Devers turns in a world leader at Tyson Foods Invitational
2-14-2004

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Gail Devers demonstrated her versatility showing her world-champion form Saturday at the Tyson Foods Invitational, winning the Verizon women’s 60 meters in world- leading fashion and the women’s 60m hurdles. A crowd of 4,241 fans filled the Randal Tyson Track Center to witness the action.

An Olympic gold medalist, Devers of Atlanta, Georgia, dedicated both her races to her high school math teacher who was injured in a freak car accident. In her first race of the evening, Devers got off to a quick start to win the Visa women’s 60m tying a world-leading best of 7.10 seconds and setting a new Randal Tyson Track Center record with her performance. She later ran the third fastest time in the world this year with her hurdles mark of 7.87. “I needed to work on my speed for the hurdles. I didn’t feel so good for the start and third step,” said Devers.

Olympic gold medalist Stacy Dragila currently residing in Phoenix, Ariz., cleared 4.71 meters/15 feet, 5.50 inches to win the Visa women’s pole vault. She fell short in three attempts to clear the world-record of 4.81m/15-9.25. In the process, Dragila beat her own Randal Tyson Track Center record.

In the men’s 200m, University of Arkansas sophomore Tyson Gay (Lexington, Ky.) clocked in a world-leading performance with a time of 20.64 seconds. Defending NCAA champion Leo Bookman was second in 20.82, while Americans Coby Miller (Auburn, Ala.) and Shawn Crawford (Raleigh, N.C.) finished third (20.94) and fourth (20.97) respectively.

Allen Johnson (Irmo, S.C.) continued his Golden Spike Tour winning streak in the men’s 60m hurdles, clocking in 7.56 seconds. The 1996 Olympic 110m hurdles gold medalist, Johnson doubled in the 60m dash earlier in the evening, finishing fifth.

Americans Mickey Grimes of Colton, Calif., (6.61) and Steve Mullings (6.65) claimed second and third in a close 60m dash with Darrel Brown (6.59) of Trinidad finishing first. 2003 U.S. 800m Indoor champion Nicole Teter of Redwood City, Calif., (2:02.16) and last week’s Verizon Millrose Games 800m champion Hazel Clark of Knoxville, Tenn., (2:02.34) finished second and third respectively, behind Meskeren Legesse (2:01.03) of Ethiopia in the Sunny D Intense Sport Drink women’s 800 meters. American David Krummenacker (Tucson, Ariz.) finished third behind Berhanu Alemu of Ethiopia winner (1:45.85) and Osmar dos Santos of Brazil was runner-up (1:45.96) in the men’s 800 meters.

Milton Campbell, the 1999 and 2001 World Championships silver medalist, ran 46.32 and Corey Nelson (46.40) finished second and third in the men’s 400m to winner Alleyne Francique (45.90) of Grenada.

Americans Carrie Tollefson of Edina, Minn., (8:55.36) and Shayne Culpepper of Boulder, Colo., (8:55.42) finished second and third to winner Sentayehu Ejigu (8:55.17) in the women’s 3,000 meter run.

The University of Arkansas senior, Allistair Cragg ran 7:38.59 to set a collegiate men’s record in the men 3,000m. Cragg bettered the previous record of 7:44.90 set by Nick Willis of Michigan. The four-time NCAA champion from South Africa finished second to Boaz Cheboiywo of Kenya who ran 7:38.30 to set a Tyson Track center record.

American Allen Sims (16.73m/54-10.75) of the University of Southern California finished second in the men’s triple jump to Leevan Sands (17.02m/55-10.25) from the Bahamas and Auburn.

American Alan Webb (Reston, Va.) in his first indoor mile of the year finished fourth with a time of 3:57.52 behind winner Paul Korir (3:53.26) of Kenya, runner-up Laban Rotich (3:55.93) of Kenya and third place finisher Kevin Sullivan (3:56.57) of Canada.

On his first jump of the competition Savante Stringfellow (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) leaped a world-leading mark of 8.41 meters/ 27 feet, 7.25 inches Friday night to win the men’s long jump. The 2000 Olympian, Stringfellow enjoys performing in front of a U.S. crowd. “Performing in front a nice crowd brings the best in my performance. This was the meet I wanted to jump far and it would tell where I was mentally and physically,” said Stringfellow. With his performance, the Mississippi native bettered his previous personal best of 8.29m/27-2.50 set last year at the Tyson Foods Invitational. “When the stakes are raised I know I will be raised to a higher level in preparation to make Budapest (World Indoor Champs) a more ‘golden experience,’ ” Stringfellow continued.

Sanya Richards ran a world-leading time of 51.45 seconds Friday and broke her World Junior Indoor record in winning the women’s 400m college invitational. Richards a freshman at the University of Texas bettered her previous record of 52.10 seconds set in 2002 at New York City. With her performance the 2003 World Outdoor gold medalist set a Randal Tyson Track Complex record bettering Lashinda Demus’ 51.79 in March of 2003. Also in Friday’s competition, Indoor & Outdoor American record holder, Jeff Hartwig cleared 5.71m/18-08.75 to win the men’s pole vault invitational. The 2002 USA Indoor Championships shot put runner-up, Christian Cantwell tossed 20.35m/66-09.25 to win the men’s shot put invitational.

USA Track & Field’s Golden Indoor Golden Spike Tour concludes with the 2004 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships February 27-29 at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Boston, Mass. Tickets are still available for the meet. For more information, go to www.usatf.org.

For complete results from today’s meet, go to www.usatf.org.

Athlete quotes – Tyson Foods Invitational, Saturday, February 14, 2004

Savante Stringfellow - 1st, men’s long jump: “I felt pretty good on my first jump. This was a big relief. I think the Golden Spike Tour is great because the U.S. gets to see that we are the best in the world. I have had a big transition with change of coaches. I don’t think I was not as focused as I should have been last year. I was doing a lot of working out on my own and picking up bad habits. It’s always great competing here at the Randal Tyson Track.”

Nicole Teter – 2nd Women’s 800 Meters “ I’m pretty happy with how I did today. I keep improving my time. I got a 2.03 at Boston and a 2.02 here so I am improving. I positioned myself well in the beginning and there wasn’t a lot of bumping around for me. I made a really good move with about 250m to go and that’s what got me second place. The move early established my position.”

Hazel Clark – 3rd Women’s 800 Meters “This race was a little tough for me. This was the first time I’ve run this fast in a while indoors. I’m really just coming back to my fitness but I felt really good about it. I led the race which was a little bit harder but I felt like a runner. This is about how I wanted to run today. I’m pleased.”

Milton Campbell – 2nd Men’s 400 Meters “ I am pleased with my performance. I’m a little disappointed with some of the things that happened in the beginning but you live and you learn. I felt like I got a good start. I knew getting to the break would be critical because I am a front runner and I really wanted to establish a race. I was expecting some pushing and shoving so I was prepared for that.”

Jenny Adams – 3rd Women 60 Meter Hurdles “ I thought I had a great second half. It’s hard to recover if you don’t have an aggressive start. I’m really happy with how I recovered. If I get the first half going right then I’ll be great.”

Daniel Lincoln – 3rd Men 3000 Meter Run “I came in going for it. I knew it would be close, and I was nervous. I was even nervous when I was running. I locked up out of excitement. I lost a second in the middle and had a perfect chance. There was a little different order, but a nice switch. It was a great race, I just came up a little shy.”

David Krummenacker – 3rd Men 800 Meter Run “ I thought I did really good today and I was really pleased because this was my seconded fastest time ever in indoor. I haven’t been really training for indoor so I was pretty amazed by that. I am really focusing on outdoor this season. My start was really slow. I haven’t been doing a lot of speed work indoor. It’s hard to get out fast if you are not doing much speed. I felt real good about my race overall.”

Allen Johnson – 5th Men 60 Meter dash and 1st 60 Meter Hurdles “ I think I did ok today. It wasn’t one of my best races but you can’t have the best day every day. It was good enough for what I wanted to do today. I wanted to have a good 60 which I did and I came back and won the hurdles so it was a good day’s work. I started off pretty well, basically everything was pretty good. What I do for indoors is going to set me up for outdoors.”

Gail Devers – 1st Women 60 Meter Dash and 1st 60 Meter Hurdles “Today was a tough workout. I needed the work. I dedicated both my races to my high school math teacher. She was injured in a freak accident. She taught that first impressions are important and was meticulous in what we had to turn in. I needed to work on my speed for the hurdles. I didn’t feel so good for the start and third step. I tried to settle myself down on the hurdles. I needed a double workout today and I’m thankful for that. I’ve been finding passion for running because I really don’t like to run. I like to teach through my track. Running for other people is a great feeling. My focus is on (Indoor) Nationals and the Olympics aren’t my focus right now.

Alan Webb – 4th Men’s Mile “I felt the pace was real fast in the beginning. This is my first mile of the year and I’d new it’d be fast. I didn’t know how it’d affect me. This is a great finish to a two-week sting. I feel great and will focus to get reading for the Olympic Trials.

Stacy Dragila – 1st Women’s Pole Vault “I kind of started out here and there and it took me a couple of runs to get back into rhythm. My jump today gave me a lot of confidence. I’m really pleased with today. I would have loved to had a world record this week, but this just keeps me hungry for nationals (in two weeks).

It’s fun to be indoors in an intimate setting like this. I love coming here, it’s great.”

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