Eugene, Oregon (6/5/08)
Talk about your loaded 400 fields. At this Sunday's Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field, the men's race has four athletes who were ranked in the top ten in the 400 by Track & Field News in 2007. That's only exceeded by the five in the women's 400 race.
For the men, the field is led by the 2008 world leader LaShawn Merritt, who ranked No. 2 in the world after taking the silver medal in the World Championships in Osaka. He's joined by veteran multi-medalist Angelo Taylor, who won gold in the 400 hurdles back in 2000, and took the bronze last year at the World Championships in the 400. Taylor was ranked No. 3 in the world by T&FN. Then you have Canadian recordholder Tyler Christopher (No. 4), and Gary Kikaya of Congo (No. 7). The wild cards in the men's race are intermediate hurdler Kerron Clement, gold medalist in Osaka in that race, and ranked No. 1 in the world, and reigning World Junior Champion Renny Quow of Trinidad & Tobago.
On the women's side, No. 1 in the world Sanya Richards will be challenged by Jamaica's Novlene Williams, the World Championships bronze medalist (No. 4), last year's U.S. Champion Dee Dee Trotter (No. 7), Mary Wineberg (No. 8), and Natasha Hastings (No. 9). Five out of the eight lanes were in last year's top 10, and a sixth lane to watch is young Ebonie Floyd, daughter of Olympians Stanley and Delisa-Walton Floyd.
There are still tickets remaining for the 34th Prefontaine Classic by going online at www.goducks.com, calling 1-800-WEBFOOT, or in person at the Casanova Center.
400 METERS (MEN)
LaShawn Merritt
Angelo Taylor
Gary Kikaya (Congo)
Kerron Clement
Tyler Christopher (Canada)
David Neville
Darold Williamson
Renny Quow (Trinidad)
400 METERS (WOMEN)
Sanya Richards
Dee Dee Trotter
Mary Wineberg
Shereese Woods
Novlene Williams (Jamaica)
Ebonie Floyd
Shericka Williams (Jamaica)
Natasha Hastings
