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Lead Stories: Friday, November 21, 2008

U.S. stars invade Shanghai

Posted September 27th, 2007 at 3:30 PM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Team USA standouts Tyson Gay, Sanya Richards, Jeremy Wariner, Michelle Perry, Allen Johnson and Lauryn Williams will lead an accomplished group of U.S. stars Friday at the 2007 Shanghai Golden Grand Prix in China.

This third edition of the Golden Grand Prix in Shanghai has been designated as a qualifying event for the IAAF / VTB Bank World Athletics Final 2008. Competing athletes at the meet will have the opportunity to get an early start on qualifying for next year’s final, to be held September 13-14.

Current world and U.S. men’s 100m and 200m champion Tyson Gay will compete in the 100 meters in a field that includes fellow Americans JJ Johnson and Marcus Brunson. The men’s 110m hurdles also should prove interesting as four-time world champion Allen Johnson and 2007 World Outdoor Championships bronze medalist David Payne do battle with world record holder and reigning world and Olympic champion Liu Xiang, who will compete in front of an enthusiastic hometown audience.
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AT&T USA Outdoor T&F Champs: Sunday event previews

Posted June 24th, 2007 at 12:00 PM by Allyson Rosen

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

WOMEN’S 20K RACEWALK FINAL

Key Athletes: Teresa Vaill, Sam Cohen, Jolene Moore

Vaill won two in a row before yielding to Joanne Dow last year. Dow is not competing this time, so look for the 44-year-old Vaill to win here based on her victory at the Pan Am Cup Trials in March.

GILL WOMEN’S POLE VAULT FINAL, 12:00 p.m.

Key Athletes: Jenn Stuczynski, Jillian Schwartz, Niki McEwen

Stuczynski has been the dominant US vaulter since bursting onto the scene in 2005, setting her latest American record with the nation’s first 16-0 clearance at the Reebok meet June 2. She is best in the world so far this year. Schwartz was the USA runner-up 2006, and McEwen was third at the Reebok meet with a 14-10 3/4 vault.

AT&T MEN’S 200 SEMIFINAL & FINAL, 12:00 p.m. & 2:20 p.m.

Key Athletes: Tyson Gay, Wallace Spearmon, Xavier Carter

All of the major players who showed up for the prelims advanced easily to the next round, led by Gay’s 20.66 in the fourth heat. Spearmon won last year and went on to record the third-fastest time ever at 19.65. Carter zipped to the #2 time ever at Lausanne in ‘06, clocking 19.63, and he won this year’s Pre Classic with a season-best 20.23.
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Runners wow Hayward Field crowd at 2007 Nike Prefontaine Classic

Posted June 11th, 2007 at 8:04 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

2007 USA Indoor 3,000m champion Matt Tegenkamp set an American record in front of a standing room only crowd Sunday at the 2007 Nike Prefontaine Classic at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., which is the fourth event of USA Track & Field’s 2007 Outdoor Visa Championship Series.

Tegenkamp finished third in men’s two mile race in the American record time of 8 minutes 7.07 seconds, which betters the previous American standard of 8:11.48 set here in 2005 by Alan Webb. Tegenkamp was led to the finish line by Australia’s Craig Mottram, who won the race in 8:03.50, which is the sixth-fastest performance all-time in the two-mile. Ethiopia’s Tariku Bekele was the runner-up in 8:04.83, which is the eighth-fastest time ever.

Komen wins amazing Bowerman Mile

Kenyan Daniel K. Komen ran the fastest time ever on American soil to win the signature event of the Nike Prefontaine Classic, the Bowerman Mile. In a race that saw nine competitors finish under the 4-minute barrier, Komen was victorious in a blistering time of 3 minutes 48.28 seconds, which is the fastest time in the world this year. Two-time Olympic medalist Bernard Lagat was the runner-up in 3:50.56, which is the fastest time by an American this season.
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