Contact: Melvin Jackson II
Communications Coordinator
USA Track & Field
(317) 261-0500 x322
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http://www.usatf.org
USATF News & Notes
Volume 4, Number 25 March 20, 2003
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In this edition:
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- Lassiter sanctioned for World Cup actions
- The 18th Annual Great Race named after Deena Drossin
- More records for high school, college athletes
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Lassiter sanctioned for World Cup actions
American 1,500 meter runner Seneca Lassiter will perform 20 hours of
community service in 2003 and receive a letter of reprimand from USA
Track & Field as part of a sanction for his conduct at the 2002 IAAF
World Cup in Athletics in Madrid last September.
At the meet, Lassiter paced his training partner, Bernard Legat of
Kenya, through the first 800 meters of the 1,500-meter championship
race. Lassiter faded to finish in last place while Lagat won the race.
A team competition in which each participating national or continental
team fields a single entrant in each event, the World Cup puts a premium
on representing one's country and competing with honest effort.
Lassiter's actions sparked an international outcry and a rebuke from USA
Track & Field in Madrid.
"The World Cup is one of track and field's most important competitions,"
said USATF CEO Craig A. Masback. "We were very disappointed with Mr.
Lassiter's conduct in Madrid, but we believe that he understands the
mistake he made, is genuinely contrite about his actions, and will not
repeat this behavior again."
While Lassiter issued a formal, written apology while in Spain,
disciplinary proceedings were brought against him via USATF's National
Athletics Board of Review (NABR) process. That process ended earlier
this week.
As part of his community service, Lassiter will speak with Boys and
Girls Clubs, schools and other groups of young people about "sport
integrity." Lassiter will also address sportsmanship, anti-doping and
other issues.
The 18th Annual Great Race 5 km named after Deena Drossin
The Great Race of Agoura, to be held Saturday, March 22 at the Agoura
High School Stadium in Agoura Hills, Calif., has named its 5,000-meter
race after world record holder, Olympian and former Agoura High running
standout, Deena Drossin.
The Deena Drossin 5K is part of a running festival that also includes a
10 km race, a 2 km children's run and 2 km family run.
Drossin, 30, who grew up running in The Great Race, set the women's
world best for 5 km road races at the 2002 Carlsbad 5000 with her time
of 15:54. Last year, Drossin also set the U.S. 10,000 meter record
(30:50.32) on the track. On March 8 of this year, she bettered her own
U.S. 15 km road record by 57 seconds (47:15) at the USA 15K
Championships at the Gate River Run.
A 1991 graduate of Agoura high school, Drossin won five state titles,
three in cross country and two in track, and led her cross country team
to a state title.
For more information on the Deena Drossin 5K visit
www.GreatRaceofAgoura.com.
More records for high school, college athletes
The University of Texas women's 4x400 relay team set a national college
record of 3:27.66, smashing the old mark of 3:30.08 by South Carolina in
2001 at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track Championships in Fayetteville,
Ark.
In other record-setting action last weekend, Michelle Carter set a U.S.
prep indoor record in the girl's shot put with a throw of 16.70m/54-9.5
Sunday at the Nike Indoor Championships in Landover, Md. A senior from
Red Oak High School in Texas, Carter beat the old record of 16.43m/53-11
set by Laura Gerraughty in 2001.
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