INDIANAPOLIS – Athletes winning their individual events at the 2002 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships June 21-23 at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, will earn a spot on the Team USA roster for the 2002 IAAF World Cup in Athletics.

The only exception is for the men’s and women’s 4x100 and 4x400m relay teams. Those roster spots will be selected by team coaches from all participants competing in the June 21-23 Championships at Stanford.

The 9th IAAF World Cup in Athletics will take place September 21-22 in Madrid, Spain.

Only one athlete from each team is allowed to compete in each event at the World Cup. If an athlete who wins an event at the 2002 USA Outdoor Championships is unable to compete in the World Cup, the next-highest placing athlete in the event who can compete at World Cup will be selected to Team USA.

Team USA’s women’s squad enters this year’s competition as the defending champion after winning the 1998 World Cup in Johannesburg, South Africa by a two-point margin over Europe. Team USA totaled 96 points to win the event, with Europe as the runner-up with 94. Other top five teams included Africa (3rd-88 points), Russia (4th-87 points) and the Americas (5th-81 points). Africa won the men’s competition with 110 points, with Team USA’s men’s squad placing fifth with 94 points.

In winning the women’s World Cup team title for the first time ever, Team USA was led by Marion Jones, who won the 100 and 200 meters and placed second in the long jump. In winning the sprint events, Jones set career bests in the 100m (10.65) and 200m (21.62). Jones’ second-place finish in the long jump to German Heike Drechsler was her only loss in any competition that season.

The prize money breakdown at the 2002 World Cup is as follows:

Individual Events: 1. $30,000 2. $18,000 3. $8,000 4. $7,000 5. $5,000 6. $3,000 7. $2,000 8. $1,500 9. $1,000.

Relays 1. $30,000 2. $20,000 3. $10,000 4. $8,000 5. $6,000 6. $5,000 7. $4,000 8. $3,000 9. $2,000.

For more information on the 2002 USA Outdoor Championships, visit www.usatf.org.