Summer 2010

Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
USA TRACK & FIELD
ATTN: ELITE ATHLETE PROGRAMS
132 EAST WASHINGTON STREET
SUITE 800
INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46204
PAID
Indianapolis, IN
Permit No. 6287
SUMMER 2010
I M P O R TA N T
D AT E S
August 19, 2010
Weltklasse Zürich *DL
Zurich, Switzerland
August 27, 2010
Belgacom Memorial Van Damme *DL
Brussels, Belgium
August 27–29, 2010
USATF Associations Workshop
Buffalo, NY
September 4–5
IAAF Continental Cup
Split, Croatia
October 16, 2010
IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
Nanning, China
December 1–5, 2010
USATF Annual Meeting
Virginia Beach, Va.
2010 Outdoor Champions
Chaunte Lowe and
Bershawn Jackson
NOTE: Schedule is subject to change
IN S IDE TH IS IS S U E
LOGAN’S LOGBOOK
VISA CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
BY VICKY ODDI
Visa Championship Series:
adidas Grand Prix......................................3
Visa Championship Series:
Outdoor Championships ..........................4
Visa Championship Series:
Nike Prefontaine Classic Recap ..............6
Fashion Flashback ....................................8
USATF Champion Spotlight:
Chaunte Lowe ........................................11
USATF News............................................12
News & Notes ........................................13
Elite Athlete Announcements ................14
AAC Contacts ..........................................15
Tangle of the 200m titans
at adidas Grand Prix
Elite Beat © is an official publication of
USA Track & Field
132 E. Washington St., Suite 800
Indianapolis, IN 46204
published quarterly by USA Track & Field.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ivan P. Cropper
EDITOR Vicky Oddi
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Michele Cooper
DESIGN & LAYOUT
Basedoor Graphics LLC, Newtown, CT
Doug
PRINTED BY
Sport Graphics, Indianapolis, IN
COVER PHOTO
Victah Sailer/Photo Run and Kirby Lee/Image of Sport
O F F I C I A L U S AT F S P O N S O R S
Top left: Allyson Felix, Veronica Campbell-Brown; Top right: Kerron
Clement; Bottom right: Brianna Glenn
OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS
T
his year’s adidas Grand Prix played host to one
of the hottest rivalries in track and field. It was a
USA vs. Jamaica showdown over 200m: Allyson
Felix vs. Veronica Campbell-Brown.
The women’s 200m was to be the crowning event at
this year’s adidas Grand Prix, which was the second stop
on the Visa Championship Series, and the first stop on
American soil for the IAAF’s Samsung Diamond League.
Heading into the competition, Felix had only two
losses to Campbell-Brown over 200m, but they happened
to be at the most important event in an athlete’s career—
the Olympic Games. In 2004 and 2008, Campbell-Brown
struck gold at the Olympics while Felix settled for silver.
When the gun went off, Campbell-Brown opened
a powerful lead off the curve, leaving Felix trailing by
several meters. But Felix closed the gap in the final
50 meters, and was almost even with Campbell-Brown
steps before the line. In those last few meters, CampbellBrown was able to pull away for the win, crossing the
line in a world-leading meet record 21.98 to Felix’s
runner-up 22.03. The rivalry now sits at Felix: 6, Campbell-Brown: 3.
The adidas Grand Prix celebrated its sixth year as
a worldwide athletics attraction with an internationally
renowned, record-breaking, and heart-stopping party
in New York at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island. It had
a sold-out crowd chanting, screaming, and begging for
more as a VIP list of track and field Olympians and world
champions set nine meet records, four world-leading
marks and two national records. #
For complete results from the 2010 adidas Grand Prix,
visit www.visachampionshipseries.com.
VICTAH SAILER/PHOTO RUN
AT SOME POINT, people will wake
up to reality, stop referring to years in
which there are no Olympic Games or
World Championships as “off years”
and start calling them “bring it on
years”. This summer is my first as
CEO during a supposed “off year”, but
athlete performances are blowing the
lid off the notion that you are taking
this time to rest, relax or live it up.
American records by Chaunte Lowe, David Oliver, Kara
Patterson, Chris Solinsky and Bernard Lagat are just the start
of a summer already full of outstanding performances.
Likewise, the National Office is doing anything but resting
during this “bring it on” year. The High Performance Department
has launched a new web site (www.usatfhighperformance.com)
that keeps you up to date on anything and everything you need
to know about funding programs, competitive opportunities,
and development programs. In the last several months, we have
had our first two Sport Science Workshops, launched Project 30
and started funding International Competitive Opportunities
for athletes—all first-time programs. And we are continuing to
evaluate and hone our athlete communication channels with
athletes as technology continues to evolve.
By the time the door closes on this summer season, I’m
sure there will be still more records and wins to report on.
And of course, there is a global championship of sorts this year,
as we join forces with our friends from Central and South
America for the IAAF Continental Cup this September in
Split, Croatia.
Bring it on!
THE OREGONIAN
Logan’s Logbook ......................................2
Lolo Jones
3
VISA CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
BY TOM SURBER
Jenn Suhr
Wallace Spearmon
Amy Yoder Begley
USA OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS HIGHLIGHTS
During the four days of senior competition at the 2010 USA Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, two American records
were set, seven world-leading marks were made, and 16 Drake Stadium records were established. Other highlights from the
2010 USA Outdoor Championships in June include:
Jackson, Lowe capture Visa Championship Series titles at
USA Outdoor Championships
O
KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT
n the penultimate day of competition at the 2010
USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at
Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa, Bershawn
Jackson and Chaunte Lowe won their respective events and
cemented their lead in the race for the Visa Championship.
Bershawn “Batman” Jackson and the
University of South Carolina’s Johnny
Dutch staged a spirited battle down the
stretch of the Hershey’s Men’s 400mH
final. Coming over the final hurdle even
with Dutch, Jackson demonstrated his
signature burst and lengthened his lead all the way to the
finish. Jackson’s winning time of 47.32 seconds was the
fastest time in the world to date, and the best performance
anywhere since the 2008 Olympic Games. Jackson tallied
1,256 points in winning the men’s crown.
On the same day that “Batman” secured the men’s title,
Chaunte Lowe set an American record in winning the
4
women’s high jump with a clearance of 2.05m/6-8.75 on
her final attempt. Lowe remained on the high jump pit for
nearly a minute in tears after setting the record.
Lowe’s performance bettered her own AR of 2.04m/
6-8.5 set on May 30 at Cottbus, Germany, and equaled
the nation’s best ever all-comers record
originally set by Stefka Kostadinova of
Bulgaria in 1996. She is tied with four
others as the eighth-best performer alltime in this event, and this is the fourth
U.S. Outdoor title of her career (’06, ’08,
’09, ’10). Lowe won the women’s Outdoor Visa Championship Series title with 1,248 points.
Both Jackson’s and Lowe’s performances were strong
enough to withstand all challengers on the final day of
competition, claiming the title and honor of 2010 Outdoor
Visa Champions. For their efforts, Jackson and Lowe were
each presented with a $25,000 bonus from Visa. #
OLIVER, FOUNTAIN, JONES: KIRBY LEE/THE SPORTING IMAGE; ALL OTHER PHOTOS: VICTAH SAILER/PHOTO RUN
Newly crowned Visa Champions,
Chaunte Lowe and Bershawn Jackson
Former Purdue standout
and 2009 Big Ten champion
Kara Patterson won her
second consecutive U.S.
women’s javelin throw title
with her final attempt that
soared to 66.67m/218-8,
which bettered the previous
AR of 64.19m/210-7 set by
Kim Kreiner in 2007.
2008 Olympic Games silver
medalist Hyleas Fountain
captured the fourth national
women’s heptathlon title of
her career with a personal
best total of 6,735 points.
2008 Olympic Games
bronze medalist David
Oliver captured his second
USA Outdoor men’s 110m
Hurdles title, grabbing the
lead early and running clean
over the hurdles throughout
to win in 12.93, the fastest
winning time at the championships since 1996, when
Allen Johnson won in 12.92.
2008 Olympic finalist
Jillian Camarena won
the second U.S. Outdoor
Championship women’s
shot put title of her career
with her fourth round toss
of 19.13m/62-9.25.
Reigning World Outdoor
champion Christian
Cantwell showed little
mercy to a very talented
field in winning the Visa
Men’s Shot Put with a best
throw of 21.65m/71-0.5.
Cantwell posted five of the
six top throws in the competition.
Des Moines native and
two-time World Indoor
champion and two-time
Indoor Visa Champion
Lolo Jones thrilled her
hometown crowd with
a victory in the Visa
Women’s 100m Hurdles.
Jones grabbed the win
in 12.69 seconds.
5
KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT
David Oliver
PREFONTAINE
CHAMPIONS
REWRITE RECORD
BOOKS
BY ABBEY DORAN & AMANDA STEWART
T
his year’s Nike Prefontaine Classic outstanding
performances resulted in some editing to the record
books, and were led by another sizzling performance from David Oliver in the men’s 110m hurdles. The
action took place on a beautiful sunny day
in front of an appreciative standing room
only crowd for the 15th consecutive year.
The highlight of the day was 2008
Olympic Games bronze medalist Oliver’s
6
incredible finish in the men’s 110m hurdles. Dominating
a strong field, Oliver finished with a time of 12.90 which
equaled the third-fastest time ever in the men’s 110m
hurdles. Hot off of his win at the USA Outdoor Championships, Oliver had a strong start,
grabbing the lead by the fourth hurdle
and increasing that margin the rest of the
way. Improving on his world-leading time
from USA Outdoors, his performance
Clockwise from top left: Lashinda Demus;
Kara Patterson; Tyson Gay and Walter Dix
equaled the American record posted by
Dominique Arnold on July 11, 2006. For
his efforts, Oliver was named Athlete of
the Meet presented by Visa.
The women’s 100m featured three of
the top sprinters in the world—a definite recipe for a
thrilling race. Once again, the crowd was treated to a spectacular show as the top four finishers all ran sub-11 races.
World leader Veronica Campbell-Brown and reigning
World Outdoor champion Shelly-Ann Fraser claimed the
top two spots in 10.78 and 10.82, while two-time World
Outdoor bronze medalist Carmelita Jeter narrowly finished
third in 10.83. 2004 Olympian LaShauntae Moore, who
ran a sub-11 race earlier this season, just squeezed in under
11 seconds once again in 10.99.
There was plenty of action in the field as well, with
reigning World Outdoor champion Christian Cantwell
improving on his world-leading mark with a throw of
22.41m/73-6.25. Ranked first in the world through the
entire season, the 2010 USA Outdoor champion led the
field from the first to the final throw. In the women’s
javelin, 2008 Olympian Kara Patterson posted a meet
record with her winning toss of 65.90m/216-2, which
ranks second on the all-time U.S. list only to her AR,
which she set earlier at the 2010 USA Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. #
For complete results from the 2010 Nike Prefontaine
Classic, visit www.visachampionshipseries.com.
7
USATF employees Blake Williams,
Susie Rivard, Abbey Doran
and Phil Bastron modeling
the ’79 collection
W
ith this summer’s sweltering heat came hot and hip
new USATF merchandise.
June marked the release of
one-of-a-kind 1979 replica USATF
gear. The bubbly letters, baby blue
colors, and double-lined “79” recall
the disco-dancing days. Even the simple design but trail-ready support of
the limited-edition Nike/USATF
Lunar Fly shoe emulates Steve Prefontaine’s cool yet competitive style.
Inspired by USATF’s 30th
Anniversary Celebration, the ’79 collection rewinds back to USATF’s
creation via the Amateur Sports Act.
This Congressional act established
The Athletic Congress (TAC). After
remaining TAC for 13 years, the organization looked to increase the
sport’s recognition within the United
States adopting the logical name of
“USA Track & Field”.
ALL PHOTOS: USATF
FROM COTTON TO COOL
USA Track & Field’s merchandise has
a relatively short but vibrant history.
From simple cotton tees with the old
USATF triangle logo to breathable
Nike dri-fit knit zip-ups with the
USATF’s wings logo, USATF’s merchandise has come a long way.
When Jed Cornforth, the Associate Director of Operations, was hired
in May 2003 to manage USA Track
& Field’s merchandise program, he
was filled with the same pre-race
nervous excitement he had felt in
his own “good ole days” running for
Hastings College in Nebraska.
“I walked into a small 1,800 sq. ft.
storage room that was overflowing
with 80 or so unmarked boxes,” sighs
Cornforth. “The team had just come
back from an event, and I could tell by
FASHION FLASHBACK
BY MCKENZE ROGERS
8
Bastron modeling ’79 collection (left); Limited edition Nike/USATF Lunar
Fly shoe (top right); USATF merchandise at 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials
(bottom right)
the disarray that they were relieved to
pass the responsibility and let someone else handle it.”
While sifting through the mess,
Cornforth found a modest selection
of three different t-shirts (and yes,
just in cotton), one style of sweatshirt,
and a navy blue fleece. While it was
a scarce offering, Cornforth’s past
experience as a runner and as an employee for a performance apparel
company in his Colorado hometown,
made him believe it would sell.
Cornforth also recognized the
value of having Nike as a partner in
building the merchandise program.
Capitalizing on this relationship and
the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials
in Sacramento helped make the revamped product offering a huge
success with track and field fans.
“Property of USA Track & Field” cotton tees, fleeces, backpacks and hats
adorned in patriotic red, white, and
blue saw sales reach over $150,000.
Subsequently, Nike invited
Cornforth and Ivan Cropper, Sr.
Director of Marketing & Communications, to meet on a quarterly basis
to review their product catalogues.
Access to technical apparel and the
opportunity to be involved in creative
discussions were paramount
to continued growth. By
2005, the organization
was receiving 200 boxes of
USATF/Nike merchandise
compared to just 50 boxes
previously.
FROM COOL TO BOLD
These developments not only allowed
Cornforth to hire more help, but
also played a role in the 2007 USATF
brand redesign which resulted in
USATF’s winged logo.
“The new logo was partially
designed with merchandise in mind,”
admits Cornforth. “Creating a look
that resonated with customers and
members was the goal. Because the
new logo has many variations and is
applicable to all lines of merchandise,
it has been a tremendous change. We
can be creative with how it is used,
and make the apparel more fashionable, trendy, and eye-catching.”
A recent case in point is the unique
“run, jump, and throw” tees based on
the bold prints and tattoo-like graphics
seen on Ed Hardy apparel (coined with
the track & field moniker “Trey Hardee
tees” by USATF staff ).
Realizing that USATF merchandise was gaining a fan base and brand
loyalty, Cornforth moved from a
“put it out there and see what sticks”
philosophy to a strong reliance on
his customers’ feedback. Face-to-face
interviews, email surveys, customer
polling, and sales reports influenced
USATF merchandise plans moving
into the next critical Olympic season.
FROM BOLD TO BOUNDLESS
This research, coupled with an
extensive business plan for a mobile
marketing tour allowed Cornforth and
his team to reach another milestone in
April, 2008. A 60-ft. truck and trailer
named “Lucy” vibrantly wrapped
in stars and stripes along with bold
images of USATF athletes hit the
pavement. By the end of the year, tour
CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
9
USATF CHAMPION SPOTLIGHT
t "SF ZPV UBLJOH EJFUBSZ TVQQMFNFOUT
t "SF UIFZ TBGF
t 8JMM UIFZ MFBE UP B QPTJUJWF ESVH UFTU
t 5IF 3&$ IBT "/48&34
Call: UPMM GSFF
PS
Y
Online: XXXESVHGSFFTQPSUDPNSFD
Organization: 64" 5SBDL 'JFME
Password: usatfgold
5IF 3&$ EPFT OPU SFDPNNFOE UIF VTF PG TVQQMFNFOUT
Supplement
pp
Warning:
g YOU are responsible for any substance you put in your body and the
use of any dietary supplement is at your own risk. Many dietary supplements sold over the counter
and through the internet contain substances that are prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Code. The
presence of a prohibited substance in your urine can result in a positive test and a doping offense
regardless of how the substance got there. Contact the REC BEFORE taking any dietary supplement.
Another one for the
record books
vote and hire several more tour
operators. For their debut at USA
vs. the World at the Penn Relays in
April, Miles and Dash contributed
to on-site merchandise sales reaching
the organization’s second-highest
return ever.
A
“Fans really want to wear what athletes
are wearing … this is a strong message
to USATF athletes, and proves that
the public has a keen interest in them.”
“It is definite validation that our
plan is working, and that the calculated risks we’ve taken by adding more
vehicles and personnel is helping the
business grow,” says Cornforth. “You
can’t imagine the gratification going
from a program based on a pile of
boxes to having a truck, two vans,
and a demand for more.” #
To see the latest apparel or find out
if Lucy, Miles or Dash might stop in
your area, go to www.usatf.org
AR PHOTO: VICTAH SAILER/PHOTO RUN; OTHER PHOTOS: KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT
2008 U.S. Olympic Team
Trials. The product offering at
the Trials featured 90 percent
technical apparel and accessories with American-themed
designs and various artistic
renditions of the USATF logo.
2008 sales doubled that of the
2004 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Evidence that Team USA
gear was in high demand, the release of 2004 Athens apparel on
the day of the Beijing Olympics
Opening Ceremony spiked
USATF sales to its highest point
to date. “Fans really want to
wear what athletes are wearing,”
comments Cornforth. “This is a
Top: A tour operator checks out the Eugene
strong message to USATF athRunning Company. Bottom: Lucy takes a break
letes, and proves that the public
while traveling through Utah
has a keen interest in them.”
operators had driven Lucy to 31 difEarlier this year, based on the
ferent events from coast to coast.
growth of the program, Cornforth
During the tour, the truck
was able to roll out two more vans,
made an important stop in Eugene
coined “Miles” and “Dash”, as a
at Oregon’s Hayward Field for the
result of a USATF Facebook fan
BY AMANDA STEWART
s the summer of 2010 rounds the corner, one
cannot help but to marvel at the accomplishments of our American athletes and their year
of outstanding record-breaking performances.
One could argue in favor of
any of the summer’s record-breaking performances as the season
highlight, but in one high jumper’s
biased opinion, Lowe takes home
the award for the breakout performer of the year with her pure
competitive talent and genuine
personality.
Having broken the 22-yearold American record on May 30,
in Cottbus, Germany with a
clearance of 2.04m/6-8.5, reigning USA Indoor and Outdoor
champion Lowe one-upped
herself by beating her own record
at the 2010 USA Outdoor Track
& Field Championships with a clearance of 2.05m/
6-8.75. This clearance was good enough to defend her
national championship crown and to confirm her further
ascension to be the top challenger of the once-unbeatable
Blanka Vlasic.
The American record capped a season of great
performances by Lowe. She’s been more consistent in
2010 than she’s ever been. Entering the 2010 season
ranked #1 in the U.S. by Track & Field News, Lowe
continued her excellence by claiming the 2010 Indoor
Championships title before finishing third at World
Indoors. Now, after taking the 2010 USA Outdoor title,
she holds the title of four-time USA Outdoor champion
Chaunte Lowe in action as she wins
the high jump (left), takes second in
the long jump (right) and poses with
her AR board (bottom).
as well as the women’s high jump American record
holder. Including competitions up to Meeting Areva in
Paris, France, Lowe had cleared 2.00m/6-6.75 or higher
eight times in the 2010 season. Compare
that to last year’s season best of 1.98m/
AMERICAN RECORDS THIS SEASON
6-6, and it is very clear that Lowe has
Chris Solinsky – m10,000m AR – 26:59.60, Payton Jordan Cardinal Invite
turned up the heat this season.
Chaunte Lowe – wHJ AR – 2.04m/6-8.25, Cottbus, Germany
Lowe setting the American record
Bernard Lagat – m5,000m AR – 12:54.12, Oslo
should have come as no surprise. StandKara Patterson – wJT AR - 66.67m/218-8, Outdoor Champs
out performances early on, such as
Chaunte Lowe – wHJ AR – 2.05m/6-8.75, Outdoor Champs
claiming two National Scholastic chamDavid Oliver – tied m110mH AR – 12.90, Nike Pre Classic
pionships and three NCAA titles, were
David Oliver – m110mH AR – 12.89, Paris
just the beginning for her. Since then,
CONTINUED ON PAGE 15
11
USATF NEWS
USATF NEWS & NOTES
BY TOM SURBER
Past president Patricia Rico passes
12
association with Olympic sports’
administrative body, the AAU, and
continued her service when The
Athletics Congress (TAC) became
the national governing body for
track in 1979. The organization
was renamed USATF in 1992. Ms.
Rico was the only person to sit on
the initial board of directors of the
organization from its inception in
1979 until the board was restructured in late 2008.
She served as chair of the
women’s track and field committee
for two terms (1971–75, 1984–88).
Elected to the IAAF Women’s Committee in 1976 and served through
1999, Rico fought successfully to
broaden women’s events in the
Olympic program. She served
on several international Team
USA staffs, including the 1984
Olympics as women’s head
manager and as chef de mission
for the 1986 Goodwill Games.
Among the many hats she
wore in her half-century service
to the sport, Ms. Rico served as
a referee at the 1996 Olympic
Games in Atlanta, and carried
out similar duties at no fewer
than four NCAA Outdoor
Championships, the 1987 Pan
American Games and the 1976
Olympic Trials. She was the
International Technical Official
at the 1992 Olympic Games in
Barcelona, and was head manager for the U.S. women’s track
team at the 1977 IAAF World
Cup and the 1991 World Outdoor Championships.
She was also a meet administrator, working as assistant
meet director with her late
husband, Heliodoro, for the
USA/Mobil Indoor Track & Field
Championships from 1979–1995.
Mr. Rico, also a longtime activist in
the sport, died on June 29, 2006.
Pat and Helio Rico together were
named the recipients of USATF’s
Lifetime Achievement Award in
2006, which in that year was renamed
in their honor. Formerly known as
USATF’s Pacesetter Award, the
Heliodoro and Patricia Rico Lifetime
Achievement Award acknowledges
the couple’s combined impact on the
sport of track and field in the U.S.
Ms. Rico is survived by her
daughter, Elizabeth Conti. Services
were held on June 11 at Holy Name
of Mary Church in Croton-OnHudson, N.Y #
USA Track & Field, together with RunnerSpace.com,
created USARunningCircuit.com, which is a brand new
fan-friendly multimedia website that will highlight
professional road racing athletes on the USA Running
Circuit (USARC). The 2010 USARC is a
USATF road series featuring USA Championships from one mile to the marathon. The
circuit, which is comprised of ten events each
for men and women, features America’s finest
distance runners.
USARunningCircuit.com provides the latest news
about the circuit featuring coverage of each event with
photos, video of each competition, video interviews with
top finishers, videos featuring top ranking athletes on the
circuit, the latest results, up-to-the-minute standings and
lists of past champions. Select events on the circuit will
be webcast live on USARunningCircuit.com.
“USARunningCircuit.com is another way USA
Track & Field is better showcasing our events online,”
said USATF CEO Doug Logan. “Recent webcasts of
USARC races revealed there is a large audience for
more robust coverage of our championship races and
top distance runners. USARunningCircuit.com will
provide plenty of coverage for that audience while
drawing in new fans to road racing, an activity that millions of Americans enjoy on a
participatory level.”
The 2010 USARC will once again see
a record amount of circuit prize money for a
non-Olympic year, with a total prize purse of
$623,850 offered by host events. U.S. athletes will also
have the opportunity to qualify for various Team USA
events, including the IAAF World Half Marathon
Championships and the Chiba International Ekiden.
The first ten U.S. runners earn points at each USARC
race (15 for first, 12 for second, 10 for third, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3,
2 and 1), with a final $12,500 grand prix purse ($6,000,
$4,000, and $2,500) for the top three male and female
point-scorers overall. The USARC points at the USA
Marathon Championships will be doubled.
New USATF hires
USATF
O
ne of the key figures
in the modern history
of USA Track & Field,
and an international advocate
for women’s sports, Patricia Rico
of Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.,
died on Sunday, May 2, of respiratory failure. She was 76.
Active in track and field for
more than 50 years, Ms. Rico’s
career as an athlete, activist and
administrator was highlighted
by her service as president
of USA Track & Field from
1996–2000. With a mantra
that “Change should be a way
of life for USATF, not being
stuck in the past,” Rico’s call to
action began a two-year-long
restructuring of the governing
body in 1997–99 that laid the
groundwork for USATF in its
current form. As president, she
inherited and helped USATF
weather a financial crisis in
which a $3.5 million debt was
paid off by 2003.
“The passing of Pat Rico is
a sad day for USA Track & Field,”
said USATF President Stephanie
Hightower. “Her advocacy for
women’s equality, and her unwillingness to accept the status quo,
paved the way for athletes and
administrators like myself. She
was involved in every facet of the
sport, and it is hard to imagine
USATF without her.”
Ms. Rico served the sport
in many capacities, beginning as a
competitor in the discus throw at the
1960 U.S. Olympic Trials. Shortly
after retiring from competition, she
co-founded Track Mirror, the first
American publication for women’s
track and field. She also began an
USA Track & Field & RunnerSpace.com
introduce USA Running Circuit website
Longtime Brigham Young University Head Coach Craig
Poole has been named the new Head Coach for the USA
Track & Field Resident Program at the Chula Vista
Olympic Training Center in California. Poole will begin
his duties full time on September 1, 2010.
As head coach of the USATF Resident Program,
Poole’s responsibilities include coaching staff and athlete
training supervision, and oversight of USATF programs
conducted at the Olympic Training Center. His responsibilities will also include, but are not limited to, individual
coaching in a specialty area, planning and oversight of the
budget for the program, scheduling, and training plans
for all resident athletes.
Norman Wain, an accomplished attorney with more
than 12 years of experience leading business and legal
strategies in corporate and private practice, was named
USA Track & Field General Counsel and Chief of Business Affairs.
Wain comes to USATF from The Finish Line, Inc.,
a billion-dollar, Indianapolis-based athletic specialty
retailer. His experience at the publicly-traded company
included contract negotiation and general corporate legal
oversight, risk management, compliance and governance,
and employment and HR.
Renowned exercise physiologist and longtime Indiana University coach Robert Chapman has been named
the Associate Director of Sports Medicine & Science.
Chapman will be the point person for USATF’s
hands-on High Performance programs with athletes,
coaches and sports scientists. His duties will include coordinating USATF’s High Performance Workshops,
where leading sport scientists work one-on-one with top
athletes and coaches. The Workshops will apply science
and medicine to help athletes get the extra fraction of a
percent they may need to get or stay on the podium at
major championships.
13
ELITE ATHLETE ANNOUNCEMENTS
We will take time periodically to congratulate our family of athletes on personal milestones.
This issue, we celebrate weddings, births and a graduation. Congratulations to all!
Another one for the record books
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11
WEDDINGS:
BIRTHS:
Chris Solinsky married Amy
Dahlin on December 5, 2009.
Christopher and Demetria Davis
welcomed Britton Alexandar Davis,
born on September 28, 2009, and
weighed 6lbs 15oz.
Stacy Dragila and Ian Waltz
welcomed Allyx Josephine Waltz
on June 21, 2010. She weighed
6 lbs, 10 oz.
Amy Acuff and Tye Harvey
welcomed Elsa Harvey, born on May
15, 2010. She weighed 8 lbs, 1 oz.
Brent and Sara Vaughn welcomed
Calia Evelyn Vaughn, born on June
22, 2010
Matt and Michelle Tegenkamp
welcomed Brayden Ray
Tegenkamp, born on May 22, 2010.
He tipped the scales at 6 lbs, 13 oz.
Dathan and Kalin Ritzenhein
welcomed Jude William
Ritzenhein, born July 23,2010.
Stacy Dragila and Ian Waltz tied
the knot on December 12, 2009.
Sanya Richards and Aaron Ross
were married on February 26, 2010
in Austin, Texas.
Ginnie Powell and Shawn
Crawford were married on April
16, 2010 in Los Angeles.
Tiffany and Steve Williams
welcomed SaNiya Janae Williams
on July 23, 2010. She weighed 7 lbs,
8 oz.
GRADUATIONS:
Left column: Sanya Richards-Ross and Aaron Ross; Britton Davis; Elsa Harvey;
Middle: Allyx Waltz; Stacy Dragila and Ian Waltz; Right: Bershawn Jackson
14
ROSS WEDDING, JACKSON PHOTOS: ERROL ANDERSON; ALL OTHERS IMAGES SUPPLIED BY ATHLETES
Bershawn Jackson graduated from
St. Augustine College on May 8,
2010.
she has fought for four USA Outdoor Championship
titles, two Olympic teams, and two World Championship medals.
And let’s not forget, not only has Lowe been among
the world’s elite high jumpers for six years, but many of
her accomplishments took place after the birth of her
daughter, Jasmine, in 2007. If that isn’t awe-inspiring,
I’m not sure what is.
High jump is a sport for the fit. The lighter you are,
the less you have to lift. The stronger you are, the greater
potential you have to jump high. It’s an easy equation
really. The equation gets a bit more difficult when you
factor in a nine-month maternity break, as well as the
well-known fact that birthing and raising a child takes a
toll on a woman’s body. But the trade-off was well worth
it, and it didn’t stop Lowe from returning the year after
maternity to win the U.S. Olympic Trials or from training year-round while raising her daughter.
Lowe isn’t one to shy away from challenges. Her
on-going rivalry with Vlasic has become one of the most
known and entertaining plot-lines this season. Even
if a loss to Vlasic appears every now and then, Lowe
constantly proves to be on the same playing field. If either wants a shot at victory, they know they must show
up with their A-game.
If nothing else, the pair’s rivalry mixed with Lowe’s
performance style and character have been great entertainment for crowds. Lowe has found the way to fans’
hearts through her pure performance style, which has increased the event’s visibility. It’s through her dancing in
front of crowds, back-flips in high jump pits and her celebratory sobbing that Lowe shares her genuine emotions
with the crowds.
Widening her resume, Lowe now brings the same
excitement when she ventures into the long jump pit
for competitions here and there. She recently claimed
the USA Outdoors runner-up title with a leap of 6.90m/
22-07.75 feet. But Lowe says she will stay focused on the
high jump; long jump is for excitement and fun… high
jump is where her passion lies. #
A
A
C
C
O
N
T
A
C
T
S
Drummond, Jon
cpotaf@aol.com
Chair
Johnson, Allen
hirunnr@aol.com
Vice Chair
McCloud, Dexter
dexterm@mindspring.com
Secretary
Powell, Suzy
suzybearclaw@yahoo.com
Treasurer
Hayes, Joanna
joannahayes76@aol.com
USOC Representative
Morgan, Gary
morgansden@yahoo.com
USOC/BOD Alternate
Patton, Darvis
fastpatton@yahoo.com
Men’s Sprints
Robinson, Moushaumi
flomo49@yahoo.com
Women’s Sprints
Trammell, Terrence
tdsupreme@hotmail.com
Men’s Hurdles
Williams, Tiffany
tiffanymwilliams@bellsouth.net
Women’s Hurdles
Robinson, Khadevis
khadevisr@yahoo.com
Men’s 800-1500m
Shadle, Anne
ashadle1@gmail.com
Women’s 800-1500m
Boldon, Blake
blake.boldon@gmail.com
Men’s 3000-10000m
Gaffigan, Ann
run7soccer@aim.com
Women’s 3000-10000m
Browne, Dan
dan@danbrowne.com
Men’s RR/XC
Keenan-Kirkpatrick, Kim
keenanki@shu.edu
Women’s RR/XC
McGovern, Dave
Dmcg@racewalking.org
Men’s Walks
Moore, Jolene
jm@jmcompletelife.com
Women’s Walks
Allen, Joe
joeallen_77@yahoo.com
Men’s Horizontal Jumps
Hurd, Tiombe
seetijump@yahoo.com
Women’s Horizontal Jumps
Hartwig, Jeff
pvjeff@sbcglobal.net
Men’s Vertical Jumps
Wentland, Gwen
faces@cox.net
Women’s Vertical Jumps
Winger, Russ
wing5801@vandals.uidaho.edu
Men’s Throws
Smith, Loree
loreesmith08@yahoo.com
Women’s Throws
Helwick, Chris
Chris.Helwick@gmail.com
Men’s Multis
Fountain, Hyleas
hyleas_f@hotmail.com
Women’s Multis
Nieto, Jamie
madhops245@aol.com
Men’s At-Large
TBD
Women’s At-Large
Dunn, Philip
dunnphilip@yahoo.com
USATF Board Member
Hill, Aretha
aretha@arethathrows.com
USATF Board Member
Kastor, Deena
makingstrides1@verizon.net
USATF Board Member
15