Bernard Lagat and Hyleas Fountain To Compete In NY's adidas Grand Prix

Press Release
April 1, 2010

INDIANAPOLIS - Two-time World Indoor 3,000m champion and two-time Olympic medalist Bernard Lagat, and 2008 Olympic silver medalist Hyleas Fountain will compete June 12 at the adidas Grand Prix at Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island in New York City.

The second stop of USA Track & Field's Outdoor Visa Championship Series, the adidas Grand Prix will be televised live on NBC from 4:30-6:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The adidas Grand Prix is the fifth stop on the inaugural 14-meet international Diamond League circuit.

Lagat, who in February won the first U.S. Indoor title of his career in Albuquerque, N.M., entered the 2010 World Indoor Championships in Doha looking to win the men's 3,000m world title after first winning that event in 2004. The American indoor record holder in the 1,500m, mile, 3,000m and 5,000m, Lagat won his second World Indoor 3,000m crown with his seasonal best time of 7:37.97, making him the first American ever to win that event.

Lagat also made history in January in winning the record eighth Wanamaker Mile of his storied career at the famed Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Fountain, who battled injuries last year after winning the heptathlon silver medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, finished fourth in the pentathlon at the World Indoor Championships in Doha. In tallying 4,753 points in that event, Fountain equaled the American record set in 1999 by 2000 Olympian DeDee Nathan.

Also joining the field that includes Usain Bolt of Jamaica, who is the reigning Olympic and World champion, and world record holder in the men's 100m and 200m, will be Jessica Ennis of Great Britain, who will be making her competitive debut on U.S. soil.

Ennis became the first British woman to win both indoor and outdoor world combined events titles in 2009 and 2010. She was victorious in the pentathlon in Doha, and won in similar fashion at the 2009 World Outdoor Championships in Berlin, where she set a personal best in becoming the world heptathlon champion. Ennis and Fountain will do battle in a special multi-event challenge featuring the long jump, shot put and 100m hurdles.

The adidas Grand Prix, in its sixth year, features Olympic stars, top high school athletes, and a "Fastest Kid in New York" competition. Increased and upgraded backstretch seating at track level is being added to accommodate the growing demand and interest from fans in the New York area.

Tickets and transportation information is available now at www.adidasgrandprix.com or by calling 1-877-TIX-TRAC. USA Track & Field welcomes you to pay with your Visa.

Updates, photos, and additional information can found at the adidas Grand Prix pages on Facebook (www.facebook.com/adidasGrandPrix) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/adidasGrandPrix).

For more information on USA Track & Field's Visa Championship Series, visit: www.visachampionshipseries.com

 

 

	Tell a friend about this article (Dont worry we won't email your friend(s) again. We send them a 1 time email) Enter their email address(es), separated by a comma. Enter your name: Don't Worry: We Back to Main Front Page Questions, comments or suggestions?Please email the LetsRun.com staff at suggestions@LetsRun.com.