Pre Classic Had Most Olympic Gold Medallists Of Any Track Meet In 2012

Courtesy of the Pre Classic
September 11, 2012

              EUGENE, Ore. – The Prefontaine Classic again ranked as one of the best invitational track & field meets in the world in 2012. With the Samsung Diamond League season now concluded, the Pre Classic—the 4th stop on the elite circuit of 14 meets—finished No. 1 in the number of London Olympic gold medalists competing.

              The Eugene SDL meet proved to be an essential stop on the way to London, as it can claim the most 2012 Olympic gold medalists of any invitational meet in the world – 21 gold medalists from the 2012 Olympic Games competed at this year’s Prefontaine Classic.
 

2012 Olympic Gold Medalists Who Competed at the 2012 Pre Classic
Athlete (Country)         Olympic Gold Medal
Men
Kirani James (GRN)            400m           
Mo Farah (GBR)            5000m, 10,000m           
Aries Merritt (USA)            110mH           
Nesta Carter (JAM)            4x100m           
Chris Brown (BAH)            4x400m           
Demetrius Pinder (BAH)            4x400m           
Christian Taylor (USA)            Triple Jump           
Tomasz Majewski (POL)            Shot Put           
Ashton Eaton (USA)            Decathlon           
Women
Allyson Felix (USA)            200m, 4x100m, 4x400m           
Sanya Richards-Ross (USA)            400m, 4x400m           
Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH)            10,000m           
Carmelita Jeter (USA)            4x100m
Bianca Knight (USA)            4x100m
Jeneba Tarmoh (USA)            4x100m           
Francena McCorory (USA)            4x400m           
Deedee Trotter (USA)            4x400m           
Anna Chicherova (RUS)            High Jump           
Brittney Reese (USA)            Long Jump           
Sandra Perkovic (CRO)            Discus Throw
Tatyana Lysenko (RUS)            Hammer Throw
 
 
              In addition to the sneak preview of London winners, Eugene’s Hayward Field fan base, long regarded as America’s most passionate track fans, enjoyed two power-packed days of world-class competition, including:
92 Olympic or World Championships medalists – the most of any invitational meet in U.S. history (53 had earned gold).
10 world-leading marks.
9 Pre Classic meet records – plus 5 close enough to be No. 2 all-time.
2 U.S. all-comer records (best-ever on U.S. soil) – plus 2 others the No. 2 ever.
1 American Record – Jessica Cosby, women’s hammer, 243-5 (74.19).
Most sub-4 mile runners in one race on U.S. soil – 16, all under 3:57.
Fastest men’s 110-meter hurdles race at the time under any conditions – Liu Xiang, 12.87w.
 
              Meet organizers are already working to present the 39th annual Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field on May 31-June 1.  The event will once again be part of the Samsung Diamond League.
 
              The Prefontaine Classic is the longest-running outdoor invitational track and field meet in America and is part of the elite Samsung Diamond League of 14 meets held worldwide annually.
 
              Nike has been the title sponsor of the Prefontaine Classic continuously since 1984, one of the longest-running sponsorships in all of sports.  Nike is today the unrivaled global marketer of athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment.
 
              Tickets for the 39th annual edition of the Prefontaine Classic will go on sale in March of 2013 at www.PreClassic.com and at 1-800-WEBFOOT.  The Prefontaine Classic will be shown live to an international television audience.

              Steve Prefontaine is a legend in the sport of track & field and is perhaps the most inspirational distance runner in American history.  He set a national high school 2-mile record while at Coos Bay High School that lasted nearly two decades.  While competing for the University of Oregon, he won national cross country championships (3) and outdoor track 3-mile/5000-meter championships (4) every time he competed, and never lost a collegiate race at any distance.  As a collegiate junior, he made the 1972 U.S. Olympic Team and nearly won an Olympic medal, finishing 4th in the 5K at the 1972 Munich Olympics, at age 22.  After finishing college in 1973 and preparing for a return to the Olympics in 1976, he continued to improve, setting many American records.  His life ended tragically on May 30, 1975, the result of an auto accident, at age 24.  The Pre Classic began soon after and has been held every year since.


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