Maurice Greene, John Godina added to lineup at Reebok Grand Prix
Posted Tuesday, 24 May, 2005
For media information, contact:
Barbara Huebner, Media Director
(617) 536-7030
Barbara@ReebokGrandPrix.com
NEW YORK CITY (May 24) – Four-time Olympic medalist Maurice Greene, world-leading shot putter
John Godina and eight-time World Cross Country Championship medalist Werknesh Kidane lead the list
of world-class international athletes announced today for the inaugural Reebok Grand Prix.
That lineup of multi-medalists will join Olympic champions Liu Xiang of China and Veronica Campbell
of Jamaica at the event, the first international competition ever held in the new Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island.
Greene, a three-time World Champion, owns three of history’s four-fastest times at 100 meters, and says he needs just four more sub-10-second races to hit the magical mark of 60 in his remarkable career. He won two gold medals, at 100m and as anchor of the US 4x100 relay, in the 2000 Olympics, and is considered by many to be the greatest sprinter in history. Godina, a four-time World Champion and two-time Olympic medalist, is coming off a career performance at the adidas Track Classic on Sunday, when he uncorked a monster throw of 22.20m/72 feet, 10 inches to shatter his six-year-old personal best by seven inches. He will be challenged by two-time Olympic silver medalist Adam Nelson.
Kidane’s eight medals at the World Cross Country Championships include gold in 2003 and, as a junior, in 1999. Her star also shines on the track, with a silver medal at 10,000m in the 2003 World Championships. She will line up at the Reebok Grand Prix at 3000m against Kim Smith, a 2004 Olympian at 5000m from New Zealand. A rapidly rising star who is fifth-fastest in history indoors at 5000m, Smith’s 31:21 smashed the national record for 10,000m earlier this month.
Also expected are Markos Geneti and Gebre-Egziabher Gebremariam of Ethiopia and Americans Tim Broe and Jorge Torres in what promises to be a top men’s 3000m.
The Reebok Grand Prix at Icahn Stadium on June 11 will be the fifth stop of USA Track & Field’s Visa Championship Series, and will be televised live on NBC from 4-5:30 p.m. ET. Information and tickets are available at www.ReebokGrandPrix.com or by calling 1-877-RBK-GP05.
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