Posted: May 11, 2006

Athletics: USATF News & Notes, Volume 7, Number 35

Gatlin to appear in Indianapolis

Reigning men's Olympic and world 100m champion Justin Gatlin will travel to Indianapolis this weekend to promote the 2006 AT&T USA Outdoor Championships, June 21-25, at the IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium on the campus of IUPUI in downtown Indianapolis.

The Championships serve as the selection event for the 2006 IAAF World Cup of Athletics, which will take place later that summer. The 2006 USA Outdoor Junior Championships will be held concurrently with the Outdoor Championships, as the selection meet for the 2006 World Junior Championships in Beijing, China.

Gatlin will appear Sunday morning at the second day of qualifying for the 2006 Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, waving the green flag to signal the beginning of practice prior to the start of the day's qualifying session. He will then participate in a series of television, radio and newspaper interviews in promotion of the AT&T USA Outdoor Championships. Later that afternoon, he will throw out the first pitch at the Indianapolis Indians home game at Victory Field against the Syracuse SkyChiefs.

On Monday, May 15, Gatlin will appear at Stoneybrook Middle School as part of USATF's "Be A Champion" program presented by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana. Gatlin will speak with children about the 2006 AT&T USA Outdoor Championships and the benefits of physical activity, particularly running, walking and other activities that require only a pair of athletic shoes; living with integrity and being drug-free.

USATF and the American College of Sports Medicine, headquartered in Indianapolis, developed the highly successful "Be A Champion," health initiative for young people, which is aimed at educating youth, parents, educators and coaches about the positive results that come from leading a physically active, drug-free and healthy lifestyle.

Later that morning Gatlin will return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to take part in the Indy Car Experience, which provides the rare opportunity, for those brave enough to participate, a few hot laps on the famed 2 1/2 mile oval in a two-seat Indy car. Participants experience speeds, thrills and g-forces previously available to only a small handful of elite drivers.

Gatlin also will appear Monday at 11:30 a.m., at the 2006 AT&T USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships Exclusive Locker Room Lunch at the University Place Hotel, in addition to other meetings.

For more information on the 2006 AT&T USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, visit USATF.org.

Shay, Johnson Lane lead field at USA 25 km Championships

2004 USA 20 km champion Turena Johnson Lane and two-time USA Running Circuit (USARC) champion Ryan Shay are among the lead contenders for the USA 25 km Championships titles, hosted by the Fifth Third River Bank Run in Grand Rapids, Mich., this Saturday May 13.

A 2005 World Championships marathoner for the U.S., Johnson Lane is set to win her second career U.S. title, but will be challenged by 2005 World Championships half marathoner Laura Turner as well as Melissa White and Dot McMahan of the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project.

Shay, the 2004 and 2003 USARC champion, will be looking for his first U.S. title since winning the 2005 USA 15 km Championships. Shay can anticipate to face-off for the title with 2005 USA Marathon champion Mbarak Hussein, NAIA All-American Fernando Cabada and in-state favorites Josh Eberly and Kyle Baker.

This marks the eleventh year that the Fifth Third Riverbank Run has hosted the USA 25 km Championships, which is the fourth stop for men and the second for women on the 2006 USA Running Circuit (USARC), a USA Track & Field road series. The circuit features USA Championships from 5 km to the marathon and attracts the best U.S. distance runners. The twelfth edition for the men and eleventh for the women, the 2006 circuit has eight events for men and seven events for women.

The first ten U.S. runners earn points at each USARC race (15 for first, 12 for second, 10 for third, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1), with a final $12,500 grand prix purse ($6000, $4000, and $2500) for the top three men and women point scorers overall. The USARC points at the USA Marathon Championships will be doubled.

The mission of the USA Running Circuit is to showcase, support, and promote U.S. runners. Since its inception in 1995, the USARC and its races have provided over $4 million dollars to U.S. distance runners.

For more information on the 2006 USARC and USA 25 km Championships visit USATF.org.

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