Alan Webb signs
rich deal with Nike
8/15/02--USA Today reported today that high school mile record holder Alan Webb has signed a professional contract with Nike. Although acknowledging that neither Nike nor Webb revealed the details, USA Today said the contract "is believed" to be a 6-year deal at $250,000 per year plus college costs, plus incentives.

Just a year ago, the Reston VA runner was basking in the glory of smashing Jim Ryun's legendary mile record with a run of 3:53.43 at the Prefontaine Classic (below) as his senior year was ending. Then came a troubled year at the University of Michigan marred by injury and training issues, after which he returned to Northern Virginia and sifted offers from Reebok, adidas and Nike. Webb will stay in Northern Virginia, enrolling at George Mason University and training under his South Lakes high school coach Scott Raczko, who reportedly gets a $25,000 annual salary from the Nike deal.

Nike announces Webb relationship
Here is the official statement of Nike:
"We are thrilled to have Alan Webb join our family of athletes," said John Capriotti, Nike's Global Director of Running Sports Marketing. "Nike has the largest youth running program in the country and we know Alan will be a great role model for young runners on and off the track. We are looking forward to a long and successful future with Alan representing our product and our brand."
Nike said the contract was effective immediately, but did not disclose details.
Full text of Nike announcement

photo by Erik Palmer at the 2001 Prefontaine Classic

Webb Watch
Coach Raczko outlines Alan Webb's pro training plan
Track writer Pearl Watts, who has covered HS mile record holder Alan Webb since his first cross country race as a freshman at South Lakes HS, Reston VA, found that Webb is on vacation, so he talked to South Lakes coach Scott Raczko, who will now coach Webb as he begins his professional career. Pearl's report
Frustration, Homesickness, Burnout caused Webb to leave Michigan
WASHINGTON DC 7/25/02 -- A Washington Post story today describes Alan Webb's freshman year at the University of Michigan and discusses his decision to return to Northern Virginia and high school coach Scott Raczko. Michigan coach Ron Warhurst reportedly told Webb, "You can't serve two masters." Parents wanted Webb to stay at Michigan, but also wanted Alan to pursue his dream, story says. Story by Jeff Passan.
Alan Webb pro contract may be near
WASHINGTON DC 7/18/02 - The Washington Times reported today that high school mile record holder Alan Webb is close to signing a lucrative professional contract with a shoe company. The Times said Webb "acknowledged" that Nike, Reebok, and adidas were interested in signing him. Citing "sources," the Times also said that Nike has offered $250,000 a year through 2008. According to the Times, Reebok marketing director Mark Bossardet wants to sign Webb, and he expects Webb to make a decision in the next couple of days. The Times article

Knoxville TN August 3-10 2002 AAU Junior Olympics DyeStat AAU JO home page - results and highlights. Best marks at Knoxville - 141 DyeStat Elite performances ranked. Complete results by age group

Day 8 Saturday 8/10 Sprint doubles by Rhysheka Whitmore in YG, J-Mee Samuels in IB, and Demi Omole in YM. Louisiana Roadrunners sweep IB and YM relays. YG: 13-year-old Rhysheka Whitmore GA sweeps sprints in 11.93 +0.9 and 24.27 +1.4. Ciara Willis GA 55.94 400m final. IG: Tiaerra McLaurin FL 11.85 +1.5 100m final. Gyaisha Hall TX 24.12 +4.4. Katrina Taylor LA 55.36 400m final. Kelly Robinson MI 10:09.91 3000m final. YW: Tempess Stark NC 11.80 +2.5 100m final. Yendy Gilchrist NY 24.25 +1.8 200m final (Priscilla Gaines GA 24.26). Okichi Ogbukiki NJ 55.26 400m final (Alycia Williams FL 55.54). Keystone PA sweeps relays in 46.70 and 3:42.34. IB: J-Mee Samuels NC sprint double 10.49 +2.4 and 20.87 +2.1 MR. Roadrunners LA sweep relays in 41.93 and 3:19.91. YM: Demi Omole WI sprint double in 10.37 +2.4 and 21.04 nwi. David Neville IN 47.34 400m final. Eric Fleming PA completes distance double with 8:37.73 3k. Roadrunners LA sweep relays in 41.15 and 3:12.47.

55 teams named
for Great American
Race of Champions
CHARLOTTE NC 8/6/02 -- Great American founder Rick Hill today named 55 teams (27 boys and 28 girls) to run in the Race of Champions, the most prestigious pair of the 22 races to be run at the 4th Great American Cross Country Festival at Ballantyne Resort September 27 and 28. Defending champion Kingwood TX boys and Saratoga NY girls return. Bobby Curtis KY, who won the Seeded Invitational race last year, will be in the ROC this year. Other top runners include Foot Locker national finalists Liza Pasciuto CA and Amber Harper UT, Saratoga NY freshman ace Nicole Blood, and Amanda and Katy Trotter of Red Bank NJ.. The Trotter twins are running cross country for the first time after leading Red Bank's distance medley team to a national indoor record (NSIC New York) and AOC Raleigh championship. Details

Double Sub-50 400H recalls Bob Bornkessel
of Kansas (49.8h at Lake Tahoe in 1968)
Bob Bornkessel, of Shawnee Mission North HS in Kansas, ran the 400 meter hurdles in 49.8h at the Olympic training camp at Lake Tahoe CA in 1968. Until this year no other high school runner had ever broken 50 seconds in this demanding event. Suddenly two runners broke Bornkessel's record in successive weeks. Kenneth Ferguson of Mumford Detroit MI set the new record at 49.38 while running second to Louis Van Zyl of South Africa at the World Junior Championships in Jamaica on July 19 (with Bershawn Jackson of Miami Central FL right behind in 50.00). Then on July 28 at the USATF Junior Olympics in Omaha, Laporte TX jr Kerron Clement beat Ferguson, 49.77 to 49.83. Ken Stone of masters.com wrote Bornkessel for his views on the loss of his record after 34 years. Bob Bornkessel's letter.

DyeStat hears . . .

July 31 update
1,700 College Choices by Class of 2002
1,700 choices by the class of 2002 based on information received through 7/31. Recent choices of note: Iowa high jump champ Crystal Hanson will play volleyball Maryland sprinter India Ransom will run for Miami FL. Football scholarships were signed by sprinter Edorian McCullough TX with Texas and thrower Mike D'Andrea OH with Ohio State. Texas 3A hurdle champion Dion Cooper signed with Texas. California discus champ Jarared Morgan is signed with Arizona State. Nebraska Class D shot put champion Tamara Burns will throw for Kansas State. Washington 3A triple gold and Mt. SAC Relays hurdle champ Ginnie Powell is travelling down the coast to Southern California. Georgia 4A 200 meter champ Carolyn O'Hora signed with Tennessee. Arizona and Great Southwest hurdles champion Jaime Cluff signed to run for UCLA. Jefferson Forest VA twins Shannon and Kristin Saunders will run for James Madison. If we missed any, send email to John Dye.
Thursday August 1 was last day to sign National Letter of Intent

July 31 update
2002 Outdoor DyeStat Elite - 4,742 performances listed!
This is the fourth list of the 2002 outdoor season. The database contains 7,877 performances meeting DyeStat Elite cutoffs, of which 4,742 performances from 714 meets are listed (only the season best performances for an athlete are listed). Lists will be closed at the end of the AAU Junior Olympics national finals in Knoxville August 10. Details

Iolani Update
Here are some early confirmed teams for the 4th Iolani Invitational in Hawaii September 21: Poly Long Beach CA girls, Gunn CA, Auburn Riverside WA, Rotorua Girls (New Zealand), Eisenhower WA, Crescent Valley OR, Montgomery Santa Rosa CA, Clovis East CA, Milikan CA, Valley Christian CA, Orange CA, Deer Valley CA, Chino CA, and Bingham UT.

All Ontario Championships
BELLEVILLE ONTARIO -- Some outstanding performances from the recent All-Ontario (OFSAA) Track and Field Championships may be of interest to Dyestat followers, since many of these athletes will be competing within the NCAA program over the next few years. Story and photo by Barrie Ontario coach Bonnie HolowchukUSA National Indoor to Boston?
Agence France-Presse reports that the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston is close to agreement with USATF for the USA National Indoor championships to be held at Reggie Lewis next year after a 1-year stay at the New York Armory.

It's Official
Foot Locker Cross Country National Finals
are returning to San Diego
NEW YORK, July 11, 2002—Foot Locker today announced that the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships National Finals race will be held at Morley Field in Balboa Park in San Diego, Calif. on Dec. 14, 2002. This move marks the return to the site of the first National Finals race held in 1979. Headquarters will be the Hotel Del Coronado. Details

 

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2002 Outdoor State Leaders Select a state from the menu to get the current state leaders for each event based on the DyeStat Elite database Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Bob Gourley's List
national hammer throw rankings
updated June 9

Michael Roth's
Race Walk
national rankings updated June 4

. . and Ohio too
Summer is the time for fun runs, and the McGregor twins of Arizona had fun at the Twinsburg OH Twins Festival on Sunday 8/4. Emily was the first woman at 17:12 and Valerie 2nd overall at 17:20. They were the second fastest twins overall. The sisters are vacationing and running in Ohio before returning for their senior year at Marana Mountain View high school near Tucson