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Visa Championship Series pushes ahead at Tyson Invitational

Posted February 14th, 2008 at 9:30 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Wallace Spearmon Many of America’s most accomplished track and field stars, including several former University of Arkansas athletes, will compete Friday night at the 2007 Tyson Invitational at the Randal Tyson Indoor Track Center on the UA campus in Fayetteville.

The fourth stop of the 2008 USA Track & Field Visa Championship Series, the Tyson Invitational will be televised on February 17 from 5-7 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN.

After the second scoring meet of the 2008 Visa Championships Series, 2005 world champion shot putter Adam Nelson leads the men’s Race for the Visa Championship with 1,245 points. 60m hurdler Antwon Hicks is second with 1,202 points. Hurdler Damu Cherry leads the women with 1,172 points, with Arkansas alum Christin Wurth-Thomas second with 1,166 points. Wurth will contest the mile in Fayetteville.

Spearmon leads sprints

Two-time World Outdoor individual medalist Wallace Spearmon, a former Razorback and a resident of Fayetteville, is entered in both the 60 meters and the 200m.

The men’s 60m race will see him square off against 2006 World Indoor champion Leonard Scott, 2007 U.S. Outdoor 100m runner-up Trindon Holliday and Arkansas standout J-Mee Samuels.

In Spearmon’s signature event, the Tyson men’s 200m, he will be challenged by Tennessee’s Rubin Williams, who owns the current world leader. Also keep an eye out for 2005 World Outdoor 400m hurdle champion Bershawn Jackson and 2007 U.S. Indoor 400m champion Greg Nixon.

On the women’s side, world-ranked #1 in the women’s 400m by Track & Field NewsSanya Richards will step down in distance and run the Visa women’s 60m, challenging a trio of talented Americans in the race. 2007 World Outdoor 100m bronze medalist and Millrose Games champion Carmelita Jeter will be the likely favorite in a field that includes 2007 Pan Am Games gold medalist and Reebok Boston Indoor Games champion Miki Barber. Also in the field are 2006 NCAA Indoor champion Marshevet Hooker and 2007 U.S. Indoor champion Hasani Roseby.

Two University of Texas stars, 2006 Gatorade National Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year Bianca Knight and 2006 NCAA 4×100m champion Alexandria Anderson, will take on 2007 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor 400m champion Natasha Hastings in the women’s 200m.

In the men’s 60m hurdles, 2006 NCAA Outdoor champion Aries Merritt will take on 1996 Olympic gold medalist four-time World Outdoor champion Allen Johnson and 2005 U.S. Indoor champion Joel Brown.

Field eventers in the spotlight

The Visa men’s shot put features four of the top six throwers in the world as 2008 Visa Championships Series leader Adam Nelson, a two-time Olympic silver medalist and four-time World Outdoor medalist who ended 2007 ranked #2 in the world, headlines the event. At the 2008 Millrose Games, Nelson set a Madison Square Garden record in winning the Visa men’s shot put with his world-leading throw of 22.07 meters/72 feet 5 inches. Reigning World Indoor and Outdoor champion Reese Hoffa, 2004 World Indoor champion and 2007 Visa champion Christian Cantwell and 2007 U.S. Outdoor runner-up Dan Taylor, ranked #1, #3 and #6 respectively in the world, round out the field.

The Outdoor American record holder and a two-time U.S. Indoor champion, Jenn Stuczynski is the favorite in the women’s pole vault. She will face tough opposition from 2004 Olympian Jillian Schwartz, who set a personal best of 4.63 meters/ 15 feet 2.25 inches in beating Stuczynski at the Millrose Games. Also watch for 2007 Pan Am Games silver medalist April Steiner, an Arkansas alum and fan favorite.

On the track, look for Steve Scherer, who just ran a personal best 3:56, in the men’s mile and Sam Burley in the men’s 800m. Ireland’s Alistair Cragg, a former Arkansas standout, will run the men’s 5,000m and two-time U.S. Indoor 1,500m champion Jen Toomey will take on Jamaica’s Kenia Sinclair in the women’s 800m.

The USA Track & Field Visa Championship Series will continue February 23-24 with the AT&T USA Indoor Track & Field Championships in Boston. For more information, including TV broadcast schedules, visit www.visachampionshipseries.com.

Via: Vicky Oddi, USA Track & Field

Visa Gift Cards » Visa Championship Series pushes ahead at Tyson Invitational said:

[…] Raquel Soto wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptAfter the second scoring meet of the 2008 Visa Championships Series, 2005 world champion shot putter Adam Nelson leads the men’s Race for the Visa Championship with 1245 points. 60m hurdler Antwon Hicks is second with 1202 points. … […]
February 14th, 2008 at 2:24 pm