Posted: May 18, 2006

Athletics: World No. 1s Headline Vertical Jumps At Pre

Eugene, Oregon--When it comes to getting up in the air, no one did it better in 2005 than America's Brad Walker in the pole vault and Sweden's Kajsa Bergqvist in the high jump. Both of these world No. 1-ranked athletes will be featured at the 32nd annual Prefontaine Classic on May 28th.

Walker was called "a clear No. 1" by Track & Field News magazine, as the former University of Washington vaulter jumped 19-6 1/2 (5.96m) and won Grand Prix meets from Brazil to Eugene to Paris to the World Athletics Final. He will be pressed hard by the vaulters ranked No. 4 in the world, Giuseppe Gibilisco of Italy, and Nos. 5 & 8, Derek Miles and Toby Stevenson of the U.S. Also in the field is 2004 Olympic Champion Tim Mack, hoping to make a comeback after being injured last year.

Bergvist showed the way to return from injury. After missing the Olympic year with an Achilles problem, she rebounded last year with an undefeated season and World Championships gold in Helsinki. The 29-year-old heads a field that includes the surprise World Championships silver medalist, Chaunte Howard of the U.S., and the American National Champion, Amy Acuff.

POLE VAULT (MEN)

Toby Stevenson
Derek Miles
Brad Walker
Giuseppe Gibilisco (Italy)
Tim Mack
Nick Hysong
Alhaji Jeng (Sweden)
Piotr Buciarski

HIGH JUMP (WOMEN)

Kajsa Bergqvist (Sweden)
Chaunte Howard
Amy Acuff
Marina Kuptsova (Russia)

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