May 3, 2011
For Immediate Release
Eugene, Oregon
PreClassic.com 

PRE CLASSIC WOMEN’S MIDDLE DISTANCES

800m:  WORLD’S BEST TO TEST WORLD CHAMPION

            The reigning World Champion is back, and appears poised to assume the mantle of invincibility she displayed in her breakout 2009 season. As an 18-year-old new to the world stage, South African Caster Semenya crushed the field in Berlin, winning the gold medal by over 2-seconds in 1:55.45. This season, Semenya will face the strongest field since those Championships when she is challenged by an incredible field at the 37^thannual Prefontaine Classic on June 4th: 

            Janeth Jepkosgei, silver medalist from Berlin and ranked No. 2 in the world by Track & Field News magazine in 2010;  Alysia Johnson, 2010 U.S. Champion and ranked No. 3 in the world; Kenia Sinclair, world-leader in 2011 at 1:59.63; Jemma Simpson of OTC Elite and Great Britain, ranked No. 6 in the world last year; Anna Pierce, ranked No. 8 in the world; and and reigning Olympic Champion Pamela Jelimo, who passed her briefly-held title of Wunderkind in the event to Semenya.

            Last year, an extraordinary 9 women broke 2-minutes in the Prefontaine Classic 800 and a new meet record of 1:57.56 was set. Can lightning strike twice? 

1500m:  7 0F WORLD’S TOP 9 TO CLASH

            “Strongest Pre Field Ever”. Get used to the phrase, as it certainly describes the make-up of this year’s 1500 Meters at the Prefontaine Classic, the fourth stop on the Samsung Diamond League series. The field features no fewer than 7 of last year’s top 9 in the T&FN World Rankings:

• No. 1 Nancy Langat, 2008 Olympic gold medalist
• No. 2 Anna Alminova, 2010 Russian Champion and fastest in the world
• No. 3 Gelete Burka, winner of the Lausanne Samsung Diamond League
• No. 6 Mimi Belete, Asian Games champion
• No. 7 Shannon Rowbury, U.S. Olympic Trials winner
• No. 8 Christin Wurth-Thomas, No. 2 ranked in U.S.
• No. 9 Nuria Fernandez, Spain’s European champion

            Want a preview of the World Championships Final this summer? See the favorites at the 2011 Prefontaine Classic on June 4^th!

Tickets are now on sale at www.goducks.com, by calling 1-800-WEBFOOT, or in person at the UO Athletic Department Ticket Office.

The NIKE Prefontaine Classic will be shown live worldwide and on NBC from 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

800 METERS (WOMEN)  

Caster Semenya (South Africa)
Janeth Jepkosgei (Kenya)
Pamela Jelimo (Kenya)
Alysia Johnson (USA)
Jemma Simpson (Great Britain)
Phoebe Wright (USA)
Karen Shinkins (Ireland)--pace
Yuliya Rusanova (Russia)
Anna Pierce (USA)
Kenia Sinclair (Jamaica)

AE  1500 METERS (WOMEN) 

Nancy Langat (Kenya)
Anna Alminova (Russia)
Gelete Burka (Ethiopia)
Mimi Belete (Bahrain)
Shannon Rowbury (USA)
Nuria Fernandez (Spain)
Christin Wurth-Thomas (USA)
 Morgan Uceny (USA)
Maryam Jamal (Bahrain) 
Siham Hilali (Morocco)
Tizita Bogale (Ethiopia)
Jenny Barringer-Simpson (USA)