NEW YORK – A big crowd brought out big performances, including three meet records, Friday night at the Verizon Millrose Games, the second stop on USA Track & Field’s Golden Spike Tour.

A robust crowd of 14,154 fans – a 70-percent increase over 2003 – turned out to Madison Square Garden to witness an outstanding, 97th edition of the Verizon Millrose Games. The athletes did not disappoint as Allen Johnson and Gail Devers broke meet records and Christian Cantwell joined the due on turning in world-leading performances, while Marion Jones won her first competition.

“I’m happy with everything today,” said Johnson, summarizing the sentiments of many athletes. “It was so great to see so many people in the stands – I hadn’t seen that in a while. The excitement out there was terrific.”

Johnson created excitement by dominating the men’s 60-meter hurdles with a performance that earned him the Fred Schmertz Waterford Crystal Trophy as the meet’s top performer. The four-time world outdoor 110m hurdles champion led from the start and ran a very quick 7.43 seconds to break the Verizon Millrose Games record. Ladji Doucoure of France was a distant second (7.55).

As is her custom, Devers made the women’s 60-meter hurdles virtually a one-woman race. The three-time world outdoor 100m hurdles champion seized the lead and continued on to post a world-leading time of 7.76 seconds, just .02 off her American record and beating her own Verizon Millrose Games record. Reigning world outdoor champion Perdita Felicien of Canada was second in 7.94.

Christian Cantwell improved on his own world-leading mark and personal best in winning the NYAC men’s shot put with a throw of 21.28/69-9.75. Reese Hoffa finished second with 19.98m/65-6.76, and Adam Nelson was third with 19.81m/65-0.

Jones provided all the closing excitement that the crowd expected from the three-time Olympic gold medalist. In her first race since September, 2002, and since giving birth to her son in June, Jones sloughed off a sluggish start to win the Verizon women’s 60 meters in 7.21 seconds. Angela Daigle placed second, leading Jones until the final steps of the race, in 7.24.

Tisha Waller won her eighth career Verizon Millrose Games title in the women’s high jump, taking the competition with a clearance of 1.92m/6-3.5. Two-time champion Amy Acuff also cleared 1.92m but placed second due to having more misses than Waller.

Jearl Miles-Clark took the lead and pulled away from Sandie Richards to win her eighth Millrose title of her career of any distance in the Sunny D Intense Sport women’s 500 meters, with a time of1:03.68. Sandie Richards of Jamaica was second in 1:04.51., and distances from 400 to 800 meters. Coming off an American record in the Sunny D Intense Sport women’s 500 meters

Miles-Clark’s sister-in-law, Hazel Clark, avenged her fall at last week’s adidas Boston Indoor Games to win her second consecutive Verizon Millrose Games title in the Sunny D Intense Sport women’s 800 meters. The 2000 Olympic Trials champion, Clark posted a time of 2:05.79 to comfortably defeat Michelle Ballantine of Jamaica (2:06.05).

Berhanu Alemu of Ethiopia held off two-time defending Verizon Millrose Champion David Krummenacker in the men’s 800 meters, posting a time of 1:50.27 to Krummenacker’s 1:50.38.

Stacy Dragila won yet another Millrose crown in the Visa women’s pole vault with a clearance of 4.64m/15-02.75; Jillian Schwartz was second at 4.25m/14-3.25.

Germaine Mason, the 21-year-old wunderkind from Jamaica, won the John Thomas men’s high jump with a clearance of 2.23m/7-3.75. The 2000 World Junior silver medalist and 2002 bronze medalist, Mason turned 21 just three weeks ago and placed fifth at the 2003 World Outdoors.

Joey Woody, the 2003 World Championships silver medalist in the 400-meter hurdles, moved up in distance to win the Mel Sheppard 600 yards with a time of 1:11.27. Woody held off 2000 Olympic fourth-place 400m hurdler James Carter, who placed second in 1:11.44.

Carmen Douma of Canada moved past early leaders Jen Toomey (third in 4:17.81) and Meskerem Legesse (second in 4:17.32) of Ethiopia in the final half of Fred Lebow women’s 1,500 meters, winning in 4:16.78.

Brazil’s Hudson de Souza ran 4:02.93 to easily win the Wanamaker mile over James Thie of Great Britain (4:04.28).

Asafa Powell, the Jamaican national champion, was first out of the blocks and ran away to a win in the Pro Sports & Entertainment men’s 60 meters, with a time of 6.56 seconds. John Capel was second in 6.65.

Toby Stevenson won the first Verizon Millrose Games title of his career in the Fred Schmertz men’s pole vault. Stevenson beat out the top competition the U.S. had to offer with his clearance of 5.70m/18-8.25. American record holder Jeff Hartwig placed second with 5.60m/18-4.5.

John Nunn, a sergeant in the Army’s world-class athlete program, won his first Verizon Millrose title in the men’s 1-mile walk with his time of 6:03.37.

For complete results and athlete quotes, visit www.usatf.org