Contact: Tom Surber
Media Information Manager
USA Track & Field
(317) 261-0500 x317
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.usatf.org
USATF News & Notes
Volume 3, Number 102 October 25, 2002
Athletes spread the word in Boston
Olympic gold medalist Allen Johnson and former Boston high school superstar
and 2001 World Indoor Championships team member Tasha Downing had a full day
on Wednesday, October 23 as they promoted USA Track & Field’s announcement
that the 2003 and 2004 USA Indoor Championships will be held at the Reggie
Lewis Track & Athletic Center in Boston.
The pair began the day at a breakfast meeting with USATF CEO Craig Masback,
Boston TV and radio personality “Coach” Willie Maye and hotel management at
the Marriott
Copley Place, which will serve as the official meet hotel for the Indoor
Championships.
They then traveled with Masback and Reggie Lewis Center Director Keith
McDermott to Dearborn Middle School, located less than 800 meters from the
Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury. Speaking at the invitation of physical
education teacher Jaime Moody – the Boston University record holder in the
indoor 55m dash who has started a track program at Dearborn Middle School –
they spoke to students about the positive impact track and field has had on
their lives, the importance of dedication and continuing education before
taking questions from the audience.
Among the questions posed to Downing were “How fast can you run? “Have you
ever raced Allen Johnson?” and “Can you beat Marion Jones?”
Johnson fielded questions about the height of the hurdles, his basketball
playing skills and whether he can beat Michael Johnson in a race. The reply:
“Yes, because Michael Johnson can’t run hurdles.”
After a spirited autograph session, Johnson and Downing spoke at the USATF
press conference announcing the Indoor Championships, attended by more than
60 media, track and field supporters and Boston-area business, athletic and
political luminaries. Johnson expressed his astonishment and appreciation
for the support he felt at the Boston announcement and throughout the day,
declaring before ever stepping on the track that Boston is clearly the place
for the Indoor Championships.
Johnson’s and Downing’s day concluded at the studio of WILD 1090 AM, where
they were on the air live with Willie Maye during the 2 p.m. hour. It was a
return appearance to the show for Downing, who had been interviewed by Maye
many times during her years at Boston Technical High School from 1985-’88,
when she was the top indoor track athlete in the country.
For more on USATF’s Indoor Championships announcement and more information
on the meet, visit www.usatf.org.
Boston Mayor’s Cup series begins Sunday
The 13th annual Mayor’s Cup Cross Country series, hosted by the Boston
Athletic Association, will begin Sunday at Boston’s Franklin Park.
Sunday’s competition is headlined by U.S. Olympian Mark Coogan of Exeter,
N.H., in the men’s Championship 8K. Irish Olympian Sinead Delahunty of West
Newton, Mass., and former U.S. 15K champion Kristin Chisum of Wayland,
Mass., are the featured entrants in the women’s Championship 5K. Each has
been a member of his or her country’s world cross country team.
The Franklin Park 5K also will be held on Sunday, which gives local runners,
especially road racers, an opportunity to compete in cross country.
Separate boys and girls 1.1-mile races will also be held. Interested runners
may sign-up on race day at Franklin Park. For more information on the 2002
Mayor’s Cup, visit www.bostonmarathon.org.
Houle sets coaching record
The boys cross country team at Mountain View High School in Orem, Utah won
the class 4A state championships Wednesday, giving head coach Dave Houle a
U.S. record 57th state title and 20th in a row, Runner’s World Online
reported. His brother Scott coached his first girl's state title as Orem HS
edged Mountain View by two points.
Former college runner chases down suspected bank robber
According to the Associated Press, Brad McCorkle, a former University of
Iowa track athlete, played a key role in the capture of a man who held up a
bank Tuesday in Davenport, Iowa.
The robbery occurred while McCorkle was waiting at a bank to meet a friend
for lunch, when he saw someone rob the bank. After the suspect left the
bank, McCorkle began his pursuit. McCorkle paused when the individual he was
chasing suddenly turned and pretended to have a gun in his pocket. When
McCorkle realized that the ploy was a fake, the chase resumed.
After flagging down a police car, McCorkle followed the suspect over a fence
into a yard, where the individual offered him half of his take to let him
go. The suspect then continued to run, but was apprehended a short while
later by police. The suspect is being held on first-degree robbery charges.
Track publications available – no charge!
A variety of track & field publications and posters are available to anyone
interested, free of charge, courtesy of Shooting Star Media, Inc., in
Madison, Wisconsin.
Back issues of American Track & Field and ATF Athletes Only are available by
contacting Shooting Star Publisher Larry Eder at (608) 239-3785.
There are roughly 45,000 magazines and 3,000 posters available. The deadline
for picking up your request is November 1, 2002. Shooting Star offers
discounted shipping rates to parties interested in large orders.
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