Friday’s snowstorm not only delayed flights into Logan Airport, it also delayed yesterday’s start of the USA Track & Field Indoor Championships at the Reggie Lewis Track and Field Center. Organizers pushed back the start by two hours and scratched preliminary rounds in the men’s and women’s 60 hurdles and men’s and women’s 60-meter dash. But that did not cure all the headaches for some athletes, who found themselves stuck in various airports and unable to fly into Boston.

Stranded in Detroit, a group of athletes including Millrose Games women’s pole vault champion Jillian Schwartz & Andree’ Pickens decided to rent a car and drive to Boston. Since the well-traveled athletes had their passports with them, they traveled through Canada to avoid most of the inclement weather. The group started Friday night, and as of late yesterday afternoon USA Track & Field officials did not know whether they had arrived.

“We haven’t lost anybody,” said USATF spokeswoman Jill Geer as the scheduled events got under way. “Everyone who planned to be here is either here or en route.”

Results

Press Release from www.tysoninvitational.com

Springdale, AR (February 4, 2008) – The Tyson Invitational has become one of the premier indoor track & field competitions in the nation and the 8:00 p.m. event on Friday, February 15 at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark., is poised to crush its previous attendance record.

Tickets for the Tyson Invitational are currently on sale and may be purchased by calling 1-800-766-4626.  Reserved seats located near the finish line are $20 while general admission tickets are $10 per person with children 12 and under receiving a free general admission ticket.

“We’re pleased to again be the title sponsor of this great event,” said John Tyson, Tyson Foods, Inc.  “As a sponsor of the 2008 and 2010 U.S. Olympic Teams, we’re particularly excited about the caliber of the athletes scheduled to compete-many of whom we’ll likely see at the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. We encourage everyone to come out and see them in person while you have the opportunity.”

Since Tyson Foods began sponsoring the Tyson Invitational in 2000 attendance at the event has regularly exceeded 3,000 fans.  In 2007, more than 4,400 were counted in the arena, nearly exceeding the capacity of the building, and were treated by a near world record in the women’s 300 meters and numerous world best times.

Since 2006 the Tyson Invitational has seen one world record broken, another exceeded and a pair of world marks nearly fall.  The 2008 installment should see action at or above those levels as the world’s best sprinters, throwers and pole vaulters make their way to Fayetteville in an attempt to make their mark on the sport prior to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.  Some of the extraordinary talent scheduled to compete include former Razorbacks Wallace Spearmon, Jr. and Allistair Cragg, former Lady Razorbacks April Steiner and Christin Wurth-Thomas, shot put sensations Adam Nelson and Christian Cantwell as well as American pole vault record holder Jenn Stuczynski.

The Tyson Invitational is scheduled to be televised on ESPN on Sunday, February 17 at 5:00 p.m. EST.  For more information regarding the Tyson Invitational and Tyson Foods please visit www.tysoninvitational.org or www.tyson.com.

Information on the event:
The Fresno Bee ~ August 2, 2007:Skying for the bigger rush

North America Pole Vault Association

The Fresno Bee ~ August 3, 2007:Vaulter inspired by the fans 

Women’s Pole Vault Competiton for placement on World Championships Team and Pan American Games Team

Results can be found at:
www.trackshark.com in the results section under USATF Championships

or

www.usatf.com in LIVE RESULTS in the Championships coverage

When: Sunday, June 10th at 3:00pm

Where: Bell Athletics …4916 Hwy 226 …Jonesboro, AR 72404