INDIANAPOLIS - Olympic medalists including Allyson Felix, Lauryn Williams and Sanya Richards are just a few of the big names slated to compete Saturday at the 2009 adidas Track Classic at the Home Depot Center on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills, in Carson, Calif.
The third stop of USA Track & Field's 2009 Visa Championship Series, the adidas Track Classic will be televised live on ESPN2 from 8:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Six of the top eight fastest women in America will face off in the women's 100 meters. Led by 2004 Olympic silver and two-time World Outdoor medalist Lauryn Williams, the field also includes Marshevet Hooker, #6 world-ranked by Track & Field News; Olympic 100m and 200m finalist Muna Lee; 2003 World Outdoor champion Torri Edwards; 2007 World Outdoor bronze medalist Carmelita Jeter; and 2008 NCAA Indoor 200m champion Bianca Knight.
Two-time Olympic silver medalist Allyson Felix is the class of the field in the women's 200m, having been ranked in the top two in the world in her specialty for the past five years. 2008 Olympic 400m bronze medalist Sanya Richards, ranked #6 in the world over 200m by Track & Field News, will look to thwart Felix. Also entered are 2004 Olympian LaShaunte'a Moore and 2006 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor champion Shalonda Solomon.
2008 Olympic silver medalist and American Indoor and Outdoor record-holder Jenn Stuczynski leads the field in the women's pole vault. 2000 Olympic gold medalist and two-time World Outdoor champion Stacy Dragila and 2008 Olympic finalist April Steiner-Bennett are also entered.
In the women's 800m, four-time USA Outdoor champion and three-time Olympian Hazel Clark will face Jamaica's Kenia Sinclair, who led the Jamaican SMR to a World best at the Penn Relays with her 1:57.43 split.
American record-holder and Olympic bronze medalist Shalane Flanagan headlines the women's 5,000m in a field where her top rivals will be Ethiopian sisters Ejegayehu and Genzebe Dibaba. Ejegayehu is the 2004 Olympic silver medalist at 10,000m and 2005 World Championships bronze medalist at both 5000m and 10,000m, while younger sister Genzebe is a two-time World Junior Cross Country champion and last weekend won the Ethiopian senior 5,000m national title at only 18 years old.
Reigning Olympic gold medalist Dawn Harper will take on two-time World Outdoor champion Michelle Perry in the women's 100m hurdles. Two-time USA Outdoor champion Ginnie Powell and 2008 World Indoor silver medalist Candice Davis will also be in the mix.
Other athletes to watch for include 2008 Olympic 4x400m gold medalist Natasha Hastings, who recently ran her entire leg of the 4x400 at the Penn Relays with only one 2008 Olympic Trials champion and Olympic Games finalist Anna Willard will run the women's 3,000m steeplechase.
