Who’s who of track and field at 100th Millrose Games
Posted Thursday, 1 February, 2007
Contact:
Tom Surber
Media Information Manager
USA Track & Field
317-713-4690
INDIANAPOLIS - Many of the world's finest track and field stars will compete Friday night at the most prestigious and historic indoor track meet in the world, The Millrose Games, on the occasion of its centennial celebration at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
From its humble beginnings in 1908 at a local armory, The 100th Millrose Games has grown through the years into the world's preeminent indoor track meet, featuring the greatest names in track and field history, including luminaries such as Jesse Owens, Wilma Rudolph, Bob Seagren, Eamonn Coghlan, Wyomia Tyus, Sergey Bubka, Mary Decker Slaney and Carl Lewis.
Add to that remarkable list the great stars of today, who will compete Friday night including Bernard Lagat, Maurice Greene, Gail Devers, John Godina, Yelena Isinbeyeva, Brad Walker, Amy Acuff, Alan Webb and Hazel Clark among many others.
The Millrose Games is the second event of USA Track & Field's Visa Championship Series that provides more than $1 million in prize money and athlete-support dollars. The Visa Championship Series gives U.S. athletes the chance to win bonus money during the indoor and outdoor seasons. Indoors, top American athletes compete at four elite track meets during the 2007 season - the Reebok Boston Indoor Games, 100th Millrose Games, Tyson Invitational and AT&T USA Indoor Track & Field Championships - for prize money and the chance to share the indoor season jackpot.
Wanamake history?
The signature event of every Millrose Games is the world renowned Wanamaker Mile, and this year's field should add to the lore of this event as two Americans and an Australian toe the line as the favorites. Two-time Olympic medalist and American record holder Bernard Lagat will be going after his fifth victory in this event, as he chases the great Eamonn Coghlan's all-time record of seven Wanamaker wins. Last week in Boston, American prep record holder Alan Webb showed that he's ready to challenge Lagat by winning with a new personal best indoor mile time of 3:55.18. The Americans could face a strong challenge from Australia's Craig "Buster" Mottram, who easily won the 3,000 meters last week in 7:39.24, and Ivan Heschko of Ukraine, the 2003 World Outdoor bronze medalist at 1,500m.
Greene returns to action at Millrose
Olympic gold medalist and three-time world 100m champion Maurice Greene will return to competition at Millrose following an injury that disrupted his 2006 season. The indoor world record holder at 60 meters who owns six of the seven fastest times in history, Greene will look for his fourth Millrose title on Friday. He will challenge a field that includes 2004 Olympic 200m gold medalist and defending Millrose champion Shawn Crawford, who won last week at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games in 6.55 seconds.
Jackson vs. Washington in men's 600 meters
One of the most interesting battles of the evening is expected in the men's 600 meters as reigning world 400m hurdles champion Bershawn Jackson faces 2003 World Outdoor Championships 400m silver medalist Tyree Washington. Although Jackson's specialty is the intermediate hurdles, don't let that fool you, for as recently as 2005, Jackson was the USA Indoor 400m champion. Also comfortable competing indoors, Washington finished third at last year's USA Indoor Championships and ran the lead leg on Team USA's gold medal winning 4x400m relay at the 2006 World Indoor Championships in Moscow.
Anybody's race in men's 800 meters
An evenly matched gathering of American 800 meter runners will square of Friday night in a race that's up for grabs. 2006 AT&T USA Outdoor Championships fourth-place finisher Sam Burley was the runner-up at last week's Reebok Boston Indoor Games, with 2003 World Indoor champion and 2006 Millrose Games runner-up David Krummenacker finishing in third place. Adding an international flavor to the event are Justus Koech of Kenya, who placed fourth last week in Boston, and Trinidad's Sheridan Kirk.
Merritt, Brown, Herring favored in men's hurdles
The men's 60m hurdles should provide an intriguing match-up as three young American stars of the future are favored in this event. Aries Merritt won the 2006 NCAA 110m hurdles title and the collegiate race at last year's Millrose Games. Merritt ended the campaign ranked #6 in the world, which is an impressive achievement for a college senior. Joel Brown, who was the runner-up last week in Boston, was fourth at the 2006 AT&T USA Indoors and ended the season ranked #10 in the U.S. Aubrey Herring finished seventh at last year's AT&T USA Outdoor Championships and ended the year ranked #9 in the U.S.
Ali vs. Frazier in men's pole vault
Madison Square Garden was the site of two of the three epic battles between boxing greats Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, and a similar clash of the titans will take place Friday night at MSG when the world's two best pole vaulters square off. Australia's Steve Hooker eked out the world's number one ranking from Track & Field News last year over American reigning world indoor champion and 2006 Millrose runner-up Brad Walker. Hooker is off to a fast start this year with his win in Boston last week in a world's best clearance this indoor season of 5.81 meters/19-0.75. Walker also looked impressive with his win in Seattle on January 13, with his clearance of 5.70m/18-8.25. Other contenders in this event include reigning Millrose champ and American record holder Jeff Hartwig, 2004 Olympic silver medalist Toby Stevenson and reigning U.S. Outdoor champion Russ Buller.
Put up or shut up!
Three of America's best ever men's shot putters found out last week in Boston that they had better bring their "A-game" if they expect to win in this event. Recent Ohio State University grad Dan Taylor surprised the more accomplished trio of John Godina, Reese Hoffa and Christian Cantwell when he won in Boston with a world-leading toss of 21.57meters/70 feet, 9.25 inches. Looking for revenge will be Hoffa (world ranked #1 & Millrose record holder), Cantwell (world ranked #2) and Godina, who owns two Olympic medals, three world outdoor titles and the 2001 World Indoor Championships gold medal.
Hooker looks for two in a row at Millrose
In her first race since forgoing her final year of eligibility at Texas, multi-time NCAA champion Marshevet Hooker won the Visa women's 60 meters last weekend at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games in 7.24 seconds. In looking for her second consecutive victory this indoor season she'll face reigning U.S. 200m outdoor champion and World Outdoor silver medalist Rachelle Smith, 2006 USATF Youth Athlete of the Year Gabby Mayo and the inaugural winner of the women's Visa Championship Series from her 60m victory at the 2005 USA Indoor Championships, Angela Daigle-Bowen.
Ladies quartet ready for 400 meters
Coming off a strong 2006 season where she ended the campaign ranked #6 in the world in the women's 400 meters, 2004 Olympic 4x400m relay gold medalist Dee Dee Trotter is looking for that momentum to continue this season. She'll be challenged by Mary Danner, who was the runner-up at last year's AT&T USA Indoor Championships. Also keep in eye on reigning Millrose champ Hazel Ann Regis and Jamaica's Ronetta Smith, who placed sixth last week in Boston.
Clark family tradition continues in women's 800 meters
Two-time USA Outdoor champion and 2000 Olympian Hazel Clark will look to add another chapter of Clark family history to the Millrose Games record books. Clark, who ended the 2006 season ranked #10 in the world (#1 U.S.) by Track & Field News and is going for her fourth Millrose title in five years, will attempt to add to her sister Joetta's total of seven 800m wins, and her sister-in-law Jearl Miles-Clark's total of eight wins in 400m, 500m and 800m competition at Millrose. Challengers include up and coming U.S. star Frances Santin, who ended 2006 ranked #3 nationally and Christin Wurth-Thomas, who placed fifth in the 1,500 meters at the 2006 AT&T USA Outdoor Championships.
Dibaba family affair in women's 3,000 meters
The unquestioned star performer at last week's Reebok Boston Indoor Games was Ethiopia's Tirunesh Dibaba, who shattered the world record in the women's 5,000 meters with her time of 14 minutes 27.42 seconds. The double world champion at 5,000 and 10,000 meters, Dibaba ended the 2006 season ranked #1 in the world at 5,000 meters and #2 globally at 3,000m. She'll be challenged by her sister and Olympic 10,000m silver medalist Ejegayehu Dibaba, who was the runner-up to her younger sibling in Boston, Kim Smith of New Zealand and top Americans Jen Rhines and Sara Hall.
Gail force headed for MSG
A five-time Millrose winner in sprints and hurdles action, the ageless Gail Devers returns to New York to compete in the 60m hurdles looking to add yet another chapter to her remarkable history. A two-time Olympic 100m champion, Devers, the Millrose Games hurdles record holder, also owns three World Indoor Championships 60m crowns as well. Now also a coach, agent and mother of a toddler at the tender age of 40, Devers will face one of her clients, two-time defending U.S. Indoor hurdles champion Danielle Carruthers, along with 2004 Olympic Games 100m hurdles gold medalist Joanna Hayes. Former world champ Perdita Felician of Canada enters the event following her win at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games in the second-fastest time in the world this season of 7.97 seconds.
Isinbeyeva, Stuczynski do battle in pole vault
The heavy favorite in any meet she enters, Russia's Yelena Isinbeyeva comes to the United States for the very first time to compete in the 100th Millrose Games. The reigning world and Olympic champion, Isinbeyeva has set world records in the women's pole vault on 19 separate occasions, and was the first woman ever to clear the five-meter and 16-foot barriers. Isinbeyeva will face a test from top-ranked American Jenn Stuczynski, who won last week in Boston after previously posting the best clearance in the world this season of 4.70 meters/15 feet, 5 inches (equals the mark of two others) from her win January 19 at the Pole Vault Summit in Reno, Nevada. Also watch for reigning Millrose champion Mary Sauer, who will look to defend her title.
Acuff to compete in high jump
Garden favorite and three-time Olympian Amy Acuff will headline the women's high jump following a strong 2006 season that ended with her ranked #8 in the world (#2 U.S.) by Track & Field News. Acuff will look to improve on her runner-up finish at last year's Millrose Games. 2006 NCAA Indoor champion Destinee Hooker will challenge Acuff, along with reigning NCAA Indoor champion Sheena Gordon.
For tickets or more information on The 100th Millrose Games, visit www.Millrose-Games.com. Tickets are also available at Ticketmaster (call 212-307-7171, visit www.Ticketmaster.com or at Ticketmaster outlets); or at the Madison Square Garden box office. USA Track & Field welcomes you to pay with your Visa.
For more information on the Visa Championship Series, visit: www.usatf.org.
i