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Lead Stories: Sunday, November 23, 2008

TFS News Briefs: 2/01/08

Posted February 1st, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics, TFS News Briefs

2007 World High Jump champion “Way Ahead” Of Where He Was Last Year
Even though he didn’t win his first competition of his -08 season, 2007 high jump world champion Donald Thomas of the Bahamas said that, “I’m way ahead of where I was at this time last year, that’s for sure…. The results won’t show it, but physically and every other way, I know it… “I’m just a little rusty right now, I need a little more time.” It should be an exciting year for the high jump.
Read more at: [IAAF]

Mottram Determined to Show That Big Runners Can Run Indoors
Craig Mottram, at 6′ 2″ and 162 lbs, is much bigger that the average middle-distance runner. He is determined to proved tonight that a big guy like him can take on the best in the world in an indoor, 11-laps-to-the-mile race, and beat them. His determination will surely be challenged by a smaller (5′ 8″, 134 lbs.) Bernard Lagat, the current world champion at 1500m and 5000m.
Read more at [The Age, Australia]

USC Graduate Allyson Felix Begins Two-A-Days
Now that she has graduated from USC with a degree in Elementary Education, Allyson Felix suddenly has a little more spare time, time to step up her training regimen to include two workouts a day. This is all part of her plan to do a 200m/400m double (maybe even tripling in the 100m!) in Beijing.
Read more at: [AFP]
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TFS News Briefs: 1/29/08

Posted January 29th, 2008 at 2:32 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, TFS News Briefs, Trail / Ultra

Richmond, VA Designated As U.S. Men’s 10K Championships Site
The Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K road race in Richmond, VA will be the host of the U.S. Men’s 10K Championships this April 5th. Prize money will total $25,000 with the winner getting $7500.
Read more at: [USA Today]

Ultra-Runner May Get To Keep His Toes
Andrew Wells, an ultra-runner from Davenport, IA, who won the Frozen Otter Ultra Trek in Wisconsin last week but suffered severe frostbite, was scheduled for surgery to remove his toes. He may, in fact, get to keep at least some of his toes.
Read more at: [Des Moines Register]

Olympic Hurdles Champion Hayes, Other Stars to Compete at Millrose Games
Joanna Hayes, the Olympic 110m hurdles champion, and Kara Goucher, the world-championships bronze medalist in Osaka, will be competing at this Friday’s 101st running of the storied Millrose Games. A Stuczynski-Dragila showdown in the pole vault and a talented Wanamaker Mile field (Bernard Lagat, Craig Mottram, Nick Willis, Galen Rupp) are also among the highlights of the meet which will be held at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Read more at: [IAAF][Millrose Games]
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Track & Field to take center stage Saturday in New York

Posted May 31st, 2007 at 9:00 AM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

The shining stars of track & field will make the lights of Times Square seem dim in comparison Saturday when many of the world’s finest athletes compete in New York City at the 2007 Reebok Grand Prix at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island.

Tyson Gay, Lauryn Williams, Dwight Phillips, Rachelle Smith, Shawn Crawford, Wallace Spearmon, Allyson Felix, Hazel Clark, Bernard Lagat, Stacy Dragila, Alan Webb, Jenn Stuczynski, Bershawn Jackson, Terrence Trammell, Tirunesh Dibaba, Liu Xiang and Craig Mottram and are just a few of the big names who will be on hand.

The third event of USA Track & Field’s 2007 Outdoor Visa Championship Series, the Reebok Grand Prix will be televised Saturday night, June 2, on ESPN2 from 11 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., and on Sunday, June 3, from 1 - 2 p.m. on CBS. All times are Eastern.
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Dragila, Mutola win as the Road to Eugene continues at Hayward Field

Posted May 27th, 2007 at 8:59 PM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Stacy Dragila and Maria Mutola captivated the crowd of 3,097 Sunday at The Road to Eugene ‘08 at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Crowd favorite Maria Mutola, a 14-time Prefontaine champion, ran a world-leading 1 minute 58.70 seconds to win the women’s 800 meters. Two-time U.S. Indoor champion Nicole Teter ran her way to a second-place finish in 1:59.91 and 2006 U.S. Indoor champion Alice Schmidt finished third in 2:00.36. Teter and Schmidt now have the first and second fastest times by Americans so far this year.
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The road to Eugene continues this weekend

Posted May 25th, 2007 at 10:09 AM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Many of the world’s best athletes will compete in 18 events Sunday, May 27 at the Road to Eugene ‘08 at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. Three of the 18 events–the men’s and women’s 5,000-meter races and the men’s 3,000m steeplechase-will be run Saturday night, May 26, following the conclusion of the NCAA West Regionals at Hayward.

The Road to Eugene ‘08 is a cooperative effort between the Local Organizing Committee for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, USA Track & Field, and the USATF Athletes Advisory Committee. The second edition of this meet will feature many of America’s top track and field athletes who will be competing for over $150,000 in prize money. The meet is a benefit for the Professional Athletics Association (PAA), a newly formed union of professional track and field athletes.
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U.S. stars to compete at adidas Track Classic on May 20th

Posted May 17th, 2007 at 9:02 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Jeremy Wariner, Allyson Felix, Xavier Carter, Allen Johnson, Stacy Dragila, Tyson Gay, Ginnie Powell and Reese Hoffa are just a few of the U.S. stars expected to compete Sunday at the adidas Track Classic in Carson, Calif.

The second event of USA Track & Field’s 2007 Outdoor Visa Championship Series, the adidas Track Classic, will begin at noon PDT on May 20 at The Home Depot Center and will be broadcast live on ESPN from 1 p.m.-3 p.m. PDT (4 p.m.-6 p.m. Eastern). Events to be contested include the women’s 100m, 200m, 400m, 1,500m, 2 mile, 100m hurdles and pole vault and the men’s 100m, 200m, 400m, 1,500m, 3,000m, 110m hurdles, 400m hurdles, javelin and shot put.

The reigning world and Olympic champion, Jeremy Wariner will take on a strong field in the men’s 400 meters. Challengers include 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Derrick Brew, 2005 World silver medalist Andrew Rock and 2005 NCAA champion Darold Williamson. These four athletes comprised the 4×400-meter relay team that won gold at the 2004 Olympics and 2005 World Championships.
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Stacy Dragila, top hurdlers on tap for adidas Track Classic

Posted May 11th, 2007 at 11:39 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Announcements, Track & Field

Women’s pole vault legend Stacy Dragila will continue her comeback, while Olympic gold medalist Allen Johnson and new American Record-holder Dominique Arnold will lead a top-flight 110-meter hurdles field and a pair of world-beaters lead the women’s hurdles at the adidas Track Classic on May 20, organizers announced Thursday.

Part of USATF’s Visa Championship Series, the adidas Track Classic will be broadcast live on ESPN on May 20 from 4-6 p.m. Eastern Time (1-3 p.m. Pacific).

Dragila, whose 2000 Olympic gold medal was the first ever awarded in the women’s pole vault, is a two-time World Champion and nine-time U.S. outdoor champion. A former World Record-holder, at 36 she still holds the American Record of 15 feet, 10 inches, set in 2004, and four times has ranked #1 in the world. At the adidas Track Classic, she will face new American rival Jenn Stuczynski, ranked the #1 US vaulter in 2006 and #6 in the world. Stuczynski is the reigning US champion both indoors and outdoors, and has quickly risen to become the #2 American all-time to Dragila.
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Dragila looks to return to form

Posted May 11th, 2007 at 9:56 AM by thefinalsprint.com

Section: News & Results, Special Features, Interviews

2000 Olympic gold medalist and two-time world champion Stacy Dragila will compete in the women’s pole vault May 20 at the adidas Track Classic, the first stop of USATF’s Visa Championship Series. 2007 marks the first return to competition for Dragila since the 2005 World Outdoor Championships.

Since 2004 the women’s vaulting legend has battled Achilles problems and other injuries, but she is back on track and training hard. Below is an excerpt from Thursday’s media teleconference with Dragila, hosted by the adidas Track Classic:

Q: Update us about what has happened with your career recently, and how you feel coming into the adidas Track Classic.

A: It’s been awhile since I competed. I’m a little bit excited. I had Achilles surgery the first of June last year. I tried to rehab it [without surgery] through therapy but it just wasn’t doing what I needed to do. 2008 was approaching and I thought I needed a good year to get in shape and get competitive.
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