INDIANAPOLIS – American 3,000 and 5,000 meter record holder Bob Kennedy and 3-time defending U.S. 8k cross country champion Deena Drossin appeared Wednesday (Feb. 14) on a USATF Media Teleconference. Both will compete at the 2001 USATF Winter Cross Country Championships, February 17-18 in Vancouver, Washington.

The Championships in Vancouver serve as the U.S. National Championships and the selection event for the U.S. team that will compete March 24-25 at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Dublin, Ireland.

The 6th place finisher in the 5,000 meters at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Kennedy won the NCAA and U.S. cross country titles in 1992, becoming the first man to accomplish that feat since Al Lawrence did it 32 years earlier. Kennedy won 20 Big Ten titles as a collegian at Indiana, including two NCAA cross country crowns and the 1,500 meter NCAA outdoor title in 1990. He has been ranked #1 in the U.S. eight times at 5,000 meters by Track & Field News, and was ranked the nation’s best at 3,000 meters seven years in a row (1993-1999).

Deena Drossin made history last season by becoming the first woman ever to win the U.S. 8k and 4k cross country titles in the same year. Drossin proved herself in that event in Greensboro, N.C. by overcoming tough competition in cold, rainy and muddy conditions to win both titles. Known as a tough competitor, Drossin won the 10,000 meters at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials, breaking the Olympic Trials record with her time of 31:51.05, and ended the season ranked #1 in the U.S. by Track & Field News. She also placed 2nd in the 5,000 meters at the 2000 Trials, ending the year ranked 2nd nationally in that event. Drossin ended her highly successful 2000 season ranked 4th in the U.S. at 3,000 meters.

Additional bio information on Kennedy and Drossin may be found on the USATF Web site at http://www.usatf.org.

During the teleconference, Drossin was asked if she intends to defend both U.S. Cross Country titles this weekend in Vancouver:

“I had Achilles problems and I took a long time off after the Olympic Games with complete rest and it’s taken me a while to get my conditioning back up, so I don’t really have that high of expectations of myself this weekend. I’m entered in both races, I do that every year, but I think I’m just going to run 8k because of my fitness and not wanting to overdue it in spikes which caused some of my Achilles problems in the later part of last year. Right now I’m just focused on the 8k, but if I wake up on Sunday morning and feel great then I’ll hop in the 4k. I absolutely love cross country. It’s probably where my biggest passions are as far as being a runner.”

Drossin was asked if just making the U.S. World Cross Country Team would be good enough for her:

“Yeah. That’s obviously why a lot of us do get out there and run. I have the expectations and will to get out there and win because I feel an obligation to myself to do something like that, but I also need to be a little realistic in knowing it’s the first time in five years that I took two months off of training, and I did feel like I was starting from scratch. I am comfortable where my training is right now and I feel good. I just don’t really know as far as competition is concerned where I can be. I don’t have a tremendous amount of confidence going in, but I am going to fight harder than I ever fought before to try and win again. Training has gone very well. I’m in Arizona right now getting in some warmer weather because Colorado was a little extreme this year as far as their winter was concerned. Coach (Joe) Vigil is pleased where I am right now, so I’m gonna go in and give it what I have.”

Kennedy on his expectations for the 12k competition this weekend:

“I expect to win. I’ve been training pretty well in preparing for 12k cross country. The 3k at Millrose was kind of a great start in getting the rust out for the 12k this weekend.”

Kennedy on his back problems from last year and if they are still a factor:

“It’s a non-issue. I haven’t had any symptoms or problems with my back since the Olympic Trials. I took a seven week period off after the Trials and allowed it to heal completely.”

Kennedy on the importance of cross country competition:

“I think cross country is important for a number of reasons. I think that if you prepare properly for cross country, then you’re preparing your aerobic base properly for the outdoor season, and that’s really why I run cross country is to do the work and have a goal for the short term to make it worthwhile, as opposed to just training with nothing else happening. This year it’s particularly important to me because I haven’t raced effectively for quite a while and I want to get back to the point where I’m racing well.” # # #