Posted: July 14, 2005

Athletics: USATF News & Notes, Volume 6, Number 54

Wariner, Clement to do battle in Stockholm

2004 Olympic gold medalist Jeremy Wariner and world indoor record holder Kerron Clement will face each other for the first time in a 400m race July 26 at the IAAF Super Grand Prix in Stockholm, Sweden.

The new dominant force in the men's 400 meters, in 2004 Wariner won the Olympic gold medal, Olympic Trials and NCAA indoor and outdoor crowns en route to the year-end #1 world ranking by Track & Field News. In winning the Olympic gold medal in a personal best time of 44.00 seconds, Wariner posted the fastest time in the world since Michael Johnson in 2000. Last month Wariner won the 2005 USA Outdoor title in the fastest time in the world this year of 44.20.

Known primarily for his prowess in the 400m hurdles, Clement shocked the track world when he won the 2005 NCAA indoor 400m title on March 12 in 44.57 seconds, breaking Michael Johnson's world record of 44.63 from March 4, 1995. He has been impressive outdoors in the hurdles as well, winning the USA outdoor title and Visa Championship in a personal-best, world-leading 47.25 seconds, as well as the NCAA title. In 2004, Clement won the NCAA 400m hurdles title (49.05), and set a then personal best of 48.51 in winning the gold medal at the World Junior Championships.

Though he'll be striving for the stadium record in Stockholm, Wariner will also keep a close eye on his competition. "I am the Olympic champion but I can't take anything for granted. Every meet is an enormous challenge and I like that. Without tough opposition you will not develop."

Keflezighi enters ING New York City Marathon

The 2004 Olympic marathon silver medalist and the runner-up at the ING New York City Marathon 2004, Meb Keflezighi, will return to the ING New York City Marathon 2005 as one of the favorites to win the coveted title. Keflezighi will attempt to become the first American man to win the New York City Marathon since Alberto Salazar completed his three-peat in 1982.

Keflezighi was ranked #5 in the world in 2004 at the marathon distance, with three runner-up finishes in three starts. He placed second at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon (2:11:47) in February, won the Olympic silver medal (2:11:29) in August, and then, just 70 days later, finished as the runner-up (2:09:53) at the ING New York City Marathon on November 7. Keflezighi's Olympic silver was the first marathon medal for an American since Frank Shorter placed second at the 1976 Games, and his second place in New York was the best finish by an American since Bob Kempainen in 1993.

Keflezighi and defending ING New York City Marathon champion Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa are the first men officially entered in the race on Sunday, November 6. The contest will mark a renewal of a heated rivalry between the two, in which the American leads 3-2. However, Ramaala has come out on top in their last two meetings, at last year's ING New York City Marathon and at the Healthy Kidney 10K in May, where Ramaala placed second and Keflezighi third.

For more information on the 2005 ING New York City Marathon, visit INGNYCMarathon.org.

University of Oregon hires Lananna

Former Stanford head coach Vin Lananna has been named Associate Athletic Director/Director of Track and Field and Cross Country at the University of Oregon.

In his 11-year career at Stanford that began in July 1992, Lananna quickly built the Cardinal into one of the sport's top combined men's and women's program. His cross country and track and field squads claimed four NCAA team titles (3 men's/1 women's) among their 36 top-10 NCAA finishes (21 men's/15 women's), and Stanford athletes won 22 NCAA track and field individual titles. At the Pacific-10 Conference level, the Cardinal men and women racked up 17 team titles (8 men's/9 women's) and 45 individual crowns (25 men's/20 women's).

In return for Stanford's excellence, he was a multiple honoree as NCAA Cross Country Coach of the Year (1986, '96, '97, 2002), NCAA West Region Cross Country Coach of the Year (1995, '96, '97, '98, '99, 2002), Pacific-10 Conference Cross Country Coach of the Year (1994, '95, '96, '98, '99, 2001, '02) and Pac-10 Track and Field Coach of the Year (2000, '01).

He has served as director of athletics and physical education at Oberlin College (Ohio) since July 2003.

"After listening to the vision that Bill (Oregon Athletic Director Bill Moos) has about what the American track and field capital can be and should be, there's no other place better to do it than Eugene," Lananna said. "There's an amazing love of the sport in this community that you can't find anywhere else. I'm excited about extending the program's tradition of excellence at the national level year-in and year-out so it spills over to the national arena."

Prior to his tenure at Stanford, Lananna was tabbed as track and field head coach at Dartmouth College in 1980 and was later promoted to assistant athletic director for track and field and cross country in 1985.

At the NCAA level, his Dartmouth teams posted six top-20 cross country finishes - including runner-up efforts in 1986 and '87 - to go along with two top-20 women's placings, and more than 25 combined All-America honors in track and field and cross country.

At the U.S. and international levels, Lananna was appointed men's assistant coach for the 2004 Olympic Games and 1999 World Championships, as well as junior coach for the 1990 and 1996 World Cross Country Championships.

Larsen receives Bill Bowerman Award

Former UCLA men's track & field head coach Bob Larsen was presented the prestigious Bill Bowerman Award last weekend during festivities at the National Distance Running Hall of Fame in Utica, N.Y.

Larsen received the honor at a banquet which also inducted the National Distance Running Hall of Fame's Class of 2005 - Bob Schul, Greg Meyer and Don Kardong - the seventh class inducted into the Hall. The Bill Bowerman Coaching Award, named after the legendary University of Oregon track coach from 1949-1972, is given annually to a U.S. distance running coach who, like Bowerman himself, believes that they are more teacher than coach, constantly nurturing athletes to find the best within their mind and body. The National Distance Running Hall of Fame established The Bill Bowerman Coaching Award with Nike, Inc., in 2001 to recognize Bowerman's outstanding coaching ability, his idealism, and his inspirational guidance. Larsen was UCLA's men's track & field head coach from 1985-99 and he also directed the Bruins' men's cross country program from 1979-99. A four-time NCAA Coach of the Year and 11-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year, Larsen led the Bruin men's track & field team to the 1987 and '88 NCAA Outdoor team championships. Under Larsen, the UCLA men's track & field team won nine conference titles and had a dual meet record of 118-3-1, including 12 unbeaten seasons and a 15-0 record vs. USC. Larsen was the U. S. men's distance coach at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens. His current star pupil is Meb Keflezighi, who won a silver medal in the marathon at the 2004 Olympics and is the current U. S. record-holder in the 10,000m (27:13.98). Under Larsen while at UCLA, Keflezighi, the greatest men's distance runner in Bruin history, won four NCAA distance titles in 1997 (Indoor 5000m/Outdoor 5000m/10,000m/Cross Country). Larsen's other honors have included 2003 induction into the U. S. Track Coaches Association Hall of Fame, 1997 Mt. SAC Relays Coaches Hall of Fame, and 1996 induction into the CA Community College Cross Country and Track Coaches Hall of Fame.

For more information about the National Distance Running Hall of Fame in Utica, NY, please contact Mary MacEnroe (315) 724-4525.

Masters athlete Dedham Jr., dies

While competing in the 5,000 meters Sunday at the New Jersey Masters Track & Field Championships, Richard J. Dedham, Jr., had a heart attack and died later that day at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch. He was 68.

A resident of Brick, N.J., Dedham Jr., was a masters race walker and runner for the Shore A.C. He was a sergeant first class in the U.S. Army, at Fort Sill, Okla., for 22 years, retiring in 1977, and a member of the V.F.W. of Forked River. He was a communicant of St. Pius X Church, Forked River. Born in Portsmouth, N.H., he lived in Lakewood for 18 years before moving to Brick 10 years ago. Surviving are his wife, Patricia Liebeck Dedham; a son, Patrick Charles Dedham of Washington, D.C.; a daughter, Kerry Ann Armstrong of Brick; two brothers, William of Virginia, and Peter of Pennsylvania; and two sisters, Andrea Accord and Regina Standish, both of Pennsylvania. A memorial gathering will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Colonial Funeral Home, 2170 Highway 88, Brick. Relatives and friends will meet at 11 a.m. Friday at St. Pius X Church, Forked River, for a Mass of Christian Burial. Interment of cremated remains will follow at 1 p.m. in Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Arneytown. In lieu of flowers, donations in Mr. Dedham's name can be made to the Disabled American Veterans, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301