Posted: June 1, 2005

Athletics: International stars invade Nike Prefontaine Classic

The word's best track and field athletes have packed the fields for what promises to be a truly star-studded 2005 Nike Prefontaine Classic. The fourth stop on USA Track & Field's 2005 Outdoor Visa Championship Series, the 31st Nike Prefontaine Classic features Olympic medalists, world champions and world leaders in nearly every event.

Held at historic Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus, the meet will be broadcast by NBC from 2-3 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, June 5.

In addition to the prize purse of $199,200 for the meet's 16 events, athletes will look to score points in the Race for the Visa Championship, where a male and female athlete with the top overall performance in the 2005 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. The top performances will be determined by assigning point totals to performances, using the IAAF Scoring Tables of Athletics. JohnGodina and Olympic silver medalist Allyson Felix currently lead the Race for the Championship outdoors - visit www.usatf.org/visa for more information.

Something old, something new; something Johnson, something Liu

The 2005 Nike Prefontaine Classic includes the world-beaters of the last several years, facing off against the most promising newcomers in the sport in exciting match-ups.

Among the most anticipated events is the men's 110-meter hurdles, where 2004 Olympic gold medalist and world record-holder Xiang Liu, 21, of China will compete on U.S. soil for the first time. As the world's #1 hurdling nation, the United States will welcome him with its own arsenal of talent. Four-time World champion Allen Johnson, who defeated Liu at the 2004 World Indoor Championships and currently holds the IAAF's #1 world ranking, and two-time Olympic silver medalist Terrence Trammell, ranked third globally behind Johnson and Liu, top the U.S. entry list. Xiang (13.12), Johnson (13.18) and Trammell (13.18) currently own three of the four fastest times in the world so far this year. Dominique Arnold, also in the field, is #5 in the world so far this year with his time of 13.21.

The Visa men's 400 meters likewise features a blend of old and new, as 18-year-old LaShawn Merritt makes his U.S. professional debut in the 400 meters. Currently the owner of the second-fastest time in the world this year, Merritt will take on a powerful field that includes America's Olympic silver and bronze medalists, Otis Harris and Derrick Brew; Olympic 4x400m relay gold medalist Andrew Rock (#4 in the world in 2005), and last year's world #4-6 ranked athletes, Alleyne Francique of Grenada, Michael Blackwood of Jamaica and Brandon Simpson of Jamaica.

Women outstanding in their fields

The Hershey's women's 400 meters is equally stacked, with reigning world champion Ana Guevara of Mexico competing against Olympic gold medalist Tonique Williams-Darling of Jamaica and the trifecta of American quarter-miling: Monique Hennagan, Dee Dee Trotter and Sanya Richards. The trio placed fourth through sixth at the Olympic Games and combined on Team USA's gold-winning 4x400m relay. Richards currently owns the two fastest times in the world in 2005, followed by Guevara and Christine Amertil of the Bahamas, who also is in the field.

The women's 100-meter hurdles likewise pits world champion versus Olympic gold medalist, with Olympic champ Joanna Hayes of the U.S. poised to take on Canada's world champion, Perdita Felicien. Two-time Olympic bronze medalist Melissa Morrison, meet record holder Brigitte Foster of Jamaica, and Olympic fifth-place finisher Lacena Golding-Clarke of Jamaica also bolster the field.

Middle-distance matchups

As always, the Nike Prefontaine Classic puts a spotlight on the middle distances. Headlining the Bowerman mile is two-time Olympic 1,500m medalist Bernard Lagat, who has set his sights on Hicham El Guerrouj's American all-comers record of 3:49.92. In the Nike men's 2 mile, world 5,000m champion Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya leads a fantastic field that includes two of Team USA's most exciting young talents, 10,000m Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein and Olympic 1,500m runner Alan Webb, who in 2001 broke the national high school mile record at Pre.

The 800 meter races feature a prominent debut as 24-year-old Olympic gold medalist Yuriy Borzakovskiy of Russia will race for the first time ever on American soil, against the likes of U.S. Olympians Khadevis Robinson and Derrick Peterson, as well as 2003's top-ranked David Krummenacker, the 2003 world indoor gold medalist.

In the 24 Hour Fitness women's 800, Maria Mutola returns to Prefontaine to try for her 13th consecutive win at the meet. The storied career of Mozambique's Mutola includes the 2000 Olympic gold medal and three world championships. Two-time U.S. Olympian Hazel Clark, American record holder and Olympic finalist Jearl Miles-Clark and U.S. indoor record holder Nicole Teter lead the U.S. charge.

Also slated for competition are marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain and Olympic silver medalist Tatyana Tamashova in the women's 1,500 meters.

More big names

The Visa men's pole vault will provide the venue for what is becoming a popular and compelling match-up of American talent: Olympic gold medalist Tim Mack vs. Olympic silver medalist Toby Stevenson. But Team USA's dynamic duo won't be alone on the runway: #4 world ranked Derek Miles of the U.S., 2001 world champion Dmitri Markov of Australia, American record holder Jeff Hartwig and 2000 Olympic gold medalist Nick Hysong complement the field.

The medalist parade continues in the men's 400 meter hurdles, where Olympic gold medalist Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic takes on Olympic silver medalist Danny McFarlane of Jamaica, 2005 world leader Bershawn Jackson and 2003 world championships silver medalist Joey Woody, both of Team USA.

All three of Team USA's Olympians - Walter Davis, Melvin Lister and Kenta Bell, will compete in the men's triple jump, while Olympic gold bronze medalist Tatyana Kotova of Russia and U.S. Olympian Grace Upshaw are in the women's long jump.

Lineups for the women's 100 and Nike men's 100 meters will be announced later this week.

Fans can compete, too!

For the first time ever , track & field fans around the country now have a chance to share in the success of their favorite athletes, picking the male the female they believe will be crowned Visa Champions as part of the Visa Championship Series "Watch. Click. Win." Online Sweepstakes. Fans can support their favorite athlete on his/her journey by logging onto www.usatf.org/win and voting for the male and female athletes they think will be the Visa Champions at the end of the outdoor season.

Following their favorite athletes online and via television broadcasts, fans may submit an entry once an hour, once a day, once a week, and may change their entries as the Visa Championship Series progresses. By logging ontowww.usatf.org/win, fans can select the athlete they think will win the title of Visa Champion, and the winning point total that will be assessed to their top performance, using the IAAF Scoring Tables of Athletics. Fans can begin submitting entries on Wednesday, April 27, 2005, with entries closing on June 17. Only each fan's most recent entry for each category (male and female) will be eligible.

For more information on the Visa Championship Series and the Nike Prefontaine Classic, visit www.usatf.org.