Posted: July 3, 2006

Athletics: USATF News and Notes, Volume 7, Number 49

Demus leads Americans in Athens

Fresh off last month's AT&T USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, several top American athletes opened July with a bang Monday at the Athens Super Grand Prix.

2005 World Outdoor silver medalist and 2006 Visa champion Lashinda Demus dominated the field in the women's 400 meter hurdles Monday, easily in a world-leading, personal-best time of 53.02 seconds. 2005 World Outdoor bronze medalist Sandra Glover took third in 54.15 with 2004 Olympian Sheena Johnson sixth in 54.72 and Tiffany-Ross Williams seventh in 54.99.

In the men's 400 meter hurdles, 2005 World Outdoor champion Bershawn Jackson led the day, winning in 48.00 seconds. 2005 World Outdoor silver medalist James Carter was fifth in 49.03 with two-time U.S. champion Kerron Clement eighth in 49.32.

Former LSU standout Lolo Jones took third in the women's 100 meter hurdles in 12.83, seconds inching out Jenny Adams who finished fourth in the same time. 2001 World Outdoor champion Anjanette Kirkland was seventh in 13.50.

2003 World Outdoor champion Torri Edwards ran away with the women's 100 meters in 11.14 seconds. Fresh off her fourth place finish in the hurdles, Lolo Jones was fourth in 11.36 and 2005 World champion Lauryn Williams was fifth in 11.39. In the men's 100 meters, Jason Smoots was third in 10.13.

2004 Olympic gold medalist and two-time World champion Dwight Phillips was the runner-up in the men's long jump with a leap of 8.30 meters/27 feet 2.75 inches. 2005 U.S. champion Miguel Pate was sixth with 8.17m/26-9.75.

Two-time U.S. champion Ian Waltz finished fourth in the men's discus with a best throw of 65.10 meters/213 feet 7 inches. 2004 Olympian Jarred Rome was seventh with 63.41m/208-0.5.

Also in Athens, 2006 U.S. Indoor champion Chris Lukezic was ninth in the men's 1,500m crossing the line in 3:34.96. 2006 U.S. champion Khadevis Robinson took seventh in the men's 800m in 1:44.21. Two-time NCAA champion Alice Schmidt was eighth in the women's 800m in 1:59.43. Christin Wurth-Thomas finished seventh in the women's 1,500m in 4:02.80, a personal best by over two seconds. Four-time U.S. champion and American record-holder Kim Kreiner took seventh in the women's javelin with a toss of 58.87m/193-1.75. 2004 Olympic silver medalist Toby Stevenson was fourth in the men's pole vault clearing 5.70m/18-8.25

For more information and complete results on the 2006 Athens Super Grand Prix, visit IAAF.org.

Tickets on sale for Road to Eugene '08

Tickets went on sale today (Monday, July 3) for Road to Eugene '08, an elite high-performance meet that will be held on Tuesday, August 8 at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field.

Tickets for the Road to Eugene '08 are $15 each for reserved seating and $10 each for general admission. They will be available at the Casanova Center ticket office, www.goducks.com , and 800-WEBFOOT. The meet will benefit the Professional Athletics Association (PAA), which was established to ensure that the rights of professional track & field athletes are protected and that everything possible is being done to help athletes maximize their opportunities and achieve their goals on and off the track.

The U.S. Junior National Team will be competing in the meet, the culmination of their training camp, before leaving for the 2006 IAAF World Junior Championships in Beijing, China. The Junior team features the nation's best up and coming athletes.

In addition to the junior athletes, many professional athletes are expected to compete as well. Elite athletes already committed to compete in the meet include Olympic 110-meter hurdles gold medalist Allen Johnson, two-time Olympic silver medalist in the 110-meter hurdles Terrance Trammell, who will compete in the 100-meter dash, 2005 World Outdoor 400-meter hurdle champion Bershawn Jackson, 2006 world shot put leader Christian Cantwell, 2005 World Outdoor shot put champion and two-time Olympic silver medalist Adam Nelson and 2005 U.S. discus champion Ian Waltz.

The men's pole vault event is stacked with Olympians and national champions. 2006 U.S. champion Russ Buller will face stiff competition from 2004 Olympic gold medalist Tim Mack, 2004 Olympic silver medalist Toby Stevenson, 2006 World Indoor champion Brad Walker, and 2000 Olympic gold medalist Nick Hysong. Also look for the University of Oregon's own four-time NCAA champion, Tommy Skipper.

On the women's side, athletes to watch out for include 2005 World Outdoor silver medalist and 2006 U.S. indoor and outdoor 400-meter champion Sanya Richards, 2006 U.S. 200-meter champion and 2005 World Outdoor silver medalist Rachelle Boone-Smith, and 2004 Olympic 100-meter hurdle gold medalist Joanna Hayes.

In the women's long jump, 2006 U.S. champion Rose Richmond will take on 2005 World Outdoor champion Tianna Madison and two-time U.S. champion Grace Upshaw.

"We want to pack Hayward Field with fans to give the U.S. Junior Team a proper sendoff to Beijing and support the exciting elite athletes who always compete so well in Eugene," said Vin Lananna, co-chairman of the Eugene Local Organizing Committee to The Ulum Group. "This meet represents the local organizing committee's commitment to its partnership with USA Track and Field and the Athletes Advisory Committee to provide high-performance meets in the U.S. during the summertime."

Helio Rico funeral arrangements

A memorial mass for longtime track and field contributor Heliodoro Rico, who died on Thursday at age 84, is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 8 at the Holy Name of Mary Church in Croton, N.Y. A reception will follow at the Rico residence. Arrangements are being handled by the Edward F. Carter Funeral Home at (914) 271-4882.

The Rico family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the Mark Springer Youth Travel Grant Fund, c/o of USA Track & Field. Make checks payable to the USA Track & Field Foundation.

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