2007 PREFONTAINE CLASSIC OUTLOOK.Byline: The Register-Guard WOMEN'S JAVELIN, 12:35 p.m. The rundown: First time event contested at Pre since 1994 ... American record-holder Kim Kreiner (210-7 earlier this year) and Barbora Spotakova of Czech Republic Czech Republic, Czech Česká Republika (2005 est. pop. 10,241,000), republic, 29,677 sq mi (78,864 sq km), central Europe. It is bordered by Slovakia on the east, Austria on the south, Germany on the west, and Poland on the north. (threw PR of 217-2 last year) lead lineup ... Field includes three world-ranked throwers - No. 2 Spotakova, No. 6 Christina Scherwin Christina Scherwin (born 11 July 1976) is a Danish athlete. She holds the current Danish record in the javelin throw, at 64.06 metres, achieved at Århus Games 2006 (July 6th 2006). Scherwin was the Danish national champion in the event in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006. of Denmark and No. 7 Mercedes Chilla Mercedes Chilla (born January 19 1980 in Jerez de la Frontera) is a Spanish javelin thrower. Her personal best throw is 63.20 metres, achieved in August 2006 in Monaco. of Spain. Bottom line: Four-time USA champion Kreiner on a roll but Spotakova should have edge, having already thrown 213-10 this season. WOMEN'S 400 HURDLES, 1:03 p.m. The rundown: Tonja Buford-Bailey's meet record of 55.10 has stood since 1996 but could be threatened ... Tiffany Ross-Williams Tiffany Ross-Williams (born 5 February 1983) is an American hurdler. She finished fourth at the 2002 World Junior Championships and second at the 2006 World Athletics Final. In addition she won a silver medal in 4 x 400 metres relay at the 2006 World Indoor Championships. has world-leading time this year, 54.34 ... Sheena Johnson Sheena Johnson (born 1 October 1982) is an American hurdler. She finished fourth at the 2004 Summer Olympics and eighth at the 2006 World Athletics Final. Her personal best time is 52.95 seconds, achieved in July 2004 in Sacramento. is an Olympian, two-time NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association champ and four-time Pac-10 champ for UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX , and was second in USA meet in '06 ... Markita James won NCAA title for Auburn last year and has run 54.47. Bottom line: Figures to be a competitive field but Ross-Williams, ranked No. 2 in world last year, should be hurdler to beat. MEN'S LONG JUMP, 1:06 p.m. The rundown: Panama's Irving Saladino Irving Saladino (born 23 January 1983 in Colón) is a Panamanian long jumper. At the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships he finished second with a new South American indoor record of 8.29 metres. ranked No. 1 in world after winning 15 of 17 events in 2006 ... Has reached 28-foot distance twice in '07 ... Dwight Phillips Dwight Phillips (born October 1, 1977 in Decatur, Georgia) is an American athlete who specializes in the long jump. Dwight was a promising sprinter in his early days but concentrated on the triple jump while at University of Kentucky before switching to the long jump after reigning Olympic and World Championships gold medalist ... Also entered: Miguel Pate Miguel Pate (born June 13, 1979 in St. Francisville, Louisiana) is an American track and field athlete. His speciality is the long jump, although during his high school and collegiate career he has also done the triple jump, high jump, 100 m, 200 m, 4x100 m relay, and 4x400 m. , USA winner in '05 with PR of 27-8 3/4 ; Walter Davis Walter Davis may refer to:
Bryan Clay, being part African American is also a 3rd generation Japanese American. He graduated from James B. Castle High School (Kaneohe, Hawaii) in 1998. , top-ranked decathlete de·cath·lete n. An athlete who participates in a decathlon. last two years. Bottom line: Pate is meet's defending champion defending champion n (SPORT) → defensor/a m/f del título defending champion n (Sport) → champion(ne) en titre (27-1 3/4 ) but favorites are Saladino and Phillips as they leap toward 2007 World Championships and '08 Olympics. MEN'S POLE VAULT pole vault Track-and-field event consisting of a vault for height over a crossbar with the aid of a long pole. It became a competitive sport in the mid-19th century and was included in the first modern Olympic Games. , 1:08 p.m. The rundown: Brad Walker Brad Walker (born June 21, 1981 in Aberdeen, South Dakota) is an American pole vaulter. High School Years Walker attended University High School in Spokane, Washington and competed in football and track&field. , No. 1 in U.S. last two years, is world leader this season at 19-6 1/4 ... Jeff Hartwig Jeff Hartwig (born 25 September 1967 in St. Louis) is an American pole vaulter. In 1998 he set two North American records with 6.00 and 6.01 metres. The latter was an improvement of 16 centimetres from his personal best of 5.85 m from 1997. has AR of 19-9 1/4 ... Tim Mack Timothy ("Tim") Mack (born September 15, 1972 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American pole vaulter who became Olympic champion in 2004. The same year he won the 2nd IAAF World Athletics Final with the result 6. has jumped 19-8 3/4 and won Olympic gold Olympic Gold is the official video game of the XXV Olympic Summer Games, hosted by Barcelona, Spain in 1992. It was released for the Sega consoles, Mega Drive/Genesis and Master System, and Sega's handheld, Game Gear. in '04 ... Toby Stevenson Toby Stevenson (born November 19, 1976 in Odessa, Texas) is an Olympic class pole vaulter from the United States. He's known for being the only pole vaulter in the international elite to wear a helmet during jumps. has PR of 19-8 1/4 and was '04 Olympic silver medalist ... National record-holders Giovanni Lanaro (Mexico), Daichi Sawano (Japan) and Giuseppe Gibilisco (Italy) cleared 19 feet, as has defending USA champion Russ Buller. Bottom line: Defending meet champion Walker, despite a sometimes ailing back, has three jumps over 19-foot barrier already this season. MEN'S 100, 1:11 p.m. The rundown: Trinidad's Marc Burns ranked No. 9 in world, Jamaica's Michael Frater No. 10 and Bernard Williams an Olympic gold medalist (4x100 relay in 2000) with PR of 9.94 ... Leonard Scott is 2006 World Indoor champion. Bottom line: Shawn Crawford, who shares meet record of 9.88 with Justin Gatlin, entered in 200 so 100 mark should be safe, but race for win wide open. MEN'S STEEPLECHASE steeplechase Either of two distinct sporting events: (1) a horse race over a closed course with obstacles, including hedges and walls; or (2) a footrace of 3,000 m over hurdles and a water jump. , 1:16 p.m. The rundown: Race making first appearance at Pre since 1995 ... Kenya's Paul Koech, '04 Olympic bronze medalist, world leader this season at 8:01.05 ... Yoshitaka Iwamizu has Japan's national record of 8:18.93 ... Josh McAdams, 2006 NCAA champion for BYU BYU Brigham Young University BYU Bayou BYU Bob's Your Uncle BYU Bayreuth, Germany - Bindlacher Berg (Airport Code) BYU Beyond Your Understanding , and '03 USA champion Steve Slattery also entered. Bottom line: Meet record is 8:18.57, set by Kenya's Amos Korir in 1981 ... Koech has run under eight minutes in each of last four years, has PR of 7:56.37 and is fifth-fastest steepler in history. MEN'S 800, 1:30 p.m. The rundown: Khadevis Robinson ranked No. 1 in U.S. and last year ran 1:43.68 ... Russia's Yuriy Borzakovskiy won Olympic gold at '04 Games and two-time silver medalist at World Championships ... Eugene's Nick Symmonds new guy in elite 800 circles with USA outdoor silver in '06 and USA indoor title this year ... Canada's Gary Reed won Road to Eugene meet last month and Pre in 2005. Bottom line: Robinson has won the USA title two years running and coming off win at New York's Reebok Ree´bok` n. 1. (Zool.) The peele. Grand Prix last week but should have company in race to finish line. MEN'S SHOT PUT, 1:35 p.m. The rundown: Six-man field led by Christian Cantwell, ranked No. 2 in world and with world-leading throw of 72- 3/4 this season ... Reese Hoffa was ranked No. 1 in world in '06 ... Dan Taylor is ranked No. 8 and last year threw 70-10 ... John Godina, three-time World Champion and two-time Olympic medalist, also entered. Bottom line: Not likely weight men will steal show as did in '02 with three throwers - Kevin Toth, Adam Nelson and Godina - bettering 71-10 for first time in a meet in world history. WOMEN'S 100 HURDLES, 1:40 p.m. The rundown: Michelle Perry, '05 World Champion and ranked No. 1 in world, leads field but former USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. star Virginia Powell, '06 USA champion, has run world-leading 12.45 this year ... Brigitte Foster-Hylton of Jamaica is ranked No. 2 in world and owns Pre meet and Hayward Field records of 12.45. Bottom line: Perry ran fastest time in world last year at 12.43 but two-time NCAA champion Powell, Foster-Hylton and Damu Cherry will crowd the former UCLA star. WOMEN'S TRIPLE JUMP, 1:44 p.m. The rundown: Event making debut at Pre and so is Uzbekistan ... American record-holder Tiombe Hurd (47-5) and USA silver medalist last year expected to be joined in field by Anastasiya Zhuravleva, first Uzbekistani to compete at Pre ... Sheena Gordon, 2006 NCAA high jump champion, has triple jumped 43-7 ... Canadian record-holder Tabia Charles (45-9) and Brandy Depland, who jumped 44-9 3/4 last year, also entered. Bottom line: Zhuravleva ranked No. 10 in world last year and jumped 47-8 1/2 ... Hurd's Hayward Field record of 46- 3/4 , set in 2001, could take a beating. MEN'S 110 HURDLES, 1:48 p.m. The rundown: Sub-13-second hurdlers abound, led by China's Liu Xiang, who owns WR of 12.88 ... Reigning U.S. champion Dominique Arnold set AR of 12.90 last year ... Allen Johnson, Olympic gold medalist, four-time World Champion and seven-time national champion, has PR of 12.92 ... France's Ladji Doucoure won gold at 2005 World Championships and has PR of 12.97. Bottom line: Xiang, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist, off and hurdling with a world-leading time of 12.92 at last week's Reebok Grand Prix in NYC NYC abbr. New York City NYC New York City and is seeking third straight Pre title. MEN'S HIGH JUMP, 1:52 p.m. The rundown: Event's first appearance at Pre since '04 ... Andrey Silnov of Russia leads entrants with No. 1 ranking in world and '06 jump of 7-9 1/4 ... Great Britain's Germaine Mason has PR of 7-8 ... Jesse Williams, who won NCAA and Pac-10 titles last two years, got PR this season at 7-7 3/4 . Bottom line: Silnov has edge but Williams could make it interesting ... Charles Clinger's meet and field record of 7-8 1/2 a target. WOMEN'S 100, 1:56 p.m. The rundown: Torri Edwards, '03 World Champion, has world-leading time this season of 10.90 ... Lauryn Williams, '05 World Champion, has PR of 10.88 ... Allyson Felix won Olympic silver in '04, World Championship gold in '05 and has world-leading time of 22.18 in 200. Bottom line: Edwards, Williams and Felix could get close to or perhaps push aside Marion Jones' meet and field record of 10.90, set in '02. MEN'S 400, 2:04 p.m. The rundown: World's leading 400 runner, Jeremy Wariner, entered in 200 ... Congo's Gary Kikaya, ranked No. 2 in world by Track & Field News with a time of 44.10 in '06 ... No. 3 LaShawn Merritt ran PR of 44.14 last year ... Jamaica's Michael Blackwood is No. 5, Alleyne Francique is No. 7 and Tyler Christopher, Canadian record-holder who ran 44.93 last week in Reebok win, is No. 10 ... Angelo Taylor has second-fastest time in world this year at 44.35. Bottom line: Michael Johnson's meet (43.92) and field (43.74) records seem safe ... Taylor, an Olympic gold medalist and three-time USA champ in 400 hurdles, faces tough run against Kikaya, Christopher, Merritt and Bershawn Jackson. WOMEN'S 1,500, 2:10 p.m. The rundown: Russia's Yuliya Chizhenko-Fomenko ran 3:55.68 to win Golden League meet at Paris last year ... Shalane Flanagan set AR in 5,000 (14:44.80) this year ... Ethiopia's Gelete Burka ran an 8:25.92 in 3,000 last year. Bottom line: Chizhenko-Fomenko heavy favorite and meet record of 4:00.73 by Romania's Gabriela Szabo in 2000 could take a hit. WOMEN'S 400, 2:20 p.m. The rundown: Top-ranked Sanya Richards set AR of 48.70 last year and leads field ... Mexico's Ana Guevara, ranked No. 10, has national record of 48.89, World Championship and Olympic silver as well as Pre meet and field record of 49.34 ... Shericka Williams of Jamaica ranked No. 4 and Monique Henderson No. 7. Bottom line: Richards is two-time national champ, silver medalist at '05 World Championships, Track & Field News Athlete of the Year Athlete of the Year
MEN'S TWO-MILE, 2:26 p.m. The rundown: Two-time world champion and owner of WR in 10,000 and 5,000 Kenenisa Bekele is out with injury. Bekele's younger brother Tariku Bekele has world-leading time in 5,000 (13:04.05) ... Alan Webb has switched from mile (has world-leading time of 3:51.71) to two-mile (has AR of 8:11.48) ... Eritrea's Zersenay Tadesse snapped Kenenisa Bekele's lengthy run of world cross country wins with '07 victory. Bottom line: Webb is on a tear but challenge is great because field, despite big losses, remains strong and fast. WOMEN'S 800, 2:40 p.m. The rundown: Race has marquee status with Mozambique and Eugene-Springfield favorite Maria Mutola, five-time Olympian with unprecedented 14 consecutive Pre wins ... Kenya's Janeth Jepkosgei ranked No. 2 in world and ran 1:56.66, fastest time in world in '06 ... Diane Cummins is Canada's record-holder at 1:58.39 ... Hazel Clark, two-time Olympian, has won last two USA championships. Bottom line: Mutola skipped indoor season, began outdoor season at Road to Eugene with world-leading time of 1:58.79 and seems ready to make it 15 in a row at Pre but Jepkosgei a major threat. MEN'S 200, 2:47 p.m. The rundown: World's fastest in 100, Jamaica's Asafa Powell with 9.77 record; No. 1-ranked 400 runner, Jeremy Wariner (PR of 43.62 and world-leading 44.02); and sub-20-second runners fill this field ... Xavier Carter clocked 19.63 last year, second-fastest 200 of all-time ... Wallace Spearmon ran 19.65 in '06, third-fastest in history ... Shawn Crawford, '04 Olympic 200 champion, has 200 personal record of 19.79. Bottom line: Powell world leader in 100 (9.97) and Wariner in 400 ... Pre meet record for 200 - 20.15 by Michael Johnson in 1995 - is on shaky ground if conditions right and fast field sprints that way. MEN'S BOWERMAN MILE, 2:52 p.m. The rundown: High-speed field includes Kenya's Alex Kipchirchir, ranked No. 1 last year with PR of 3:50.25 ... Two-time Olympian Bernard Lagat has AR in 1,500 and PR in mile of 3:47.28 ... Kenya's Daniel K. Komen had fastest 1,500 in '06 at 3:29.02 and mile PR of 3:48.49 ... Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya has PR of 3:50.40 ... Also in field is Nicholas Kemboi, 17-year-old Kenyan with a 3:33.72 in 1,500. Bottom line: Hicham El Guerrouj's meet and field record of 3:49.92, set in 2001, may be run over in this race by any one of numerous contenders. - Compiled by Bob Rodman PRE MEET FACTS When: 12:35 p.m. Where: Hayward Field. Capacity 10,700. TV: Live telecast on NBC NBC in full National Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets: All reserved tickets have been sold ... General admission - adult $19.50, senior and student (11-17) $15.50, child (2-10) $3.50 - on sale today at Hayward Field ticket offices at 10:30 a.m. ... If GA tickets sell out, 1,000 standing-room-only tickets will be on sale at $12.50 each. |
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