The USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships presented by Visa on June 23-26 will be make-or-break time in the Race for the Visa Championship as the Visa Championship Series comes to a close.

At the Reebok Grand Prix on June 11, Michelle Perry launched into the lead in the women's Race for the Championship. Her world-leading time of 12.45 seconds in the women's 100-meter hurdles (1,212 points) gives her a one-point lead over Olympic 200m silver medalist Allyson Felix, whose 200m time of 22.14 at the adidas Track Classic (1,211 points) on May 22 also is a world-leader. Sanya Richards currently is in third with her 50.00 in the 400 meters at the adidas Track Classic (1,201 points).

But it is the standings at the conclusion of the USA Outdoor Championships that matter most, and if the indoor Visa Championship Series is any indication, the winner won't be known until the final finish- line tape is crossed. At the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships in February, Angela Daigle stole the Visa Championship in the last women's event of the meet, while John Godina came from not even being in the standings to winning the men's title.

Godina looking to repeat

Three-time world-champion shot putter Godina and Olympic 100m gold medalist Justin Gatlin remain tied for the men's lead with 1,254 points. Gatlin's top time of 9.84w at the Nike Prefontaine Classic on June 4 gave him the tie with Godina, whose world-leading shot put of 22.20m/ 72-10 came at the adidas Track Classic.

Four-time world champion Allen Johnson also has moved into contention in the men's standings, scoring 1,242 points with his world- leading time of 13.03 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles at the Reebok Grand Prix.

What is the Visa Championship?

During USA Track & Field's 2005 Outdoor Visa Championship Series, American athletes will compete not only for more than $1 million in prize and athlete support money, they will also be racing toward their share of a combined $100,000 jackpot and other prizes for the Visa Championship.

The male and female athlete with the top overall single performances in the 2005 Visa Championship Series will be named Visa Champion and each receive a $25,000 bonus to assist them on their journey to achieve their athletic goals. In addition, each Visa Champion will be awarded an invitation to their choice of a premiere Visa-sponsored event.

Crowning the Visa Champion

The top American male finisher and top American female finisher in each event of the Visa Championship Series, including the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, will have their performances assigned a point total based on the IAAF Scoring Tables of Athletics. Positive and negative wind readings result in adjustments to point totals, per IAAF standards. The athlete whose single-best performance has the highest point total at the end of the Visa Championship Series will be named the Visa Champion.

Although the top performance can come at any of the Visa Championship Series meets, an athlete must compete at the USA Outdoor Championships in order to be named Visa Champion. Athletes competing on the high school or college level are not eligible. In addition, athlete performances in the first four meets of the Visa Championship Series must come in events that also are contested at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, or other events that qualify athletes to compete at the Championships, in order to be eligible for Visa Champions point totals and rankings.

Ties will be broken by determining which tied athlete had the best mark at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.