Posted: July 27, 2004

Athletics: Phillips, Gilreath shine at Norwich Union International

Reigning world indoor and outdoor men’s long jump champion Dwight Phillips and 2004 U.S. women’s Olympic Trials hammer throw champion Erin Gilreath set stadium records Sunday at the 2004 Norwich Union International in Birmingham, England. Team USA finished the competition in second place with 151 points. The Commonwealth Select team won the event with 153 points.

Phillips equaled the fifth best long jump in the world this year with his leap of 8.35 meters/27-4.75. He currently owns the five best jumps in the world this season with a best of 8.44m/27-8.25 on May 25 in Mexico City. Gilreath won the women’s hammer throw with a toss of 69.97m/229-6, after winning at the 2004 Olympic Trials with a throw of 70.42m/231-0. Gilreath owns the top four marks on the U.S. women’s hammer throw list this year.

Team USA’s 4x100m relay squad (John Capel, Leonard Scott, Darvis Patton, J.J. Johnson) posted a stadium record with their winning time of 38.62 seconds, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist and four-time World Outdoor champion Allen Johnson got back on the winning track in the men’s 110m hurdles with his victory in 13.25 seconds.

The event was highlighted by Russian Yelena Isinbayeva, who set a new world record in the women’s pole vault with her clearance of 4.89 meters/16 feet, ½ inch, despite a severe crosswind.

For more information on the 2004 Norwich Union International, visit www.iaaf.org.