Posted: February 15, 2005

Athletics: Carruthers improves again, Nelson sweats it out in Race for the Championship

Hurdler Danielle Carruthers extended her lead in the Visa women's Race for the Championship for the third consecutive week, while Adam Nelson's lead in the men's Race withstood LaShawn Merritt's eye-opening 400 meters - thanks to Merritt's status as a collegian.

Standings have been updated following Friday night's Powered by Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., the third stop of the 2005 Visa Championship Series. The Visa Championship Series concludes with the 2005 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships February 25-27 in Boston, where the inaugural Visa Champions will be crowned.

Carruthers Cruises

At the Powered by Tyson Invitational, Carruthers improved her own U.S.-leading time in the women's 60-meter hurdles, beating an outstanding field with a time of 7.98 seconds. The performance was worth 1, 191 points using IAAF scoring tables, improving on the 1,183 points she earned with her 8.02 at the Millrose Games. Carruthers has led the women's Race for the Championship since posting 1,170 points with her winning time of 8.08 at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games, but her steady improvement puts her in even better position to try to win the title entering the USA Indoor Championships.

Muna Lee, a 2004 Olympic finalist in the 200 meters, leapt into second place with 1,174 points for her 60-meter time of 7.19 at the Powered by Tyson Invitational. Lee was second in the race behind Olympic 200m gold medalist Veronica Campbell. Lee supplanted Sarah Schwald in second, with Schwald dropping from second to third with 1,168 points from Boston (8:54.42 in the 3,000 meters).

Men's race heats up

Shot putter Adam Nelson still leads the men's race with 1,220 points, from his impressive toss of 21.66m/71-0.75 in Boston, but he no doubt is thanking the NCAA for helping to retain his lead.

LaShawn Merritt, an 18-year-old freshman at East Carolina, in Fayetteville ran the third-fastest 400-meter time in history, 44.93 seconds, which is worth a remarkable 1,261 points in the IAAF scoring tables. But because Merritt is a collegian, he is not eligible for the Visa Championship and its $25,000 cash prize.

Shot putter Reese Hoffa maintained his second-place status, having scored 1,218 points scored at Millrose with his winning shot put of 21.62 seconds. 2003 USA outdoor 400-meter hurdles champion Bershawn Jackson moved into third, scoring 1,209 points with his second-place time of 45.70 seconds in the 400 meters at the Powered by Tyson Invitational. Previously in third place, Allen Johnson improved his point total to 1,208 with his time of 7.51 in Fayetteville, but it wasn't enough to avoid being overtaken by Jackson.

The prize

During USA Track & Field's 2005 Indoor Visa Championship Series, American athletes will compete not only for more than $1 million in prize and athlete support money, they will also be racing toward their share of a combined $100,000 jackpot and other prizes for the Visa Championship.

The male and female athlete with the top overall performances in the 2005 Indoor Visa Championship Series will be named Visa Champion and receive a $25,000 bonus. In addition, each Visa Champion will be awarded an invitation of their choice to a premiere Visa-sponsored event.

Crowning the Visa Champion

The top eligible American male finisher and top American female finisher in each event of the Visa Championship Series, including the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships, will have their performances assigned a point total based on the IAAF Scoring Tables of Athletics. The athlete whose single-best performance has the highest point total at the end of the Visa Championship Series will be named the Visa Champion.

Although the top performance can come at any of the Visa Championship Series meets, an athlete must compete at the 2005 USA Indoor Championships in order to be named Visa Champion. Athletes competing on the high school or college level are not eligible. In addition, athlete performances in the first three meets of the Visa Championship Series must come in events that also are contested at the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships, or other events that qualify athletes to compete at the Championships, in order to be eligible for Visa Champions point totals and rankings.

Ties will be broken by determining which tied athlete had the best mark at the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships. If a tie still exists, it will be broken by a coin toss.

For more information on the 2005 Visa Championship Series, visit USATF.org.

Source: USATF.org.