Tonique Darling, the 2004 Olympic gold medallist and 2005 World Champion at 400 meters, and Alan Webb, a 1500 meter finalist at the 2005 World Championships, will compete at the Reebok Grand Prix In New York City on 3 June, organisers announced today.
Ranked #1 in the world for 2004, the 30-year-old Darling is a national hero in her native Bahamas. The victory in Athens made her the first Bahamian to capture an individual Olympic gold medal, and came in the midst of a season that saw her share the $1 million TDK Golden League Jackpot for finishing the season series undefeated.
Among the international rivals Webb will face in the Mile are Rachid Ramzi of Bahrain, the 2005 World Champion at both 800 meters and 1500 meters; Suleiman Simotwo of Kenya, ranked #5 in the world whose 3:35.24 was the second-fastest indoor 1500m in the world this season; and the previously announced Nick Willis of New Zealand, the 2006 Commonwealth Games 1500m gold medallist.
Last year, Webb broke the U.S. record for the 2-Mile run (8:11.48), and went on to finish the year ranked #7 in the world at 1500 meters by Track & Field News. Already this season, the 23-year-old won his 10,000m debut on April 30 at the Payton Jordon Stanford Invitational; his time of 27:34.72 is the fastest-ever American debut at the distance.
Barbara Huebner for the IAAF