Posted: May 11, 2006

Athletics: Pre Classic Women's Middle Distances: Talent From Five Continents

Eugene, Oregon--Some of the fastest women in the world are coming from the ends of the earth--literally--to compete in the Prefontaine Classic Grand Prix at Hayward Field on May 28th. Mozambique, Bahrain, Guyana, Australia, China, Ethiopia, Russia...oh, and the United States of America, too, are all represented in the 800 or 1500 meter races at Pre.

Going for her 14th consecutive win at the Pre Classic (has any athlete had more wins in one meet?) in the 800 is hometown favorite Maria Mutola, who lived and trained in Eugene-Springfield for a decade. For the first time since she ran in the meet as a high-schooler in 1991, the 33-year-old does not come into the race with the fastest time in the field from the previous year. That mark goes to Hazel Clark of the U.S., who ran 1:57.99 to Mutola's 2005 outdoor best of 1:58.96. Add in Jamaica's Kenia Sinclair (1:58.88), Americans Alice Schmidt (1:59.29) and Jen Toomey (1:59.96), plus China's Qing Liu (1:59.74), and you have the makings of the greatest challenge ever to Maria's Hayward Field dominance.

A similar confrontation is likely to occur in the 1500 meter race, which boasts by far the best field in the 31 years of the meet. Led by Maryam Jamal of Bahrain, the No. 1 runner in the world as ranked by Track & Field News magazine, and World Champion Tatyana Tomashova (No. 2) of Russia, the race also features Hind Dehiba of France (No. 9) and Gelete Burka of Ethiopia (No. 10)--four of the top 10 in the world! America's best from last year, Treniere Clement, is in the race, as is Eugenean Marla Runyan, who is returning from maternity, and Australia's Sarah Jamieson, holder of the fastest time in the world this year.

Tickets for the 2006 Prefontaine Classic are on sale in-person at the UO Athletic Department Ticket Office, by phone at 1-800-WEBFOOT, or online at .

800 METERS (WOMEN)

Maria Mutola (Mozambique)
Hazel Clark
Kenia Sinclair (Jamaica)
Kemeisha Martin
Diane Cummins (Canada)
Alice Schmidt
Marian Burnett (Guyana)
Julian Clay--pace
Qing Liu (China)
Francis Santin

1500 METERS (WOMEN)

Maryam Jamal (Bahrain)
Geleta Burka (Ethiopia)
Benita Johnson (Australia)
Marla Runyan
Tatyana Tomashova (Russia)
Jen Toomey
Treniere Clement
Christin Wurth-Thomas 
Sarah Jamieson (Australia)
Mestawat Tadesse (Ethiopia)
Tiffany McWilliams
Hind Dehiba (France)
Huina Xing (China)
Suzy Walsham (Australia)

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