News Release

CONTACT:
Ross Krempley—Team XO Director
Tel: 541.579.8326
Email: [email protected]
Mail: P.O. Box 3915 Eugene, OR 97403

Team XO starts off the weekend at the Prefontaine ClassiC

EUGENE, Ore—19-20 June 2004—The Prefontaine Classic started off the weekend in Eugene, Oregon where Team XO athletes competed against a star-studded list of entrants including Marion Jones, Alan Webb, Allen Johnson, Koji Murofushi and more. The men’s hammer throw opened up the competition for the day which featured Team XO athlete Adam Kriz. Kriz threw a mark of 219-09, which placed him eighth in the event. Koji Murofushi, who is currently leading the world in this event, won the Pre with a toss of 271-02, which was good enough for a Hayward field and Prefontaine classic record. In the women’s long jump, Simidele Adeagbo placed 6th with a season best mark of 20-4 which earned her a spot on the Team XO record board.

Adeagbo said:

“Jumping at the Pre Classic was a great experience, I really enjoyed jumping against some of the world’s best.”

Marion Jones won the event with a mark of 22-09. Niki McEwen had a disappointing day in the women’s pole vault where she finished with a “no-height” due to injury, but will be ok for the Olympic Trials next month. Team XO also featured two rabbits in the distance races, Brayce Forsha in the men’s 1500 and Eri MacDonald in the women’s 1500, who both lead their field of runners to nation-leading times.

Following the Prefontaine, the weekend’s action shifted to Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington, the site of the Seattle International Classic. Two Team XO athletes, Brayce Forsha and Simidele Adeagbo, competed both at the Pre Classic and at Seattle International. Adeagbo rounded out her weekend by tallying her second Team XO record in the women’s triple jump. She placed first in the event with a season best jump of 43-7, which was also a Seattle International meet record. Forsha, who rabbited the men’s 1500 meter race the day before, finished the race at Seattle International with a time of 3:52.52 placing him 3rd in the event. In the men’s high jump, both Jason Boness and Kyley Johnson had disappointing performances, neither one clearing their opening height of 6-9. Though Boness came back to the competition a few hours later to take third in the triple jump with a mark of 45-7. Mary Etter competed in a duo of events, taking 1st in the women’s discus throw with a mark of 176-5 and 2nd in the women’s hammer with a throw of 168-4, continuing her string of far throws. On the track, Team XO tabbed several top finishes. Ryan Chaney took 4th in the men’s 400m with a season best, and XO record of 47.00. In the women’s steeplechase, Tara Crowley ran 10:55.01 to place 3rd in the race. In the men’s 5000, Destry Johnson placed 3rd with a time of 15:23.74 and Ben Mangrum ran 16:01.14 to place 7th.

Team XO will be competing at a number of meets before the Olympic trials, with individual athletes traveling to remote parts of the US and Canada. Currently 7 athletes are qualified for the US Olympic Trials, keep checking back for more stories on these athletes in the upcoming weeks.