Christian Taylor of the USA, winner of the men's triple jump in Daegu (© Getty Images)
Brittney Reese is 25, Christian Taylor is 21. Both Americans have World Championships gold medals. Both want the Olympic brand, and both will use the Hayward Field magic to help propel them to that goal at the 38th annual Prefontaine Classic.
Taylor will compete in the men’s Triple Jump and Reese in the women’s Long Jump at the Pre Classic, the fourth stop on the Samsung Diamond League circuit and a major stop on the road to the 2012 London Olympic Games. This year’s Pre event will be held over two days, 1-2 June.
While Reese will compete on Saturday, Taylor will compete on Friday, an event free to the public thanks to the generosity of long-time sponsor Nike which is honoring pioneering executive Geoff Hollister with "Hollister Night at Hayward".
Reese is clearly the brightest among a stunning gathering of stars in the women’s Long Jump field as she has been ranked No. 1 in the world each of the last three years by Track & Field News magazine. During that span she has won every gold medal available, including the 2009 and 2011 World titles outdoors as well as the 2010 and 2012 World Indoor Championships.
Her most recent gold medal, in Istanbul, came as Reese was trailing on her last attempt. She responded with the longest indoor jump in the world since 1989, an U.S. record 7.23m that generated a text message from the previous record holder, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who typed: "Hello, Miss American Record Holder."
Reese is fondly familiar with Hayward Field, having set PBs to win three previous titles: the 2008 Olympic Trials and the 2009 and 2011 national championships, the latter with a 7.19m leap, still her best outdoors. Later this summer, she aims to improve on her Olympic best of fifth place in the 2008 Beijing Olympics - the last time Reese has not won an international gold medal.
Competition will gather from Asia, Europe, South America, and even the U.S. Two other top Americans, Janay DeLoach and Funmi Jimoh, have been confirmed. DeLoach was the competitor who spurred Reese’s national indoor record at Istanbul, as she had just taken the lead in the last round. So close to gold, DeLoach settled for silver that day. Her best is 6.99m set indoors last year while her outdoor best is 6.97m recorded at Hayward Field at last year’s national championships where she finished second. Jimoh was another member of the U.S. squad at the World Championships last summer. Also a 2008 Olympian, Jimoh’s best is 6.96m.
Leading a group of European entrants is Latvian Ineta Radevica, the bronze medallist from last year’s World Championships: her best is 6.92m. Shara Proctor of Great Britain was the bronze medallist at this year’s World Indoor Championships where she set her best of 6.89m. Eloyse Lesueur of France is the final European in the meet with a best of 6.91m.
From South America is Maurren Higa Maggi of Brazil, the 2008 Olympic gold medallist. Now 35, she is the most experienced athlete in the field and has a best of 7.26m. From Asia is the youngest in the field, 19-year-old Minjia Lu of China. Lu won the 2009 World Youth title at age 16. Her best is 6.74m.
Taylor vs Claye rivalry continues
Taylor headlines yet another star-studded field in this year’s Pre Classic. The men’s Triple Jump brings together the reigning World Championships outdoor and indoor gold medalists in the event, part of an intense, yet friendly, rivalry. Taylor, with the outdoor gold and a best of 17.96m, is quite familiar with the indoor champ, his former University of Florida teammate, 20-year-old Will Claye. The bronze medallist last year in Daegu at the World Championships outdoors, Claye defeated Taylor in Istanbul to win a gold of his own. Claye’s best in the event is 17.70m.
Just as they will be in London if they make the U.S. team, Taylor and Claye will be presented with world-class competition in Eugene. Alexis Copello of Cuba was ranked No. 4 in the world last year by Track & Field News after being No. 2 in 2010. He won the bronze medal at the 2009 World Championships and has a best of 17.68m set last year.
The field will also include Leevan Sands of the Bahamas, the 2008 Olympic bronze medallist whose best is 17.59m. Two-time Olympian Yanxi Li of China is also entered with a best of 17.59m. Brazilian Johnathan Silva, just 20, has earned interest around the world after jumping 17.39m earlier this year.
Two more Cubans adds more intrigue to the competition. David Girat, 27, is a two-time Olympian who finished fourth in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. His best is 17.62. Osviel Hernandez, who will turn 23 on 31 May, is a former World Junior silver medallist with a best of 17.49m.
With the addition of the women’s Long Jump and men’s Triple Jump, 74 athletes in this year’s Pre Classic have won 96 Olympic or World Championships gold medals. Meet organizers expect the greatest collection of talent ever for the meet, perhaps ever for an invitational on the North American continent, as the 74 athletes account for 217 medals - 96 gold, 64 silver and 57 bronze.
Organisers for the IAAF
Women’s Long Jump entrants:
Brittney Reese (USA)
Janay DeLoach (USA)
Maurren Higa Maggi (Brazil)
Shara Proctor (Great Britain)
Funmi Jimoh (USA)
Eloyse Lesueur (France)
Ineta Radevica (Latvia)
Minjia Lu (China)
Men’s Triple Jump entrants:
Christian Taylor (USA)
Alexis Copello (Cuba)
Will Claye (USA)
Leevan Sands (Bahamas)
David Girat (Cuba)
Yanxi Li (China)
Johnathan Silva (Brazil)
Osviel Hernandez (Cuba)
Taylor will compete in the men’s Triple Jump and Reese in the women’s Long Jump at the Pre Classic, the fourth stop on the Samsung Diamond League circuit and a major stop on the road to the 2012 London Olympic Games. This year’s Pre event will be held over two days, 1-2 June.
While Reese will compete on Saturday, Taylor will compete on Friday, an event free to the public thanks to the generosity of long-time sponsor Nike which is honoring pioneering executive Geoff Hollister with "Hollister Night at Hayward".
Reese is clearly the brightest among a stunning gathering of stars in the women’s Long Jump field as she has been ranked No. 1 in the world each of the last three years by Track & Field News magazine. During that span she has won every gold medal available, including the 2009 and 2011 World titles outdoors as well as the 2010 and 2012 World Indoor Championships.
Her most recent gold medal, in Istanbul, came as Reese was trailing on her last attempt. She responded with the longest indoor jump in the world since 1989, an U.S. record 7.23m that generated a text message from the previous record holder, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who typed: "Hello, Miss American Record Holder."
Reese is fondly familiar with Hayward Field, having set PBs to win three previous titles: the 2008 Olympic Trials and the 2009 and 2011 national championships, the latter with a 7.19m leap, still her best outdoors. Later this summer, she aims to improve on her Olympic best of fifth place in the 2008 Beijing Olympics - the last time Reese has not won an international gold medal.
Competition will gather from Asia, Europe, South America, and even the U.S. Two other top Americans, Janay DeLoach and Funmi Jimoh, have been confirmed. DeLoach was the competitor who spurred Reese’s national indoor record at Istanbul, as she had just taken the lead in the last round. So close to gold, DeLoach settled for silver that day. Her best is 6.99m set indoors last year while her outdoor best is 6.97m recorded at Hayward Field at last year’s national championships where she finished second. Jimoh was another member of the U.S. squad at the World Championships last summer. Also a 2008 Olympian, Jimoh’s best is 6.96m.
Leading a group of European entrants is Latvian Ineta Radevica, the bronze medallist from last year’s World Championships: her best is 6.92m. Shara Proctor of Great Britain was the bronze medallist at this year’s World Indoor Championships where she set her best of 6.89m. Eloyse Lesueur of France is the final European in the meet with a best of 6.91m.
From South America is Maurren Higa Maggi of Brazil, the 2008 Olympic gold medallist. Now 35, she is the most experienced athlete in the field and has a best of 7.26m. From Asia is the youngest in the field, 19-year-old Minjia Lu of China. Lu won the 2009 World Youth title at age 16. Her best is 6.74m.
Taylor vs Claye rivalry continues
Taylor headlines yet another star-studded field in this year’s Pre Classic. The men’s Triple Jump brings together the reigning World Championships outdoor and indoor gold medalists in the event, part of an intense, yet friendly, rivalry. Taylor, with the outdoor gold and a best of 17.96m, is quite familiar with the indoor champ, his former University of Florida teammate, 20-year-old Will Claye. The bronze medallist last year in Daegu at the World Championships outdoors, Claye defeated Taylor in Istanbul to win a gold of his own. Claye’s best in the event is 17.70m.
Just as they will be in London if they make the U.S. team, Taylor and Claye will be presented with world-class competition in Eugene. Alexis Copello of Cuba was ranked No. 4 in the world last year by Track & Field News after being No. 2 in 2010. He won the bronze medal at the 2009 World Championships and has a best of 17.68m set last year.
The field will also include Leevan Sands of the Bahamas, the 2008 Olympic bronze medallist whose best is 17.59m. Two-time Olympian Yanxi Li of China is also entered with a best of 17.59m. Brazilian Johnathan Silva, just 20, has earned interest around the world after jumping 17.39m earlier this year.
Two more Cubans adds more intrigue to the competition. David Girat, 27, is a two-time Olympian who finished fourth in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. His best is 17.62. Osviel Hernandez, who will turn 23 on 31 May, is a former World Junior silver medallist with a best of 17.49m.
With the addition of the women’s Long Jump and men’s Triple Jump, 74 athletes in this year’s Pre Classic have won 96 Olympic or World Championships gold medals. Meet organizers expect the greatest collection of talent ever for the meet, perhaps ever for an invitational on the North American continent, as the 74 athletes account for 217 medals - 96 gold, 64 silver and 57 bronze.
Organisers for the IAAF
Women’s Long Jump entrants:
Brittney Reese (USA)
Janay DeLoach (USA)
Maurren Higa Maggi (Brazil)
Shara Proctor (Great Britain)
Funmi Jimoh (USA)
Eloyse Lesueur (France)
Ineta Radevica (Latvia)
Minjia Lu (China)
Men’s Triple Jump entrants:
Christian Taylor (USA)
Alexis Copello (Cuba)
Will Claye (USA)
Leevan Sands (Bahamas)
David Girat (Cuba)
Yanxi Li (China)
Johnathan Silva (Brazil)
Osviel Hernandez (Cuba)
