June 23, 2010
For Immediate
Release
DIAMOND LEAGUE DISTANCE
FIELDS RECORD-WORTHY
Eugene, Oregon—Of the two Diamond League distance races in the 36th
annual Prefontaine
Classic—the women’s Steeplechase and men’s 5000 Meters--one is certain
to see a
new record set, and that’s the newest addition to the international
women’s
program, the steeplechase.
The event has never before been run in the Pre Classic, so a new meet
record is a certainty. But this record will be no cream-puff, as the
gold,
silver and bronze medalists from last year’s Berlin World Championships
will
inaugurate the event in ten days at Hayward Field.
Marta Dominguez of Spain ,
Yuliya Zarudneva of Russia
and Milcah Chemnos of
Kenya
finished 1-2-3 a year ago, and they were ranked No. 1, 2, and 4 in the
world by
Track & Field News magazine. Joining them will be No. 8-ranked Sofia
Assefa of Ethiopia
and
brand new NCAA Champion Bridget Franek of the
U.S.
Besides the meet record,
the best time ever recorded on
U.S.
soil, 9:25.54, is almost certain to be eclipsed, as the top 3 have all
run
under 9:10.
The men’s 5000 holds similar record-setting potential. A
sub-13:00 clocking has never been achieved in the
U.S. ;
this is the field that can
finally do it. Some of the fastest runners of 2010 are in the race,
led
by Kenyans Eliud Kipchoge and Mathew Kisorio, plus
Ethiopians Imane
Merga and Tariku Bekele. Their times this year: 12:51.21,
12:57.83,
12:53.81, and 12:53.97. Add in Kenyan Edwin Soi, ranked No. 8
in
the world by T&FN, and American stars Chris Solinsky and Matt
Tegenkamp (both of whom are members of the sub-13:00 club), and no
fewer
than ten runners in the field have broken 13-minutes either last year
or
this. The best time ever run on American soil? 13:02.90 by Micah
Kogo of Kenya .
The Prefontaine Classic and Hayward Field record is 13:07.83, set by
Luke
Kipkosgei in 1998. Something’s got to give.
The NIKE Prefontaine Classic will be shown live on NBC and
to a world-wide television audience on Saturday, July 3rd. Tickets are
still
available from www.preclassic.com or from 1-800-WEBFOOT. To cope with demand, an additional 500 seats
are
being built this week at historic Hayward Field.
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