Olympic Games and World Championships medalists ready to shine in Big Apple

For Immediate Release
Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Contact:
Tom Surber
USA Track & Field
Media Information Manager
317-713-4690; Tom.Surber@usatf.org


Olympic Games and World Championships medalists ready to shine in Big Apple

NEW YORK - Many of the world's finest track and field athletes led by 11 Olympic medalists and 16 World Outdoor Championships medalists, will compete January 29 at the 103rd Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The Millrose Games is the first stop of USA Track & Field's Visa Championship Series. The longest-running annual event held at fabled Madison Square Garden and one of the best indoor track and field meets in the world, The Millrose Games features some of America's and the world's top track and field talent. The meet will be televised live on ESPN2 from 8-10 p.m. Eastern Time.

Lagat vs. Kiprop in Wanamaker Mile

Two-time Olympic medalist Bernard Lagat will attempt to make history when he competes in the legendary Wanamaker Mile on Friday night after winning his seventh Wanamaker Mile title at last year's Millrose Games, which tied all-time Irish legend and "Chariman of the Boards" Eamonn Coghlan for the most wins ever in that prestigious event.

Lagat, who won the bronze medal in the 1,500m and silver medal in the 5,000m at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany, ended the decade with a combined total of seven World Championship and Olympic Games medals. The U.S. record holder in the indoor mile, 1,500m and 3,000 meters, Lagat was the 2002 World Cup 1,500m champion, and owns two U.S. Outdoor 1,500m titles (2006, 2008) and three consecutive U.S. Outdoor 5,000m crowns (2006-2008).

Lagat will face a strong challenge from Asbel Kiprop of Kenya, who won the men's 1,500m at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing in 3 minutes 33.11 seconds. Kiprop, who ended the 2009 season ranked #1 in the world by Track & Field News, finished fourth (3:36.47) at the 2009 World Outdoor Championships in Berlin, finishing right behind Lagat (3:36.20). Ethiopian standout and 2009 World Champs silver medalist Deresse Mekonnen, who was slated to challenge Lagat for the Wanamaker title, will not appear because he was unable to secure a visa in time.

Campbell-Brown leads Visa women's 60m field

Other Olympic gold medalists competing Friday night at MSG include two-time Olympic 200m gold medalist Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica, who will look to capture her first Visa women's 60m Millrose victory since 2006. During her remarkable career, Campbell-Brown has won three gold medals, along with one silver medal and one bronze medal in Olympic competition, in addition to six World Outdoor Championship medals (1 gold, 5 silver). 2008 Olympic Games finalists Muna Lee and Marshevet (Hooker) Myers, defending Millrose champion Bianca Knight and reigning USA Indoor champion and 2006 World Indoor gold medalist Lisa Barber will challenge Campbell-Brown, as will 2005 World Outdoor Championships long jump champion Tianna Madison.

Olympic medalists Mack & Suhr favored in pole vault

2004 Olympic gold medalist Tim Mack will lead the field in the Fred Schmertz men's pole vault, where he'll be challenged by 2008 Olympic Games fourth-place finisher and two-time Millrose winner Derek Miles (Bella Vista HS, Fair Oaks)
, who ended his 2009 campaign ranked #5 in the world. France's Renaud Lavillenie, the 2009 World Outdoor bronze medalist, will also be in the mix. In the Fred Schmertz women's pole vault, American record holder and 2008 Olympic Games and World Indoor Championships silver medalist Jenn (Stuczynski) Suhr will be favored over a talented field that includes 2009 World Outdoor Championships silver medalist Chelsea Johnson (Atascadero HS, UCLA). The 2006 NCAA Indoor champion, Johnson earned her first top-ten world ranking when she finished her 2009 season ranked #9 by T&FN.

Olympic gold medalist Wineberg headlines women's 400m

2004 Olympic women's 4x400m relay gold medalist and 2007 World Outdoor Championships relay gold medalist Mary Wineberg will headline the women's 400m following last year's maternity leave. She'll be challenged by Monica Hargrove, who entered this season ranked #10 in the world, and three-time Olympian Aliann Pompey of Guyana.

Anybody's race in men's 60m hurdles

Other Olympic medalists in the field include two-time silver medalist Terrence Trammell, who will be a favorite in the highly anticipated men's 60m hurdles. Trammell, who first won this event at Millrose in 2001 and enters as the defending champ, will be challenged by 2009 World decathlon champion Trey Hardee, who entered this year ranked #1 in the world in that event by Track & Field News. Also keep an eye on reigning World Outdoor 110m hurdles champion Ryan Brathwaite of Barbados, and Aries Merritt of the U.S., who finished the 2009 season ranked #7 in the world and won the 60m hurdles at Millrose in 2007.

Canada vs. USA in women's hurdles

Also known for her hurdle prowess is Canadian standout Priscilla Lopes-Schliep, who last year won the silver medal at the World Outdoor Championships and finished the season ranked #3 in the world. The 2008 Olympic bronze medalist and two-time defending Millrose champ, Lopes-Schliep will be challenged by fellow Canadian Perdita Felicien, who was the 2003 World Outdoor 100m hurdles champion and 2004 World Indoor 60m hurdles champ. Leading the charge for the Americans will be 2009 World Outdoor Championships finalist Ginnie Powell (USC), who finished the 2009 season ranked #9 in the world by T&FN.

"Batman" back in Gotham!

2005 World Outdoor men's 400m hurdles champion Bershawn "Batman" Jackson will face a tough challenge from Trinidad & Tobago's 2009 World Outdoor Championships 400m bronze medalist Renny Quow in the men's 600 yards. Jackson is coming off a strong 2009 season where he successfully defended his USA men's 400m hurdles title, and won the bronze medal at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin. Jackson last won the 600 yard race at Millrose in 2008 in 1:10.34. Additionally, Jackson was victorious at Millrose in 2007, when he crossed the finish line in 1:11.48, with Quow finishing as the runner-up in 1:14.02.

16 throws will decide Visa men's shot put

As always, the Visa men's shot put will be a featured event at Millrose showcasing three of the most accomplished throwers in U.S. history. Two-time Olympic silver medalist and 2005 World Outdoor champion Adam Nelson, and 2007 World Outdoor champ and 2006 World Indoor Championships gold medalist Reese Hoffa will battle it out to see who will be the first to win this event three times at the Millrose Games. 2009 World Outdoor champion Christian Cantwell will be looking for his second Millrose title after winning the 2009 World Outdoor Champs crown and ending the season ranked #1 in the world. Also keep an eye on reigning USA Indoor champion Dan Taylor, who is in search of his first Millrose title.

Rodgers, Bailey favored in men's 60m

Favorites in other events at Millrose include 2009 USA Outdoor Championships 100m winner Michael Rodgers in the men's 60m, where he'll face 2009 World Outdoor Championships 100m fourth-place finisher Daniel Bailey of Antigua, and world-ranked #9 100m competitor and fellow American Travis Padgett. Also look for 2009 USA Outdoor Champs sixth-place finisher Leroy Dixon to be in the mix.

Smith in search of Millrose crown

2008 Olympian Christian Smith will be one of the favorites in the men's 800m, along with 2004 Olympian and two-time World Outdoor Championships competitor Prince Mumba of Zambia, and two-time Olympian Dmitrijs Milkevics of Latvia.

Kipyego favored in women's mile

The women's mile will be headlined by Sally Kipyego of Kenya, who won nine individual NCAA titles while at Texas Tech University, equaling the all-time record set by former University of Wisconsin great Suzy Favor Hamilton. Kipyego is the first woman ever to win three consecutive Big 12 Conference and NCAA women's cross country titles. She won NCAA crowns at 3,000m (indoors) and outdoors in the 5,000m and 10,000m. Challengers include two-time NCAA 5,000m runner-up Sara Hall and 2008 Olympic Trials 1,500m finalist Sarah Bowman.

Seaman looks to make race walk history at Millrose

Two-time Olympian and five-time U.S. 20 km champion Tim Seaman (Current Residence: Chula Vista, Calif.) will look to capture the 42nd U.S Race Walk national title of his career when he competes in the 2010 USA Mile Race Walk Championships at the Millrose Games.

If Seaman wins on Friday night, he'll equal the 42 race walk national titles won by National Track & Field Hall of Famer Henry Laskau. Fellow Hall of Famer Ron Laird owns the most U.S. race walk national titles in history with 65. Seaman has won 11 of the last 12 USA Indoor men's 5,000m race walk championships.

In the women's U.S. Mile Race Walk Championship race, the odds on favorite is 2004 Olympian and four-time USA 20 km champion Teresa Vaill.

For ticket information for the 103rd Millrose Games visit: www.millrose-games.com. USATF welcomes you to pay with your Visa.

For more information on the 2010 Millrose Games and the 2010 Visa Championship Series, visit: www.visachampionshipseries.com or www.millrose-games.com.

About USA Track & Field

USA Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track and field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, some of the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States.

For more information on USATF, visit www.usatf.org

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