Contact: Jill M. Geer, USATF Director of Communications
Jill.Geer@usatf.org; http://www.usatf.org; 508-695-0595
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, June 19, 2004
Bowerman mile, Verizon men9s 100 highlight
brilliant Nike Prefontaine Classic
EUGENE, Ore. 3 With ideal weather, a thunderous, standing-room-only crowd and amazing performances, Saturday9s Nike Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field was one for the ages. A crowd of 12,376 provided plenty of electricity, as did four world-leading wins.
The final stop of USA Track & Field9s 2004 Outdoor Golden Spike Tour, the Nike Prefontaine Classic will be broadcast at 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time tonight (Saturday, June 19) on ESPN2.
Temperatures in the 80s and a gentle 3 but legal 3 tailwind help propel athletes to quick times in the sprints, but it was the Bowerman mile that was the most historic race of the day. In 2001, Alan Webb had made history at Prefontaine when he ran 3:53.43 to break Jim Ryun9s 36-year-old U.S. high school record. On Saturday, Webb again took the track at Hayward Field and broke a record held by Ryun.
Ryun had held the U.S. all-comers record by an American (fastest time by an American on U.S. soil) for 37 years with his time of 3:51.1, run on June 23, 1967 in Bakersfield, Calif. Webb9s winning time of 3:50.85 on Saturday again took Ryun off the record books and is the fastest time in the world this year.
Running behind pacesetters, Webb came through 400m in 54.9 seconds, 800 in 1:51, and 1,200 in 2:49. His finishing time was the fastest by an American in seven years (Steve Holman, 3:50.40 in 1997), and his 1,500m split of 3:34.42 is faster than any other American has run for that distance in 2004. Nick Willis of New Zealand was a distant second behind Webb in 3:53.51, with Kenyan Elkanah Angwenyi third in 3:54.52.
The Verizon men9s 100m provided plenty of explosive excitement as Shawn Crawford made a late surge from lane 7 to steal victory from Maurice Greene and John Capel. The 2004 world indoor 60m silver medalist, Crawford finished in 9.88 seconds to become the first person ever to break 10 seconds in the 100 at Prefontaine and break Greene9s track record of 9.90, set at the U.S. championships in 2001. The three-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist, Greene was second in 9.93 with Capel, #1 world ranked in 2003, third in 9.95. The times are the three fastest run in the world in 2004.
Equally head-turning was the Nike women9s 100 meters. Also using a late surge, Inger Miller had perhaps her significant race in four years by defeating a loaded field in 11.05. Miller9s lean put her ahead of two-time Olympic gold medalist Gail Devers in second, also clocked in 11.05. Chryste Gaines placed third in 11.05, followed by LaTasha Colander (11.10) and Marion Jones (11.12). Saying she Cjust didn9t have itD in the 100, Jones bounced back in the Nike women9s long jump. Her mark of 6.93m/22 feet, 9 inches was her best wind-legal mark of the year. Grace Upshaw9s second-place mark of 6.88m/22-7 was one of the few windy marks of the day, with a tailwind of 2.6mps.
Maria Mutola provided additional history by extending her record of most Prefontaine victories to 12, with her win in the Sunny D Intense Sport women9s 800m. Her time of 1:57.78 was just off her Hayward Field and meet record of 1:57.57, and was more than enough to relegate Nicole Teter to second (1:59.09).
Canadian Perdita Felicien, the reigning world indoor and outdoor world champion, put up a very quick world-leading time of 12.46 in the women9s 100m hurdles, with Danielle Carruthers second in 12.56 and Jenny Adams third in 12.69. Also posting a notable win was Felix Sanchez, who broke the meet record in the men9s 400m hurdles with his time of 48.12. Bershawn Jackson (48.79), James Carter (48.79) and Joey Woody (48.83) were in a near dead heat for second through fourth and provided a sneak preview of the Olympic Trials.
Stacy Dragila continued her impressive outdoor season in the Visa women9s pole vault. The defending Olympic gold medalist won the competition with a height of 4.70m/15-5, with Jillian Schwartz second at 4.60m/15-1. Dragila9s mark of 5.83m/15-10 June 8 in Ostrava, CZE, was the highest ever by a woman outdoors but is not considered a world record because Yelena Isinbayeva9s indoor mark of 4.86m/15-11.25 is higher. On Saturday, Dragila attempted to leave no question as to the record when she took three attempts at 4.88m/16 feet. Dragila9s first two attempts were very strong, but she was unable to keep the bar up.
Larry Wade came from behind to nip four-time world champion Allen Johnson in the men9s 110m hurdles. Wade successfully defending his 2003 Nike Prefontaine Classic title with his winning time of 13.14. Johnson matched the time (13.14), but Wade got him on the lean.
Christian Cantwell won his second competition in as many days, running his winning streak to 14 meets. His throw of 21.74m/71-4 on Saturday was enough to surpass Olympic silver medalist Adam Nelson in second 21.50m/70-6.5. On Friday, Cantwell won the Titan Games in Atlanta with a toss of 22.25m/73-0, before hopping a plane to Eugene. Nelson also had competed in Atlanta, as did Reese Hoffa, who placed third at Prefontaine with a throw of 20.38m/66-10.5.
Koji Murofushi threw a world-leading mark of 82.65m/271-2 in the men9s hammer to get the meet off to a good start in the first event of the day. Other winners included Charlie Gruber in the Chevrolet men9s 1,500m (3:37.23PR), Jamie Nieto in the men9s high jump (2.30m/7-6.5), Jeff Hartwig in the men9s pole vault (5.80m/19-0.25, defeating Dmitri Markov (AUS), Brad Walker and Toby Stevenson, all who cleared 5.80), Joseph Koskei of Kenya in the men9s 5,000m (13:26.78) and Yelena Zadorzhnaya of Russia in the women9s 1,500m (4:02.15).
For completer results from the Nike Prefontaine Classic, visit www.usatf.org
Athlete quotes, 2004 Nike Prefontaine Classic
Alan Webb, winner, Bowerman mile, WORLD LEADER, AMERICAN U.S. ALL-COMERS RECORD: ON THE CROWD 3 CThe crowd started screaming with two laps to go. The crowd here is just unparalleled. It9s great to hear them support me before the race even started.D ON THE RACE 3 CThat last lap wasn9t too fun, but I went after it. The race was exactly like we planned. I put it out there. I didn9t get under 3:50, but I won and ran my best time, so I achieved my goals. I came up a little short (not breaking 3:50), but that9s OK. I9m young.D
Shawn Crawford, winner, Verizon men's 100: CI knew it was a stacked field. You had the former world record holder [Greene] in there, who has been running extraordinary this year & I just came out here and wanted to execute like I did all year. This is a boost of confidence. I used to run for times, but now I just want to execute. I felt like my start could have been better. This is a message to myself that things we9re doing in practice are coming together.D
Maurice Greene, 2nd, Verizon men's 100: CWe gave them a show. This is what it9s all about, the fans in the stands. This race lets me know what I need to work on 3 the middle of my race. I kind of rushed it. I need to be patient 3 I9ve been rushing all year. What counts most is in three weeks.D[The Olympic Trials]
John Capel, 3rd, Verizon men's 100: CI was so concerned with Maurice9s race that I didn9t run my race. I figured if I was close to Maurice, there9d be nobody else out there. Shawn was by himself in lane 7. I don9t think anybody saw him. This was just a little show for the Olympic Trials.D
Stacy Dragila, winner, Visa women's pole vault: CThings are coming together. I got on another, bigger pole today. My step got moved back even further, which was good. I felt like I was right there at 16 feet. This [the crowd] is the loudest it9s been, ever 3 and it9s always really loud and supportive. I think it was a great, awesome atmosphere today.D
Marion Jones, winner, Nike women's long jump: CIt was a long day. Obviously I9m not very happy with the 100. I have no excuses. I just didn9t have it today. I refuse to use [BALCO distractions] as an excuse. I was pleased to regroup in the long jump and get in a rhythm. It was a really good day in the long jump.D ON KEEPING FOCUS DESPITE BALCO ISSUES 3 CIt9s been a challenge, but I9ve made it a point that when I come to the track, that9s what I focus on. It definitely helps that when I come to the track to compete, people call out 8Marion!9 and support you, believe in you.D
Inger Miller, winner, Nike women's 100: CI feel comfortable in my chances of making the [Olympic] team. To run against that field and win is comforting to me. I9m very pleased. I still have a lot of work to do at the end of my race. I was kind of surprised that I had so much left 3 my legs felt kind of dead after racing in Europe.D
Gail Devers, 2nd, Nike women's 100: CI9ll take it for my first one. I wanted o run this race for speed. I9m pleased with my time. I just know some technical things I will have to work on. I didn9t feel I had the best start, but that comes with racing. My thing was to stay in the race and finish strong. I9m already better than I was last year.D ON THE CROWD 3 CThey9ve named Eugene Tracktown, USA for a reason. It9s always an honor to come here and race.D ON HER WEEK 3 CFor me, my biggest honor this week was to do the torch relay in my adopted hometown of Atlanta [where she lives and where she won the 1996 Olympic Games]. It was a dream come true.D
Perdita Felicien, winner, women's 100 hurdles, WORLD LEADER: CI knew this was a good field, Jenny Adams was right next to me. I was just in the zone. I9m stocked 3 the race felt effortless, but that9s when you run your fastest times.D
Maria Mutola, winner, Sunny D Intense Sport Drink women's 800m: CFor me, [running at Prefontaine] is unbelievable. I just like running here. I was hoping to break the meet record today. The second fastest time of the year, I9m happy with that, but I hoped for a bit more.D
Larry Wade, winner, men's 110m hurdles: CIt was a good run, just what I wanted. Now it9s time to go back and train for the Olympic Trials. Anything can happen there. It9s not about the win, it9s about one of those three spots.D
Allen Johnson, 2nd, men's 110m hurdles: CIt wasn9t very good. I got out well, I just didn9t really execute over the first hurdle & or any part of the race.D
Charlie Gruber, winner, Chevrolet men's 1,500m: CI9m really happy. I wanted to get the Olympic A standard, but this is certainly a step in the right direction. I felt easy. I9ve just go to keep it up and run faster from 900 to 1,200 meters. I have to have the courage to go for it. This was great. I9ve been visualizing winning the last few weeks. This was the first victory lap of my career, and it9s great to do it on such a big stage.D