INDIANAPOLIS – One of the world’s finest hurdlers, Lolo Jones, will lead Team USA this Saturday at the 2011 Five Nations Match in Glasgow, Scotland.
The Five Nations Match features one athlete in each event in a unique country vs. country format that showcases competitors from different nations battling against each other to earn points towards their teams overall match total. Last year, Great Britain & Northern Ireland won the event with 63 points, with Team USA finishing second with 60 points and Germany third with 51 points. The Commonwealth Select squad was fourth with 49 points and Sweden placed fifth with 30 points
Jones among the world’s best
Long recognized as one of the world’s finest hurdlers, Lolo Jones had one of her finest seasons in 2010 highlighted by winning the gold medal in the 60m hurdles at the World Indoor Championships in the American record time of 7.72 seconds. Her performance was the fastest time in the world that season. In addition, Jones won the USA Outdoor 100m hurdles title and picked up IAAF Diamond League victories in Monaco, New York, Oslo, Gateshead and Doha.
Jones, who finished second in the IAAF Diamond League competition in the 100m hurdles, ended the season ranked #3 in the world by Track & Field News.
Additional members of Team USA that will compete in Glasgow include:
Women
60m: The 2009 NCAA Outdoor 100m champion, Alexandria Anderson was a Team USA relay pool member at the 2009 World Outdoor Championships, who placed fifth at last year’s USA Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Iowa.
200m: Consuella Moore captured her first USA Outdoor title with her win in the Visa Women's 200m in a personal best 22.40 seconds at the 2010 USA Outdoor Championships. Moore made the 4x100m relay pool for Team USA at the Olympic Games after her fifth-place finish in the 200m at the 2004 Olympic Trials.
400m: The bronze medalist at the 2008 World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain (51.41 PR), Shareese Woods also earned a gold medal at the 2006 NACAC Championships as a member of Team USA’s winning 4x100m relay squad.
800m: The up-and-coming Molly Beckwith, who competed for Indiana University last year, was the runner-up in the 800m at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships. She finished last season ranked #9 in the U.S. by T&FN.
1,500m: As a senior at the University of West Virginia, Karly Hamric earned All-America honors at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships after finishing sixth in the 1,500m final in 4:17.78.
3.000m: Representing Team USA in this event will be Allison Kieffer, who recently finished third at the 2010 Emerald Nuts Midnight Run 4 Mile in New York in 21:37. Kiefer was a high school All-American before later competing for Wake Forest University.
Pole Vault: A 2008 and 20010 All-American at the University of Wisconsin, Jenny Soceka set the Big Ten Conference outdoor record in the pole vault last year at the Wisconsin Track Club Summer Track Series meet with her clearance of 4.36m/14-3.5.
Long Jump: The 12th place finisher at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Funmi Jimoh was also a member of the 2009 World Outdoor Championships team. She finished the 2010 campaign ranked #4 in the U.S. by T&FN.
Women’s Coach: Rose Monday
Trainer: Ralph Reiff
For more information on USA Track & Field and Team USA at the 2011 Five Nations Match, visit: www.usatf.org.
