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Sharp, Vaill win USA 15 km Race Walk titles
Ray Sharp was the winner of the men's race and 2004 Olympian Teresa Vaill captured the women's crown Sunday at the 2006 USA 15 km Race Walk Championships in Bloomington, Minnesota. The event was hosted by the Twin Cities Race Walkers.
Sharp (46) had little difficulty in adding a second USA 15 km race walk title to his trophy case by finishing the course in 1 hour 10 minutes 35 seconds. Mark Green was the runner-up in 1:14:03, with Michael Wiggins third in 1:19:39. Sharp's previous USA 15 km championship was in 1980 in a time only 23 seconds faster than his Sunday performance.
Teresa Vaill (42) won her third career national 15 km title with her time of 1 hour 10 minutes and 53 seconds. Amber Antonia was the runner-up in 1:14:54 and Laura Feller was third in 1:22:33. Vail won her previous USA 15 km crowns in 1984 (1:17:27) and 2004 (1:10:43).
For more information on the 2006 USA 15 km Race Walk Championships, visit USATF.org.
Wariner, Richards look to stay in jackpot hunt in Brussels
The 2006 IAAF Golden League will resume Friday night with the 30th anniversary of the Memorial Van Damme meet in Brussels, Belgium.
The IAAF Golden League Jackpot is nearing its conclusion with six athletes in contention for a prize of $500,000. Americans Jeremy Wariner and Sanya Richards, who have owned the men's and women's 400 meters globally this summer, remain in the chase. Others vying for the big prize include Jamaican men's 100m world record holder Asafa Powell, Ethiopia's Tirunesh Dibaba (women's 5,000 meters) and Kenenisa Bekele (men's 5,000 meters), and Panama's Irving Saladino (men's long jump).
Wariner, Richards, Powell and Dibaba have the added possibility of sharing an additional $500,000 if they complete a clean sweep of six Golden League wins in their events.
Also in Brussels, look for the trio of Tyson Gay, Wallace Spearmon and Xavier Carter to set the pace in the men's 200 meters. Carter owns the second fastest 200m time in history of 19.63 seconds from his win earlier this year in Lausanne, Switzerland. Gay has the second and third fastest 200m times in the world this year (19.70, 1984) and Spearmon is the 2006 USA Outdoor champion (19.90) and 2005 World Outdoor Championships silver medalist (20.20).
For more information on the 2006 Memorial Van Damme meet in Brussels, visit www.iaaf.org.
Team USA to compete at DecaNation in Paris
Many of America's finest track and field athletes will compete Saturday at the 2006 DecaNation at Charlety Stadium in Paris, France.
Created and hosted by the French Athletics Federation in 2005, the event provides a simple, concentrated formula that features national teams from around the world.
Ten events will be contested for both men and women, with one event specialist from each nation competing in each event - 100m, 400m, 1500m, 110m Hurdles, 3000m Steeplechase, High Jump, Pole Vault, Long Jump, Shot Put and Hammer Throw. The winner of each individual event will earn 9 points for his or her team, with 7 points for second, 6 for third, and down to 1 point for eighth.
Last year the host French squad won the men's competition with 63 points, followed by the runner-up team from Russia (56 points), Poland (3rd-51 points) and Team USA (4th-50 ½ points). Team USA's women's squad also placed fourth, tallying 52 ½ points. Russia won the women's competition with 71 points, followed by Poland (2nd-59 points) and France (3rd-57 points).
Team USA's men's squad will consist of: 100m: Kaaron Conwright; 400m: Jamel Ashley; 1500m: Gabe Jennings; 3,000m steeplechase: Steve Slattery; 110m hurdles: Ryan Wilson; High Jump: Jesse Williams; Pole Vault: Jonathan Takashi; Long Jump: Trevell Quinley; Shot Put: Reese Hoffa; Hammer Throw: A.G. Kruger.
Members of Team USA's women's squad are: 100m: Brianna Glenn; 400m DeeDee Trotter; 1,500m: Sarah Schwald; 3,000m Steeplechase: Lisa Galaviz; 100m hurdles: Jenny Adams; High Jump: Amy Acuff; Pole Vault: Becky Holiday; Long Jump: Tianna Madison; Shot Put: Jillian Camarena; Hammer Throw: Erin Gilreath.
The men's head coach is Steve Simmons and Joy Margerum is the women's head coach. The team manager is Rich Torrellas and the trainer is Ralph Reiff.
For more information on Team USA at the 2006 DecaNation in Paris, visit USATF.org.
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