BOSTON – Gail Devers became the first American athlete in history to win the 60-meter dash and 60-meter hurdles Saturday at the 2004 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships.

The two-time Olympic 100m gold medalist and three-time world champion outdoors in the 100m hurdles, Devers first won the 60m hurdles in 7.81 seconds Saturday at the Reggie Lewis Center. Fifty minutes later, she took the dash in 7.12 seconds to provide the finale to an exciting day of competition that included wins by Allen Johnson and Jen Toomey.

With her successful double, the 37-year-old Devers – who set a Reggie Lewis Center record with a time of 7.11 in the semifinals of the 60m dash – matched a feat achieved previously only by Chi Cheng of Taipei. At the 1970 USA Indoor Championships, Cheng swept the women’s sprint and hurdle races at a time when foreign athletes were allowed to compete at the meet.

Devers comfortably won the hurdles, converting her traditionally fast start into an easy win in 7.81 seconds, qualifying to defend her 2003 world indoor title in the event. Joanna Hayes placed second in 7.91. The top two finishers in each event at the USA Indoor Championships qualify to represent Team USA at the 2004 World Indoor Championships March 5-7 in Budapest, Hungary.

Devers’ 60m race was another story. The American record holder and a two-time world indoor champion at the distance, Devers had to wait for a photo finish to determine that she had won the final over 2003 world indoor bronze medalist Torri Edwards. The two women finished with identical times of 7.12 seconds, providing second personal record of the day for Edwards, the 2003 world outdoor 100m silver medalist and 200m bronze medalist, who had tied her PR in the semifinals with a time of 7.17.

Devers’ was not the only star that shone, however. Allen Johnson won his third consecutive GM men’s 60m hurdles championship – his fourth U.S. indoor title overall – to earn the right to defend his 2003 world crown in Budapest. His victory was even more comfortable than Devers’, running 7.44 seconds to relegate Duane Ross to second at 7.59.

Toomey was equally dominant in the Sunny D Intense Sport women’s 800 meters. The Salem, Mass., resident ran tucked behind 2000 Olympic Trials champion Hazel Clark through 400 meters, covered in 58.78 seconds, before powering away in the third 200 meters as she has done all season. Toomey finished in a U.S.-leading time of 2:00.02 to win her first national title, followed by Clark (2:01.06) and American record holder Nicole Teter (2:03.05).

Tim Seaman won his seventh straight 5,000m race walk title, winning with a time of 19:30.59 just two weeks after placing second at the Olympic Trials 50 km race walk February 15 in Chula Vista, Calif.

Toby Stevenson was a crowd-pleasing winner in the men’s pole vault. Ultimately clearing a personal-record 5.80m/19-0.25 on his first attempt to win his first U.S. title, Stevenson celebrated nearly every clearance with a post-vault pony galloping simulation, even straddling his pole for heightened effect after making the winning height. Jeff Hartwig placed second at 5.75m/18-10.25, with Russ Buller third with an identical clearance.

2001 world indoor 200m champion Shawn Crawford showed he will be a threat in Budapest in the 60m dash, winning the Verizon men’s 60 meters in 6.47 seconds, the fastest time by an American in 2003. Crawford held off a fast-closing John Capel – also known more as a 200m runner and the 2000 Olympic Trials champion in the longer event – who was second in 6.52 seconds. Maurice Greene did not run the final after aggravating his touchy right hamstring in the semifinals.

An Olympian at 1,500m and the 2003 USA 4 km cross country champion, Shayne Culpepper won the first track title of her career Saturday in the 3,000 meters. Culpepper, whose husband Alan won the Olympic Trials men’s marathon on February 7, sprinted past Carrie Tollefson in the final 50 meters to win in 9:00.59. Tollefson was second in 9:00.93.

Michael Stember likewise won his first U.S. title on the track. Known more as a 1,500m runner, the 2000 Olympian took the lead with 200 meters to go in the Xerox men’s 800 meters and powered on to a win in 1:48.08. Derrick Peterson was second in 1:48.67.

Rob Myers provided fireworks in the Nike men’s 1,500 meters, taking the lead in the race with 400 meters to go and holding off early leader Charlie Gruber. The 2001 Big 10 indoor mile champion for Ohio State, Myers finished in 3:40.80 to Gruber’s 3:40.83.

Tiombe Hurd won the third U.S. indoor title of her career, taking the women’s triple jump with a facility record of 13.84m/45-5.0. Two-time U.S. outdoor champion Yuliana Perez placed second with 13.78/45-2.5. Allen Sims won the men’s triple jump with a leap of 16.88m/55-4.75; three-time U.S. outdoor champ LaMark Carter was second with 16.48m/54-1.0.

In semifinal rounds, Ellannee Richardson turned in the fastest qualifying time in the women’s 400 meters (52.93), with Joseph Mendel the fastest among the men (46.68) heading into Sunday’s final.

The 2004 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships continue Sunday and will be broadcast Sunday from 6-7 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN2. For complete results, athlete quotes, and a daily photo gallery, visit www.usatf.org