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From: "USATF Communications" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: USATF News & Notes: December 5, 2001
Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2001 15:51:53 -0500
Contact: Tom Surber
Media Information Manager
USA Track & Field
(317) 261-0500 ext. 317
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.usatf.org
USATF News & Notes
Volume 2, Number 114 December 5, 2001
Jones to appear on “Millionaire”
Olympic and world champion sprinter Marion Jones will tape an appearance on
the ABC game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” this weekend at Walt
Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
Jones will join an impressive list of gold medal winning athletes, who will
play for charities. Other athletes appearing on the show include decathlete
Bruce Jenner, gymnast Mary Lou Retton, speed skater Dan Jansen, soccer
player Mia Hamm, hockey player Mike Eruzione and boxer Oscar de la Hoya. The
programs taped this weekend in Orlando will air in January.
Last year, Maurice Greene won $125,000 on the show, donating half of his
winnings to his chosen charity, the United Negro College Fund.
Dragila nominated for Award
Olympic gold medalist and world record holder Stacy Dragila has been
nominated for the United States Sports Academy Athlete of the Year Award.
Presented for the first time in 1984, the United Sports Academy Awards
recognize the outstanding male and female athletes in all areas of sport,
with previous winners including Lance Armstrong, Martina Hingis, Mia Hamm
and Mark McGuire.
A list of the nominees for this year’s awards appears on the organization’s
Web site at: www.ussa.edu/2001vote.htm. Voting on the Web site is open to
everyone, and must be completed by December 24. Team USA athletes earning
honorable mention recognition for this year’s awards included Marion Jones,
Marla Runyan, Angela Williams and Savante Stringfellow.
New York Marathon raises $$$ for Twin Towers Fund
New York Road Runners (NYRR) President and CEO Allan Steinfeld presented New
York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani with a check for $250,000 for the Twin Towers
and September 11 funds at the inaugural United We Run 4-Miler race in
Central Park on December 2. The money was raised at last month's New York
City Marathon from individual donations by runners, by running clubs and
races
around the globe and NYC Marathon sponsors. The NYRR contributed $50,000.
Elite athletes support talented youngsters at Foot Locker Finals
An impressive list of America’s finest elite middle and long distance
runners will be on hand at the 23rd Foot Locker High School Cross Country
Nationals December 8 in Orlando, Florida.
The list includes two-time Olympian and U.S. men’s 5,000m record holder Bob
Kennedy, U.S. men’s 10,000m record holder and 2000 Olympian Meb Keflezighi,
three-time U.S. steeplechase champ and 2000 Olympian Pascal Dobert and 2000
Olympian Abdi Abdirahman. Four-time Olympic team qualifier and ten-time
U.S. 1,500m women’s champion Regina Jacobs will also be on hand, along with
three-time Olympian and nine-time NCAA champion Suzy Favor Hamilton. Michael
Johnson will also make a special appearance, along with women’s pole vault
world record holder and 2000 Olympic gold medalist Stacy Dragila.
Look for a preview of the 2001 Foot Locker High School Cross Country
Nationals in Friday’s edition of USATF News & Notes.
L.A. Invitational set for February 23
The 42nd L.A. Invitational track and field meet will take place Saturday,
February 23 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. The nation’s second-oldest
indoor meet will feature Olympic caliber athletes and collegiate standouts
from successful programs such as USC, UCLA, Stanford, Arizona and many more.
The event will also showcase nearly 2,000 high school athletes representing
500 different schools. The age group competition will begin at 11 a.m., with
the elite competition beginning at 6 p.m.
A total of 105 Olympic gold medalists have competed at this event including
luminaries such as Wilma Rudolph, Bob Beamon, Jim Ryun, Bob Seagren, Parry O
’Brien, Carl Lewis, Renaldo Nehemiah, Evelyn Ashford, Jackie Joyner-Kersee,
Gail Devers and many more.
For additional information, visit the L.A. Invitational Web site at
www.frankenenterprises.com.
Monaco to host next three Grand Prix Finals
The IAAF Council announced last week that the organization’s Grand Prix
Final will be held in Monaco beginning in 2003 thru 2005 to ensure that the
meet “has a stronger sense of identity.” The event will also go from a
one-day meet to a two-day event beginning in 2003. The group is also
exploring the possibility of hosting the annual World Athletics Gala on the
same weekend of the Grand Prix Finals in Monaco to further promote the
sport.
The Council also agreed to reduce the IAAF Golden League to five meets
beginning in 2003. The next meeting of the IAAF Council will take place
April 13-14, 2002 in Nairobi, Kenya.
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