USA Track & Field’s Golden Spike Tour (GST) made its third stop of the 2002 season at the adidas Midwest Indoor Track Classic (aMITC) a historical one for the University of Nebraska’s year-old indoor track. Elite athletes, both American and international, rewrote the record books with stadium records in 9 of 10 elite competitions. The fast times coming despite a 20-minute delay when a citywide power failure caused the auxiliary lights to go out midway through the meet.

Larry Wade ran a U.S. leading time of 7.47 to win the Verizon Men’s 60m Hurdles. Wade, fresh off a win at the Verizon Millrose Games, led a cast of four hurdlers who bettered the previous Devaney Center record time of 7.72.

Nicole Teter clocked a world-leading time of 4:32.71 to lower Regina Jacobs’ mark from just last weekend. Teter pulled away from an impressive international field in the final 200m that included Russian Lyudmila Vasilyeva, Jamaican Mardrea Hyman and Americans Sarah Schwald and Miesha Marzell. Four of the milers lowered the Devaney Center record time of 4:38.33 from 1992.

Another U.S. leader came in the men’s shot put with Adam Nelson throwing 21.04m/69-00.50 to win the competition over South Africa’s Janus Robberts (20.31m/66-07.75). Nelson, who now owns the two best throws in the U.S. in 2002, also bettered John Godina’s Devaney Center record mark of 20.32m/66-8.

In the most exciting race of the night, Kenya’s Bernard Lagat, on a world record pace until the final 300 meters, clocked the first sub-four minute mile in the state of Nebraska with his winning time of 3:55.07 in the men’s mile. The 3:55.07 was the second world leading time clocked Saturday’s meet.

Joshua (J.J) Johnson kicked off the action with a blistering 6.56 seconds in the men’s 60 meters, edging out Barbados’ Obadele Thompson (6.67) and Mickey Grimes (6.68). Thompson owned the Devaney Center record time of 6.60 from 1997 before Johnson lowered the time to 6.56.

Jamaica’s Lacena Golding-Clarke, competing in her first Golden Spike Tour event this season, edged out Melissa Morrison to win the women’s 60m hurdles. Golding-Clarke (7.94) and Morrison (7.96) both ran lower than the Devaney Center record time of 7.99 by Perdita Felicien, set just seven days ago.

Jearl Miles-Clark chalked up her second GST win with a 52.21 in the women’s 400 meters, also a Devaney Center record. Miles-Clark pulled away from Suziann Reid in the final 100m to claim the victory.

In the best finish of the day, Derrick Peterson came from behind to win the men’s 800 meters in 1:49.30 over fellow American David Krummenacker (1:49.40) and Kenyan David Kiptoo (1:49.55). Peterson, Krummenacker and Kiptoo were neck and neck coming down the final straight away, with Peterson giving a final kick for the win at the finish line.

On the field, Derek Miles and Jeff Hartwig both bettered the Devaney Center record mark of 5.69 meters/18 feet, 8 inches, with Miles winning on fewer misses. The Visa Men’s Pole Vault was without American Indoor record holder Lawrence Johnson, who scratched from the event after re-injuring his left ankle while warming up. Miles and Hartwig raised the new mark to 5.70m/18-8.25.

In the women’s high jump, 2001 U.S. Indoor Champion Amy Acuff won her second GST competition with a Devaney Center record clearance of 1.92m/6-3.5. The previous mark for the Devaney Center was 1.91m/6-3.25 from 1996.

The adidas Midwest Indoor Track Classic will be broadcasted nationally from 4-5:00 pm Eastern Time on ESPN2, Sunday, February 10.

The four-meet series concludes with the USATF Indoor National Championships, March 1 and 2 in New York City. For complete results from the adidas Midwest Indoor Track Classic, and for more information on the Golden Spike Tour, visit the USATF Web site, www.usatf.org.

Winner’s quotes – adidas Midwest Indoor Track Classic

JJ Johnson, Men’s 60m: “ I’ve been focusing on my start, it wasn’t a great start tonight. I have to take over in the middle of the race since my start is so slow. I’m going to take the rest of the time off (until Indoor Championships) so I can focus more on my start and get more power coming out of the blocks.”

Lacena Golding-Clarke, Women’s 60m Hurdles: “I’m happy that I came out here and won, this was a very good field. The U.S. has very, very good athletes and its good that I came here and did great.”

Larry Wade, Men’s 60m Hurdles: “It feels great to come out here and get the win, but this is just one race. I have about two or three more of these (indoor) to go. I can’t really hold on to this win, I’ve got to go home and work with my coach (John Smith) on some things that I may have messed up on today.”

Derrick Peterson, Men’s 800m: “The ending was just as I pictured it, coming off the last curve and running strong to the finish line. I had an idea that I was going to get challenged, so I pretty much just focused on that and tried to run my race all the way to the tape.”

“The facility (Bob Devaney Sports Center) is kinda special to me, I won my first of many conference championships here. This is my first time on the new surface here and man is it great. I love the track.”

Amy Acuff, Women’s High Jump: “I was a little encouraged, but at the same time, I felt like I was running around like an idiot. I’m just trying to get use to my new approach, I’ve been working on some new things. I’m really out of my comfort zone, that’s why you see me run through a lot.”

Adam Nelson, Men’s Shot Put: “Chris Lester (meet director) and his support staff deserve a huge amount of applause. This has been fantastic. I know this will become just an unbelievable event.”

Derek Miles, Men’s Pole Vault: “I would have liked to hit 19’, but I didn’t feel great. I was glad to hit 18’8” on the first try. I’m happy with the victory but really looking to hit that 19 feet.”

Nicole Teter, Women’s Mile: “I haven’t even gotten into full speed training – I’m saving that for outdoors. I did not think it would be so fast after such a slow 800m. It came out of nowhere.” (NOTE: Nicole’s last quarter mile was run in 63 seconds.)

Bernard Lagat, Men’s Mile: “I thought, ‘I’m going to give the fans of Nebraska a good thing today.’ They were so supportive with their cheering; they really gave me a boost. I have run on so many tracks, but this is, by far, the best track. I’m excited to run here at Nebraska again.”