Race for Visa Championship up for grabs at USA Indoor Champs

BOSTON - A showdown is set for this weekend's USA Indoor Track & Field Championships as the world's best men's shot putters take on the world's hottest triple jumper in the race for the men's Visa Championship. Meanwhile, the top U.S. women's hurdlers and weight throwers are in a battle to win the women's Visa Championship.

The 2005 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships, held February 25-27 at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center on the campus of Roxbury Community College, is the final event on USA Track & Field's 2005 Visa Championship Series. The meet will be broadcast from 3-5 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, February 27 on ESPN.

Men's throwers in driver's seat

The men's shot putters have dominated the Visa Championship Series, but they could face a challenge to their supremacy at the Indoor Championships.

Two-time Olympic silver medalist Adam Nelson has led the men's race since the Reebok Boston Indoor Games, held at the Reggie Lewis Center on January 30. His personal-best, world-leading shot put of 21.66m/71 feet, 0.75 inches gave him 1,220 points. At the Millrose Games the following weekend, 2004 world indoor silver medalist Reese Hoffa scored 1,218 points with his winning toss of 21.62 meters/70-11.

But two-time Olympian Walter Davis enters the meet as a legitimate threat to steal the title of Visa Champion. Davis posted the second-best indoor triple jump mark in history by an American over the weekend with his leap of 17.62/57-9.75, Friday in Baton Rouge, La. If he matches that performance in Boston, Davis will walk away with $25,000, prizes and the title of Visa Champion.

If Davis doesn't manage another world-leading triple jump, then the winner of the Visa Championship will almost certainly come from the men's shot. If the winner of Saturday's shot competition surpasses Nelson's 21.66m/71-0.75, then they will likely win the title. The field includes Nelson and Hoffa, as well as three-time world champion John Godina and 2004 world indoor gold medalist Christian Cantwell.

For a full list of performances needed in any event to overtake Nelson's 1,220 points, see the chart below.

Carruthers, Gilreath duke it out

Like Nelson, Danielle Carruthers has led the Race for the Championship since the first meet of the Visa Championships Series. Carruthers has steadily improved each week, setting her up well for a shot at taking home the grand prize.

The 10-time NCAA All-American while at Indiana University scored 1,170 points with her winning time of 8.08 at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games, then improved to 1,183 points at the Millrose Games (8.02) and her current score of 1,191 points at the Powered by Tyson Invitational (7.98). Sprinter Muna Lee is a distant second in the Race for the Championship with 1,174 points, thanks to her 60-meter time of 7.19 seconds at the Powered by Tyson Invitational.

At the Indoor Championships, however, Carruthers faces a powerful threat in Erin Gilreath. The 2004 Olympic Trials champion and American record holder outdoors in the hammer throw, Gilreath has already broken the world indoor best for the indoor weight throw twice in 2005. Her most recent world best came Friday in Bloomington, Ind., with her throw of 24.23/79-6. If she sets another world best in Boston, with a throw of 24.34m/79-10.25, she will overtake Carruthers unless Carruthers improves her hurdles time once again - a very strong possibility.

For a full list of performances needed in any event to overtake Carruthers' 1,191 points, see the chart below.

The prize

During USA Track & Field's 2005 Indoor Visa Championship Series, American athletes have been competing not only for more than $1 million in prize and athlete support money, they will also be racing toward their share of a combined $100,000 jackpot and other prizes for the Visa Championship.

The male and female athlete with the top overall performances in the 2005 Indoor Visa Championship Series will be named Visa Champion and receive a $25,000 bonus. In addition, each Visa Champion will be awarded an invitation of their choice to a premiere Visa-sponsored event.

Crowning the Visa Champion

The top eligible American male finisher and top American female finisher in each event of the Visa Championship Series, including the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships, will have their performances assigned a point total based on the IAAF Scoring Tables of Athletics. The athlete whose single-best performance has the highest point total at the end of the Visa Championship Series will be named the Visa Champion.

Although the top performance can come at any of the Visa Championship Series meets, an athlete must compete at the 2005 USA Indoor Championships in order to be named Visa Champion. Athletes competing on the high school or college level are not eligible. In addition, athlete performances in the first three meets of the Visa Championship Series must come in events that also are contested at the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships, or other events that qualify athletes to compete at the Championships, in order to be eligible for Visa Champions point totals and rankings.

Ties will be broken by determining which tied athlete had the best mark at the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships. If a tie still exists, it will be broken by a coin toss.

For more information on the 2005 Visa Championship Series, visit www.usatf.org/visa

Performances needed to take lead in the Visa Race for the Championship

MEN

Current lead score: 1220

Needed to overtake: 1221

60m - 6.47

400m - 45.52

800m - 1:45.35

1500m - 3:35.93

3000m - 7:36.96

60m Hurdles -7.46

5000m Race Walk -17:47

High Jump - 2.37m/7-9.25

Pole Vault - 5.88m/19-3.5

Long Jump - 8.45m/27-8.75

Triple Jump - 17.60m/57-9

Shot Put - 21.67m/71-1.25

Weight Throw -25.35m/83-2

WOMEN

Current lead score: 1191

Needed to overtake: 1192

60m -7.13

400m -51.80

800m -1:59.99

1500m - 4:08.06

3000m - 8:47.66

60m Hurdles - 7.97

3000m Race Walk - 11:50

High Jump - 2.00m/6-6.75

Pole Vault - 4.81m/15-9.25

Long Jump - 6.99m/22-11.25

Triple Jump - 14.91m/48-11

Shot Put - 20.48m/67-2.25

Weight Throw - 24.34m/79-10.25