---------- Forwarded message ---------- 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. # # #