Posted: June 2, 2005

Athletics: Christopher Confirmed For Jerome Meet Relay

Vancouver, BC:

Tyler Christopher will contribute his national record speed to the Canadian men's 4x400-metre relay team at the June 14 Vancouver Sun Harry Jerome International Track Classic.

Athletics Canada has confirmed 22-year-old Christopher's addition to the relay team, which will use the Jerome meet as an opportunity for the squad to qualify for the world track and field championships in Helsinki. The qualifying mark is 3 minutes, 04.00 seconds. Other Jerome meet entrants in the event include the United States, Liberia and Trinidad & Tobago.

In May Christopher, born in Chilliwack and currently training in Edmonton, rewrote the Canadian record in winning the 400 metres in 44.72 seconds at the Brazilian Grand Prix. The effort improved upon the previous national mark of 44.86, set by Kamloops speedster Shane Niemi in 2001. Days earlier Christopher served notice he was on the record trail, running a personal best 44.88 to win at a Grand Prix meet in Rio de Janeiro. His previous best was 45.25 seconds.

Christopher will be joined in the relay ranks by Canadian 800-metre champion and record holder Gary Reed, Canadian 400-metre hurdles champion Adam Kunkel and Victoria sprinter Ray Ardill, who represented Canada at the 2003 World University Games.

"There is no reason Canada can't be competitive in the 4x400, even though everyone seems to look at the 4x100 because of the history there," notes Reed, a 2004 Olympian who also ran the 4x400 for Canada at the 2001 world championships in Edmonton. "We have some very talented runners and with a little time working together we can make this standard."

The 2004 Jerome meet will also feature a contingent of Chinese competitors, including 400-mtere runners Hu Chengjiang and Jiang Bo, as part of the Pacific World Cup, presented by Paystone.com.

The 2005 Vancouver Sun Harry Jerome International Track Classic is one of five events in the PacifiCanada Track and Field Series. The 22nd annual Harry Jerome meet goes June 14, 7 p.m. at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.