Brussels sprouts outstanding field for Memorial Van Damme
Posted September 14th, 2007 at 12:30 PM by Matt Kappel
Section: News & Results, Track & Field
The women’s 400 meters and men’s 200m will be the events to see Friday, September 14, at the fifth event of the IAAF Golden League, the Memorial Van Damme in Brussels, Belgium. The IAAF Golden League 2007 offers a $1 Million Jackpot, which represents international athletics’ biggest annual payday. Athletes must win at all six meetings to acquire at least a share.
2006 IAAF Athlete of the Year Sanya Richards will run the women’s 400m Friday in a field that includes 2007 U.S. third-place finisher Mary Wineberg, 2007 World Outdoor silver medalist Nicola Sanders of Great Britain and bronze medalist Novlene Williams of Jamaica. Richards is the only American left standing in the hunt for the Jackpot.
Richards’ only competition in the hunt for the Jackpot is the world-record holder in the women’s pole vault, Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia. They are the only athletes to have taken victories at all four meetings of 2007 - Oslo, Norway (15 Jun), Paris, France (6 Jul), Rome, Italy (13 Jul), Zürich, Switzerland (7 Sep).
The men’s 200m will see 2007 World Outdoor bronze medalist Wallace Spearmon in a rematch with the silver medalist from Osaka, Usain Bolt of Jamaica. Also entered in the race is World Outdoor fourth-place finisher Rodney Martin and Xavier Carter, fresh off his win in the Zurich men’s 200m in 19.92 seconds.
1996 Olympic gold medalist and four-time World champion Allen Johnson will face 2007 World Outdoor bronze medalist David Payne and Anwar Moore in the men’s 110m hurdles.
2005 World champion and reigning silver medalist Lauryn Williams and 2007 World Outdoor bronze medalist Carmelita Jeter will be challenged by 2003 World champion Torri Edwards in the women’s 100m. Edwards is also entered in the women’s 200m.
On the field, 2007 World Outdoor bronze medalist Walter Davis and 2007 U.S. champion Aarik Wilson will battle for bragging rights in the men’s triple jump, while three-time Olympian Amy Acuff will compete in the women’s high jump.
Other athletes to watch for include two-time World champion Michelle Perry and 2007 U.S. Indoor champion Lolo Jones in the women’s 100m hurdles, and 2007 World Outdoor 4×100m gold medalist Leroy Dixon and Darvis Patton in the men’s 100m. 2007 World Outdoor fourth-place finisher Matt Tegenkamp will contest the men’s 5,000m and three-time U.S. champion Meb Keflezighi is entered in the men’s 10,000m.
Fans can watch the Golden League action LIVE from Brussels at www.sportnet.com. Competition begins at 2:00 p.m. ET with the women’s 100-meter hurdles with the last event, the men’s 10,000m, going off at 3:31 p.m. ET.
For more information on the 2007 Memorial Van Damme, visit www.iaaf.org.
Written by: Vicky Oddi
Via: USA Track & Field
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Tags: Aarik Wilson, allen johnson, Amy Acuff, Anwar Moore, brussels, Carmelita Jeter, darvis patton, David Payne, IAAF, IAAF Golden League, IAAF Golden League Jackpot, lauryn williams, leroy dixon, LoLo Jones, Mary Wineberg, Matt Tegenkamp, Meb Keflezighi, Memorial Van Damme, nicole sanders, Novlene Williams, rodney martin, russels, sanya richards, sportnet, sportnet.com, torri edwards, track and field, USA Track & Field, Usain Bolt, usatf, wallace spearmon, watch track meet, xavier carter, Yelena Isinbayeva
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