Posted: September 4, 2004

Athletics: Harris wins at Brussels

2004 Olympic silver medalist Otis Harris (Columbia, S.C.) led an American 1-2 finish in the men's 400 meters Friday at the fifth event of this year's IAAF Golden League series, the Memorial Van Damme in Brussels, Belgium.

Harris, who also won a gold medal in the 4x400m relay last month at the Olympics in Athens, was victorious in 44.79 seconds. Former TCU standout Jerry Harris (Alexandria, Va.) was the runner-up in 44.94, with Athens 400m bronze medalist and 4x400m relay gold medalist Derrick Brew fourth in 45.15.

In other men's sprints at Brussels, Asafa Powell (JAM) set a meet and national record in winning the men's 100 meters in a blistering 9.87 seconds, which equals the third-fastest time in the world this year. U.S. Olympic 200m gold medalist Shawn Crawford (Raleigh, N.C.) was second in 9.99. Other U.S. finishers include Leonard Scott (Irvine, Calif.), fifth in 10.12, John Capel (Gainesville, Fla.), sixth in 10.18 and two-time Olympic 4x100m relay gold medalist (2000 & 2004) Bernard Williams (Gainesville, Fla.) eighth in 10.31.

Americans also stood out in the men's 200 meters, with Capel and Williams placing second and third respectively in posting the identical time of 20.24 seconds. J.J. Johnson (Garland, Texas) was fourth in 20.35. Namibia's Frankie Fredericks won the race in 20.20 seconds.

In men's field event action, 2004 Olympian Reese Hoffa (Athens, Ga.) was the runner-up in the shot put with a best throw of 21.07 meters/69 feet, 1.50 inches. Spain's 2004 Olympic fourth-place finisher Manuel Martinez won the event with a heave of 21.15m/69-4.75. In the discus throw, Athens sixth-place finisher Casey Malone (Ft. Collins, Colo.) was fourth with a best of 64.23m/210-8.

In women's action, 2004 Olympic 100m silver medalist Lauryn Williams (Rochester, Pa.) placed third in 11.16 seconds. Elsewhere, Athens 400m fourth-place finisher and 4x400m relay gold medalist Monique Hennagan (Stockbridge, Ga.) was third in the 400 meters in 50.06 seconds, with her Olympic relay teammate, and fifth-place finisher in the 400 meters at Athens, DeeDee Trotter placing fourth in 50.22.

Jenny Adams (Champaign, Ill.) finished third in the women's 100-meter hurdles in 12.79 seconds, the identical time posted by runner-up Glory Alozie of Spain. Russia's Mariya Koroteyeva won the race in 12.78. Two-time Olympic bronze medalist (2000 & 2004) Melissa Morrison (Columbia, S.C.) was fifth in 12.83.

Women's field event competition was highlighted by a world record in the pole vault by Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva. After setting the world record in winning the 2004 Olympic gold medal with a clearance of 4.91 meters/16 feet 1.25 inches last month in Athens, Isinbayeva won in Brussels on Friday with a new world record clearance of 4.92m/16-1.75.

For more information on the 2004 IAAF Golden League and complete results from the Memorial Van Damme in Brussels, visit www.iaaf.org.

Shay, Kilpatrick-Morris headline USA 20K Championships

Ryan Shay and Debbi Kilpatrick-Morris are the top entrants for the 2004 USA 20K Championships at the 27th NewAlliance New Haven 20K on Monday, September 6 in New Haven, Conn. This marks the12th consecutive time that New Haven has hosted the men's championships and fourth for the women, and like past editions, competitive U.S. fields are expected for the annual Labor Day tradition.

Recent 2004 national road champions Ryan Shay (half-marathon) and Debbi Kilpatrick-Morris (25 km) lead their respective fields who will be vying not only for U.S. titles, but also over a $34,000 USA Championship purse ($6,000 for the national champion) and spots on the U.S. team for the World Half-Marathon Championships October 3 in New Delhi, India.

Monday's New Haven forecast is partly cloudy with race morning temperatures in the 60s.

Last year at the USA 20K Championship, Meb Keflezighi and Marla Runyan set U.S. records in 58:57 and 1:05:52 respectively. In an exciting duel, Runyan just edged Colleen De Reuck by one second. Due to their recent Olympic participation - where Keflezighi, a Team Running USA member, won a silver medal in the marathon, both will not defend their national titles.

As a USA Championship, the New Haven 20K is also part of the 2004 USA Running Circuit (USARC), a USA Track & Field road series. Some of the top contenders for the $25,000 USARC Grand Prix will be at the race including the defending GP men's champion Ryan Shay as well as Teddy Mitchell, Chris Graff, Teren Jameson, Josh Cox and Kilpatrick-Morris. The top ten U.S. finishers will earn important Circuit points.

The flat, fast loop course starts and finishes at the New Haven Green. More than 4,500 participants in the 20K and accompanying 5K and 1/2 mile children's runs are expected at the 27th edition of this race, the fourth largest 20K in the country (2,083 finishers in 2003). The New Haven Road Race is sponsored by NewAlliance. For more information, visit the race website at: http://www.newhavenroadrace.org.

From USATF.org.