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DyeStat 2001 Indoor
LA Invitational
Preview - Open
from Press Releases by the LA Invitational
MEN'S MILE
Bernard Lagat, Olympic bronze medalist at 1500 meters in Sydney, will be matched against Jason Pyrah, the first American to make back-to-back 1500 Olympic finals since Dyrol Burleson (1960 and 1964).
Lagat is the 4th fastest ever at 3:28.51 (Zurich, 2000), and the latest gem in the great line of Kenyan milers started by Kip Keino. Lagat, who will try to become only the second runner to win the L.A. Invitational three straight times (after Steve Scott), graduated from Washington State with a degree in Management Information Systems.
Pyrah finished 9th in the 1500 finals in Atlanta and Sydney. The 30-year old Brigham Young graduate ran a lifetime best 3:36.70 in winning the U.S. Olympic Trials in Sacramento last year.
Rounding up the mile field are South Africa's Clyde Colenso, the 1999 NCAA 1500 champion; Stanford's Jonathon Riley, the third fastest collegiate runner in the country last year; former UCLA half-mile standout Jess Strutzel (US Olympic Trials finalist in the 800 who's moving up to the mile after winning the last two LA Invitationals 880), former Stanford standout Jason Lunn, who was fourth in the U.S. Olympic Trials at 1500-meters, and prep standout Ryan Hall of Big Bear, a serious threat to break the 4-minute limit.
WOMEN'S 50 METERS
Angela Williams &emdash; the two-time defending NCAA 100-meters champion for USC, has a chance to become the first sprinter ever, male or female, to win the NCAA title as a a frosh, soph, and junior. Two-time U.S. High School Athlete of the Year, national high school (11.13) and national junior record holder (11.08) in the 100. Ran a windy 10.98 in 1997 to become the first high school girl in history to break 11 seconds under any conditions.
Angela, who tied the national high school record in the 50 as a prep at the 1988 L>A. Invitational (6.32), wants to redeem herself after missing the U.S. team for Sydney. Without her, and with injuries to Inger Miller and Gail Devers, the U.S. 4x100 relay missed the gold, finishing third.
Williams will be challenged by Lakeisha Backus, a former Long Beach Poly state champion and Texas NCAA finalist (11.11 lifetime best in the 100), and Canada's Essy Benyarku.
WOMEN'S HIGH JUMP - Two-time Olympian and five-time NCAA champion Amy Acuff (6-6 3/4 lifetime best) will be matched against Gwen Wentland (6-5 career best).
MEN'S 600 METERS
Johnny Gray - The patriarch of U.S. track, a four-time Olympian,and 1992 Olympic bronze medalist, is coming back after announcing his retirement at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Gray, who'll turn 41 in June, still holds the U.S. records in the 800 (1:42.60 outdoors; 1:45.00 indoor), 880 indoor (1:46.8) and 1000 yards indoor (2:04.39).
MEN'S 50 METERS
Veteran Jeff Williams, a 5th place finisher in the Olympic 200 final in Atlanta and a 1995 World Championships bronze medalist, returns after injuries to face defending champion Gerald Williams (5.64 last year), Kaaron Conwright (10.05 in the 100), Milton Browne (10.07) and Jeff Laynes (10.01). Also, USC football standouts Darrell Rideaux and Miguel Fletcher.
MEN'S POLE VAULT
Russ Buller won the NCAA titles for LSU both indoor and outdoors last year and has a 19-0 1/4 lifetime best. He will be matched against Brent Burns (18-6 1/2) and, probably,
MEN'S 50 HURDLES
Eugene Swift, a 1996 Olympic finalist in the 110 hurdles, will face defending champion Rich Benoy.
MEN'S 880
Stanford's Michael Stember, a 1500 meters Olympian, will be matched against Barbados Olympian Milton Browne.
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