The IAAF World Athletics (aka Grand Prix) Final will take
place in Stuttgart, Germany, on Saturday and Sunday. Go to
www.iaaf.org/WAF07/index.html for
complete information.A delayed webcast will air each day at 12 noon (EST) and 9
a.m. (PST) at www.wcsn.com.
The IAAF will offer a live radio broadcast at
7a.m. (EST) & 4 a.m. (PST) at www.iaaf.org/WAF07/multimedia/radio.html
USATF Preview
U.S. stars set to compete at World Athletics Final
Team USA standouts Allyson Felix, Sanya Richards, Brad
Walker, Wallace Spearmon, Lauryn Williams, Reese
Hoffaand Walter Davis lead a strong cast of U.S. stars
slated to compete this weekend at the 2007 IAAF World
Athletics Final in Stuttgart, Germany.
The 2005 World 200m women's champion, Allyson Felix
defended her title at the World Championships in Osaka
with the largest margin of victory in World Championships
history, striding to the gold medal and a huge personal best
of 21.81 seconds, the fastest time run by a woman this
century. Felix, who has posted the three fastest 200m times
in the world this year, also won gold in the 4x100 and 4x400
relays, splitting 48.0 in the 4x4. She will compete in the 100
meters in Stuttgart.
For the second consecutive year, Richards earned a share
of the IAAF Golden League Jackpot by winning the women's
400 meters at all six prestigious European meets. She
enters Stuttgart with the four fastest women's 400m times in
the world this year, including the world-leading 49.27 she
ran Sunday to close out her Golden League victories in
Berlin.
2006 World Indoor champion and 2005 World Outdoor silver
medalist Brad Walker became the first American ever to win
the men's pole vault world title when he cleared 5.86
meters/19 feet, 2.75 in Osaka. Walker posted the world's top
two clearances this year with his winning performances at
Brisbane on March 10 (5.95m/19 feet 6.25 inches) and in
Perth on February 24 (5.92m/19-5.25).
Wallace Spearmon continues to rank as one of the world's
most consistent performers in the red-hot men's 200
meters. He won his his second consecutive men's 200m
medal at a World Outdoor Championships (bronze, 20.05)
in Osaka and also ran on the winning 4x100m relay. He is
coming off two straight Golden League wins in the 200, in
Brussels and Berlin.
Lauryn Williams is closing out the year on a strong note,
having followed up her 2005 World Outdoor title in the
women's 100m with a surprising, second-place finish at the
2007 Worlds in Osaka. After struggling for two years, she
placed second by just .002 seconds and is once again a
factor on the world stage. Williams also ran leadoff on Team
USA's winning 4x100m relay in Osaka.
As the 2005 World Outdoor and 2006 World Indoor men's
triple jump champion, Walter Davis figured to end up on the
awards podium in Osaka, and he did. Davis made his first
attempt in the final count as he leapt to a seasonal best
distance of 17.33 meters/56 feet 10 inches, despite missing
a sore right shin.
The men's shot put in Stuttgart will feature 2007 World
Outdoor champion Reese Hoffa, who owns the two best
throws in the world this season and who will face Osaka
silver medalist Adam Nelson and 2004 World Indoor
champion Christian Cantwell.
The men's 110m field will feature a trio of American stars
Osaka medalists Terrence Trammell (silver) and David
Payne (bronze) do battle, along with the resurgent four-time
world champion Allen Johnson. In the men's 400m hurdles,
Osaka world champion Kerron Clement, 2005 world
champion Bershawn Jackson and 2004 Olympic gold
medalist Angelo Taylor face off.
Additional U.S. stars to keep an eye on include Osaka
men's 400m medalists LaShawn Merritt (silver) and Angelo
Taylor (bronze), Osaka 200m fourth place finisher Rodney
Martin, reigning U.S. men's 1,500m champion Alan Webb
and Osaka 4x400m relay gold medalist Mary Wineberg.
(c)Copyright 2007-all rights reserved. May not be reprinted
or retransmitted without permission.