decathlete Dan O'Brien.

Since 1983. when Drechsler won her first world title at age 18. either she or Joyner-Kersee has ranked as the world's leading long Jumper in each year except 1989. when neither woman competed

Drechsler had won 27 straight long Jump competitions before pulling out of the 1987 Wor(d Championships in Rome. It was there that

Joyner-Kersee began dominating the event. winning a string of gold medals that included. the 1968 Olympic title In Seoul and the 1991 World-Championships in Tokyo.

That lasted until the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, where Drechsler. Silver medalist in Seoul, finished first and Joyner-Kersee was third. Drechsler also captured the gold medal on home soil, at the '93 worlds in Stuttgart.

What's more, the , on-field rivals have become fast off field friends.

"Of course when we are in competition. Jackie Is my greatest motivation to Jump far." said Drechsler. "But out of competition, we like each other very much. The first time I inet her was in "87. She Is a very nice person, very natural and never arrogant."

The same could be said of the soft-spoken Drechsler. the angular, graceful native of Jena in the former East Germany, where fraternising with rivals from across the wall was strongly discouraged.

"We never could talk with athletes from the • western epuntries." Drechsler said. "It was forbidden. I'm so glad that's history now. We can talk

or go to dinner or talk about which events we will do."

The choice of events seems greater than ever for Drechsler. who. in 1986, equalled the 200-meter world record set by countrywoman Marita Koch and, who last year. In her first multi-sport event since 1982. sported the best heptathlon score of the year with 6741 points.

Until then, trie WpiMW-in had been the domain of Joyner-Kersee. the double Olympic champion and worldrecord holder. T did the heptathlon Just for fun," said Drechsler. who is now thinking of training for the event at either the 1995 World Championships in Goteborg, Sweden or the 1996 Olympics In Atlanta., "I think if I compete against Jackie, it will motivate me for a better score," Drechsler said.

Still. Drechsler recalls the intimate atmosphere of Madison Square Garden where a creaky, wood-chipped 110-mtter track is wedged along the wall supporting the lower rows of spectators. "The people are so close." she says. "That you can feel all of their noise."