Brisco winning three gold medals named 15th top moment

Valerie Brisco winning three gold medals at the 1984 Olympic Games was honored by USA Track & Field on Wednesday as the 15^th greatest moment in U.S. track and field history in the last 25 years.

To help mark the 25th anniversary of USA Track & Field, fans joined USATF in selecting the Top 25 Moments in American Track & Field during the past quarter century. Fans voted for what they consider to be the top moments in the sports of track & field, long-distance running, and race walking by voting online at USATF's website, www.usatf.org.

At the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, held just miles from her home at that time, Valerie Brisco became the first athlete, male or female, to complete an Olympic 200m/400m double.

She set American records in winning both individual events, running 21.81 seconds in the 200m, and becoming the first woman outside of Eastern Europe to break 49 seconds in the 400m with her winning time of 48.83 seconds. She won her third gold medal when she ran on the U.S. 4x400m relay team that set an American record with its winning time of 3:18.28. In 1988, Brisco won her fourth Olympic medal when she ran the third leg on the U.S. 4x400m relay team that broke the world record but finished second to the USSR team.

A former world indoor record holder in the 400 meters, Brisco was inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame in 1995.

Suggestions for USATF's Top 25 Moments were taken through February 22, 2004. Fans voted for their favorite moments beginning February 28 and ending on June 20. The Top 25 Moments will be announced in reverse order, one per week, leading up to the USATF Annual Meeting in December, where the top three moments will be revealed.

For more information on USATF' Top 25 Moments, visit www.usatf.org.

USATF Top 25 Moments

25. Jackie Joyner-Kersee breaks 7,000-point barrier in the heptathlon.

24. Khalid Khannouchi sets men's world marathon record in 2002.

23. Alan Webb sets U.S. boys' high school mile record.

22. Kevin Young breaks Edwin Moses' world record.

21. Lynn Jennings wins third World Cross Country title.

20. Alberto Salazar wins third consecutive New York City Marathon.

19. Flo-Jo sets women's 200m world record.

18. Gail Devers successfully defends Olympic 100m women's title.

17. Evelyn Ashford defeats two world record holders at 1979 World Cup.

16. Michael Carter sets national prep shot put record.

15. Valerie Brisco wins three gold medals at 1984 Olympic Games.