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Reebok Boston Indoor Games: Bernard Lagat, Anna Willard Pierce, Galen Rupp, Nick Willis Join Tirunesh Dibaba as Distance Headliners
From Reebok Boston Indoor GamesJanuary 22, 2010
Boston, MA
Following in its tradition of delivering track fans world-class endurance races at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games, this month organizers have announced several athlete commitments. The athletes announced include Bernard Lagat, one of the most decorated track and field athletes of all-time, and former University of Oregon star Galen Rupp in the 5000m; number one ranked American 800m runner Anna Pierce (née Willard); 2008 Olympic 1500m medalist Nick Willis of New Zealand; and previously announced double Olympic champion (5000m/10,000m) Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia. The 2010 Reebok Boston Indoor Games is Saturday, February 6 in Boston, MA. Tickets for the 15th annual Olympic-styled event are on sale at www.BostonIndoorGames.com or by calling 1-877-TIX-TRAC.
Bernard Lagat, the 2007 double (1500m/5000m) World champion, won the bronze medal in the 1500m and the silver in the 5000m at this past summer's World Championships in Berlin. In total, Lagat has amassed a total of seven world championship medals (three gold, three silver and one bronze) in the 1500m, 3000m and 5000m, two Olympic medals (one silver, one bronze) and, since becoming an American citizen, five US titles.
Known as Kip to his friends and family, Bernard Lagat is one of the most versatile middle distance runners in history; he is the second fastest 1500m runner of all-time with a personal best of 3:26.34, and is the only man to win both the 1500m and 5000m at the World Championships. Lagat, a naturalized American citizen, attended Washington State University where he was a 4-time NCAA Champion.
Galen Rupp led the University of Oregon men to the their first indoor national team title and became the first person in NCAA history to win the 5,000 meters, 3,000m and the Distance Medley Relay in the same championship. During last year's indoor campaign, he set the American Record at 5000m (13:18.12) and finished his NCAA career with an impressive six NCAA Titles.
Bernard Lagat and Galen Rupp will be racing the men's 5000m as well as Bekana Daba and Ali Abdosh, two sub-13:00 5000m runners from Ethiopia. While Lagat holds the US indoor records at 1500m, the mile, and 3000m, Rupp is the US indoor record holder at 5000m ( 13:18.12, February 2009).
Anna Pierce, whose 2009 campaign was one of the best seasons ever by an American middle distance or distance runner, will compete in the women's 1000m. The winner of two IAAF Golden League events (1:58.80 personal best in Paris; 1:59.14 in Brussels) as well as at the 2009 World Athletics Final (2:00.20), she ranked #2 in the world at 800m. In addition to her success over 800m, Anna also established herself as the third fastest American in history at 1500m, with her time of 3:59.38 Zurich). She finished 2009 with a top three US Ranking at 800m (1st), 1500m (3rd) and 3000m steeplechase (2nd). The current American Record for 1000m (2:34.19) was set by Jen Toomey in 2004.
Nick Willis, who became New Zealand's first male track athlete in 32 years to bring home an Olympic medal at the 2008 Beijing Games, returns to the track for his first international competition since suffering a season ending injury last March. The 2006 Commonwealth Games champion and national record-holder at 1500m, Willis also broke the New Zealand indoor mark and NCAA record for 3000m at Boston in 2004 while competing for the University of Michigan. He won the 2009 Reebok Boston Indoor Games Mile in 3:53.54, and is travelling to Boston from his winter training base outside of Wellington, New Zealand.
The junior mile races have attracted top talent from the US and around the world in recent years. 2010 looks to continue that tradition with 10 standout boys confirmed, including the nation's leading miler so far this season, Patrick Schellberg of Morristown, NJ; New York's 2009 State Champion at 1600m, Alex Hatz of Manlius, NY; 2009 Nike Cross Country National Champion Craig Lutz of Highland Village, TX; and 2009 Nike Indoor National 800m champion Billy Ledder of Falls Church, VA .
The girls junior mile will include 2009 Virginia State 1600m Champion and Runner-up, Joanna and Kathleen Stevens of Blacksburg, VA ; the nation's leading miler, Emily Lipari of Greenvale, NY; the nation's top returning 800m runner, Claudia Francis of Laurelton, NY (winner in 2:05.47 at Nike Outdoor Nationals); 2009 Mississippi State Champion Cory Ann McGee of Pass Christian, MS; and 2009 New England Champion Katrina Coogan of Exeter, NH.
Since the Reebok Boston Indoor Games began in 1996, more than 100 Olympic and World Championship medalists have competed in the event; six World Records and nine American Records have been recorded. Sponsored by Reebok International Ltd., with its world headquarters in Canton, MA, the event is owned and produced by Global Athletics & Marketing, Inc., an athlete-representation and events firm based in Boston.
The 15th annual Reebok Boston Indoor Games, the second stop in USA Track & Field's Visa Championship Series, begins at 5:00 pm on Saturday, February 6 at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center at Roxbury Community College in Boston, MA. Information is available at www.BostonIndoorGames.com. Follow on Twitter at @BostonIndoor and become a fan on Facebook at www.bostonindoorgames.com/facebook.