INDIANAPOLIS – America’s track glitterati will return to action June 7 at the fourth event of USATF’s 2003 Oudoor Golden Spike Tour, the Oracle U.S. Open at Stanford University’s Cobb Track and Angell Field in Palo Alto, California. The IAAF Grand Prix I event will be televised live on ESPN from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

Now in its fifth year, the Golden Spike Tour provides America’s best athletes the opportunity to compete in the United States and earn substantial prize money in front of a nationally televised audience. For more information on the Golden Spike Tour, visit the USATF Web site, www.usatf.org.

Stanford also will host the final event on this year’s Outdoor Golden Spike Tour, the 2003 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships presented by Verizon and USA Junior Track & Field Championships, June 19-22. The USA Outdoor Championships will be televised live June 21 on NBC from 4-6 p.m., and live on ESPN2 on June 22 from 4-5:30 p.m. (all times Eastern). To purchase tickets for the Oracle U.S. Open, visit www.gostanford.com or call 1-800-STANFORD.

In its three year history, the Oracle U.S. Open has featured record performances and overflow crowds at Angell Field. This year’s edition is headlined by U.S. stars Maurice Greene, Regina Jacobs, David Krummenacker, Chryste Gaines, Inger Miller, Adam Nelson, Kevin Toth, John Godina, Tisha Waller, Miesha McKelvy, Nick Hysong and Jeff Hartwig.

One of the most highly anticipated events at this year’s Oracle U.S. Open is the men’s shot put, featuring the top three ranked athletes in the world, Adam Nelson, Kevin Toth and John Godina. Toth, who ended the 2002 season ranked #2 in the world, won the USA indoor title earlier this year, and has made a clean sweep of the three previous 2003 GST meets with wins at the adidas Oregon Track Classic in Portland, Ore., the Nike Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore., and last week at the inaugural Home Depot Track and Field Invitational in Carson, Calif.

Toth will be challenged by last year’s #1 world-ranked shot putter, Adam Nelson, who returns to action this weekend after missing the previous outdoor GST meets due to a recurring bout with muscle spasms in his lower back. “My training has been going great and I’m ready to compete again,” Nelson said. “For three or four days at a time my back would be fine, and then I’d make a throw in practice and the pain would be so bad I’d fall to the ground. I’ve received a lot of treatment and I’ve cut back a little on my weight training, which has really helped. My confidence is high right now and I might really throw a big one this weekend.”

Also look for an interesting battle in the Verizon men’s 200 meters as 1999 world outdoor champion Maurice Greene continues his quest for world sprint dominance this season. Greene took a giant step toward that end Sunday with his win in the 100 meters at the Home Depot Invitational, where he ran the second-fastest time in the world this year of 9.94 seconds. On Saturday in the 200, Greene will face Joshua “J.J.” Johnson, who owns the fastest 200m time in the world this year of 20.05 seconds.

On the women’s side, look for a competitive tussle in the 100m hurdles as Miesha McKelvy is the favorite following wins earlier this year at the adidas Oregon Track Classic and the Home Depot Invitational. She’ll be challenged by 2001 World Outdoor Championships fifth-place finisher Jenny Adams and talented Jamaicans Dionne Rose-Henley and Lacena Golding Clarke.

In field event action, four-time U.S. outdoor champion Tisha Waller leads a talented field at Palo Alto, following her win two weeks ago at the Nike Prefontaine Classic, where she cleared 1.98m/6 feet 6 inches, the second best performance in the world this year. Waller will take on two-time Olympian and three-time U.S. outdoor champion Amy Acuff and Gwen Wentland, who finished second at the 2002 USA Outdoor Championships.

2003 Oracle U.S. Open at a Glance (Fields subject to change; athletes USA unless otherwise denoted)

Verizon Men’s 200 Meters

THE FIELD: Maurice Greene, Joshua “J.J.” Johnson, Shawn Crawford, John Capel, Kaaron Conwright, Mickey Grimes, Aziz Zakari (Ghana).

THE SCOOP: As the reigning Olympic 100m gold medalist and the three-time defending world outdoor champion and former world record holder in the 100 meters, it’s easy to forget that Maurice Greene is also the 1999 world outdoor champion at 200 meters. Greene, who’s looking to run both the 100 and 200 at the 2003 World Outdoor Championships later this summer, is focusing on the 200m more this season than in recent years, and earlier this season he posted the world’s fifth-fastest time of 20.16 seconds in winning at the Mt. SAC Relays. Greene has his work cut out for him in Palo Alto in facing Joshua “J.J.” Johnson, whose personal best in the 200 (19.88) is just .02 slower than Greene’s and who was runner-up to Greene last week in the 100 at the Home Depot Invitational. Other contenders include 2002 USA indoor 200m champion Shawn Crawford, who posted the second-fastest time in the world this season of 20.08, and 2001 USA indoor 200m champion Coby Miller, who ran the third-fastest time in the world this year of 20.13 on May 3 in Mexico City. Men’s 1,000 Meters

THE FIELD: David Krummenacker, Jason Lunn, Michael Stember, Derrick Peterson, Bryan Woodward, Kevin Sullivan (Canada), Berhanu Alemu (Ethiopia), David Lelei (Kenya), Todd MacDonald (Australia).

THE SCOOP: 2003 world indoor 800m champion David Krummenacker and two-time USA indoor mile champion Jason Lunn will meet again Saturday after an epic 1,500m battle last weekend at the Home Depot Invitational, where Lunn edged Krummenacker in the winning time of 3:37.59. Krummenacker, who ended the 2002 season ranked #3 in the world at 800 meters, was the runner-up in 3:37.83. 2000 Olympian and former Stanford great Michael Stember is in the field after his fifth-place finish last Saturday in 3:41.41. 2002 U.S. indoor 800m champion and last year’s Oracle U.S. Open 800m winner, Derrick Peterson, could upset the favorites in this event, and so could 2000 800m Olympian Bryan Woodward. An international flavor will be provided by Canadian star Kevin Sullivan (2nd in the mile at the adidas Oregon Track Classic in the third-fastest time in the world this year of 3:53.34), Kenyan David Lelei (fourth at Portland in 3:54.26), Ethiopian Berhanu Alemu and Australia’s Todd MacDonald.

Men’s 1,500 Meters

THE FIELD: Ibrahim Aden, Cornelius Chirchir (Kenya), Hudson de Souza (Brazil), Adam Goucher, Seneca Lassiter, David Kiptoo, (Kenya), Laban Rotich (Kenya).

THE SCOOP: Kenyans Cornelius Chirchir and Laban Rotich are the favorites here after Chirchir ended the 2002 season ranked #4 in the world and Rotich ended the campaign ranked #8. American challengers include reigning U.S. outdoor 1,500m champion and two-time NCAA champion Seneca Lassiter, two-time U.S. 5,000m champion and 2000 Olympian Adam Goucher, and 2002 U.S. 1,500m third place finisher Ibrahim Aden. Brazil’s Hudson de Souza also could be a factor following his third-place finish at the Home Depot Invitational in 3:38.77.

Men’ 3,000 Meters

THE FIELD: Abdi Abdirahman, Bob Kennedy, Abraham Chebii (Kenya), Mike Donnelly, Chris Graff, Brad Hauser, Martin Keino (Kenya), Luke Kipkosgei (Kenya), Willy Kirui (Kenya), Jonathon Riley, Nick Rogers, Nolan Swanson, Mike Power (Australia).

THE SCOOP: Kenyans Abraham Chebii and Luke Kipkosgei are the favorites in this event after ending the 2002 season ranked #2 and #6, respectively, at 3000 meters. Chebii posted the second-fastest 3000m time in the world this season with his win at the adidas Oregon Track Classic in 7:45.21. Other Kenyans in the field include Martin Keino and Willy Kirui. American challengers include national 3,000m record holder and two-time Olympian Bob Kennedy, 2000 Olympian and former Stanford great Brad Hauser, 2000 Olympian and 2001 U.S. 10,000m champion Abdi Abdirahman, and 2000 Olympian Nick Rogers.

Men’s Pole Vault

THE FIELD: Jeff Hartwig, Nick Hysong, Russ Buller, Tye Harvey, Tim Mack, Derek Miles, Toby Stevenson, Denis Kholev (Israel).

THE SCOOP: Jeff Hartwig, 35, ended the 2002 season as the oldest man ever to earn the #1 ranking in the world. Hartwig set the U.S. indoor record three times last year, and also is the American outdoor record holder with a clearance of 6.03m/19-9.25 in 2000. A three-time U.S. Outdoor champion, Hartwig will be challenged by 2000 Olympic gold medalist Nick Hysong, who ended the 2002 season ranked #6 in the world and is the 2001 World Championships bronze medalist. Defending Oracle U.S. Open champion Tim Mack also could challenge for the top spot after ending the 2002 campaign with a personal best clearance of 5.85m/19-2.25, and ending the season ranked #5 in the world and #2 in the U.S. Other strong contenders include Derek Miles, Toby Stevenson and Tye Harvey, who ended last year ranked #4, #5 and #6 respectively in the U.S.

Men’s Shot Put

THE FIELD: Adam Nelson, Kevin Toth, John Godina, Reese Hoffa, Jamie Beyer, Tonyo Sylvester.

THE SCOOP: In the highest profile event at this year’s Oracle U.S. Open, the world’s three finest shot putters will square off against each other for the first time this outdoor season. After ending the 2002 campaign ranked #1 in the world with only two losses all season, 2000 Olympic silver medalist Adam Nelson returns to competition after battling muscle spasms in his back earlier this year. Nelson’s only two losses in 2002 were to Kevin Toth, who ended the season ranked #2 in the world and is far and away the best thrower of 2003. Toth, who has won each event thus far on the 2003 Outdoor Golden Spike Tour, threw a monstrous personal best of 22.67 meters/74 feet, 4.50 inches in winning the Kansas Relays on April 19, with the best throw in the world since 1990. Also in the mix is two-time Olympic medalist and three-time world outdoor champion and defending Oracle U.S. Open champ John Godina, who is on the comeback trail after enduring a hyperextended finger earlier this season. Up-and-comers Jamie Beyer and Tonyo Sylvester will challenge the “Big Three,” along with Reese Hoffa, who bettered his personal best by more than a foot with his runner-up finish (20.90m/68-7) to Toth at last week’s Home Depot Invitational, where Hoffa competed, wearing a mask, as “The Unknown Shot Putter.”

Oracle Women’s 100 Meters

THE FIELD: Chryste Gaines, Inger Miller, Angela Williams, LaTasha Jenkins, Savatheda Fynes (Bahamas), Beverly McDonald (Jamaica)

THE SCOOP: Stanford grad and 2001 U.S. outdoor champion Chryste Gaines is the favorite in this race, along with four-time NCAA 100m champion and two-time world indoor 60m silver medalist Angela Williams. Inger Miller, the 1999 World Outdoor Championships 200m gold medalist and Gaines’ 1996 4x100m relay gold medal-winning teammate, also is in the field, along with 2001 World Indoor Championships 200m silver medalist LaTasha Jenkins. Savatheda Fynes, who won a gold medal at the 2000 Olympic Games as a member of the Bahamas 4x100m relay team, also is in the field, along with Jamaican star Beverly McDonald, who finished fourth at this event last year and won the 200m silver medal at the 1999 World Outdoor Championships.

Women’s 800 Meters

THE FIELD: Regina Jacobs, Chantee Earl, Mardrea Hyman (JAM), Brigita Langerholc (Slovenia), Meskerem Legesse (Ethiopia), Michelle Ballentine (Jamaica), Marian Burnett (Guyana).

THE SCOOP: Regina Jacobs returns to her college track at Stanford on Saturday following a stirring 1,500m victory last week at the Home Depot Invitational over her longtime rival Suzy Favor Hamilton. The world indoor record holder at 1,500 meters, Jacobs held off Favor Hamilton in Carson, Calif., in the second-fastest time in the world this year of 4:03.03. Jacobs, who won the 2001 USA outdoor 800m title, will be challenged by fellow American 800m standout Chantee Earl, a member of the Nike Farm Team who placed third at the 2003 USA Indoor Championships. Look for a strong challenge from 2000 Olympic Games fourth place finisher Brigita Langerholc from Slovenia. Jamaica’s Mardrea Hyman and Michelle Ballentine, along with Guyana’s Marian Burnett, should provide a strong challenge to the favorites.

Women’s 100m Hurdles

THE FIELD: Miesha McKelvy, Jenny Adams, Lacena Golding Clarke (Jamaica), Dionne Rose-Henley (Jamaica).

THE SCOOP: Miesha McKelvy is the hottest U.S. hurdler this season after ending the 2002 campaign ranked #5 in the world (#3 U.S.). McKelvy has had a successful run on this year’s Outdoor Golden Spike Tour with a win in the cold and rainy conditions at the adidas Oregon Track Classic on May 17 in 12.93 seconds, and she finished second May 24 at the Nike Prefontaine Classic in 12.51. McKelvy picked up her second Golden Spike Tour win of the outdoor season with her wind-aided time of 12.58 seconds last weekend at the Home Depot Invitational. 2001 World Outdoor Championships fifth-place finisher Jenny Adams will challenge McKelvy after ending the 2002 season ranked #6 in the world (#4 U.S.). Jamaican 2002 Commonwealth Games champion Lacena Golding Clarke will take on the Americans, along with her countrywoman Dionne Rose-Henley, who placed fifth at the 1996 Olympic Games.

Visa Women’s Pole Vault

THE FIELD: Kellie Suttle, Mary Sauer, Mel Mueller, Tracy O’Hara, Jillian Schwartz, Dana Ellis (Canada).

THE SCOOP: 2000 Olympians Kellie Suttle and Mel Mueller lead a talented group of Americans in this event. Suttle, who won at the adidas Oregon Track Classic with a clearance of 4.41m/14-5.50, under cold, windy and rainy conditions, will look for another GST win. The 2001 World indoor silver medalist will try to hold off Mueller, who ended the 2003 season ranked #3 in the U.S., and Mary Sauer, who ended the 2002 campaign ranked #10 in the world and #2 in the U.S. Suttle, Mueller and Sauer each have cleared the 15-foot barrier in their careers. In the hunt to upset the favorites are talented up-and-comers Tracy O’Hara, a two-time NCAA champion, and 2002 USA Indoor runner-up Jillian Schwartz.

Women’s Discus Throw

THE FIELD: Aretha Hill, Suzy Powell, Kris Kuehl, Seilala Sua, Beatrice Faumuina (New Zealand).

THE SCOOP: At the end of last season three U.S. throwers were ranked in the world’s top ten for the first time ever, and so far this season it’s been the third-ranked American (#10 in the world) from 2002, Aretha Hill, who has dominated her competition. Hill won at the adidas Oregon Track Classic with a throw of 63.44m/208-2, before winning last week at the Home Depot Invitational in the best throw by an American this season of 64.71m/212-4. Hill owns the top four U.S. throws so far this year, and her 66.23m/217-3 throw at La Jolla, Calif., earlier this year is the second best in the world this season. She’ll be challenged by Kris Kuehl, who was ranked #7 in the world and #1 in the U.S. last year after winning her first national outdoor title with a throw of 64.44m/211-5. Suzy Powell ended the 2002 campaign ranked #9 in the world (#2 U.S.) after setting the pending American record of 69.44m/227-10 on April 27 of last year. Four-time U.S. and NCAA discus champion Seilala Sua also should provide a strong challenge. New Zealand’s 1997 world champion Beatrice Faumuina also is in the field.

For more information on the Oracle U.S. Open and the 2003 USATF Outdoor Golden Spike Tour, visit www.usatf.org