World Champions Galore at the 2009 Reebok Grand Prix
Posted Friday, 17 April, 2009
NEW YORK, N.Y. (April 16) – American sprint star Tyson Gay, world champion Jamaican sprinter Veronica Campbell-Brown, Ethiopian distance standout Gebre-egziabher Gebremariam and reigning three-time world champion Swedish heptathlete Carolina Kluft will be among the headliners at the 2009 Reebok Grand Prix, organizers announced today.
The Reebok Grand Prix is the third stop of USA Track & Field’s Visa Championship Series and will be held at 3:00pm on May 30, at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island.
The 26-year old Gay was a three-time world champion in 2007 in the 100-meters, 200-meters and 4x100-meter relay and is the current American record holder in the 100-meters. For his 2007 performances, Gay was named IAAF Male Athlete of the Year, USOC Sportsman of the Year, Track and Field News Man of the Year and awarded the Jesse Owens Award.
Campbell-Brown, 26, the reigning 100-meter world champion, will attempt to win her third straight Reebok Grand Prix title in the 100-meters. A five-time Olympic medalist, she captured gold in the 200-meters at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, becoming only the second woman in Olympic Games history to successfully defend her title.
Just two weeks ago, Gebremariam, 23, won the IAAF World Cross Country Championship in Jordan. The Ethiopian distance champion previously won World Cross individual medals in 2002, 2003 and 2004. With his individual gold and team silver medals, Gebremariam has now earned 15 medals at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, second only to compatriot Kenenisa Bekele.
Sweden’s Kluft, 26, who will compete in the long jump, is considered one the world’s greatest female athletes. Kluft won the Olympic heptathlon in 2004 and is the reigning three-time world and double European heptathlon champion.
The Reebok Grand Prix, in its fifth year, is one of the nation’s premier outdoor track & field invitational meets. It features Olympic stars, top high school athletes and a Fastest Kid in New York competition for 7- and 8-year-olds. Events include men’s and women’s sprints, hurdles, middle-distance races, the pole vault and invitational high school races. Increased and upgraded backstretch seating at track level is being added to accommodate the growing demand and interest from fans in the New York area. Tickets are on sale now by phone at 1-877-TIX-TRAC or on-line at www.ReebokGrandPrix.com. Additional updates, photos and information can be found by visiting the Reebok Grand Prix pages on Facebook and Twitter.
Icahn Stadium, a state-of-the-art facility on Randall's Island featuring a 400-meter Mondo track and covered seating for spectators, is the premier outdoor track-and-field venue in New York City. It was built by the Randall's Island Sports Foundation (RISF) in partnership with New York City Department of Parks. The facility is programmed, operated and maintained by RISF.
Facebook 
Twitter
i