Cash bonuses, fan prizes up for grabs at AT&T USA Indoor Champs

BOSTON - More than national titles are on the line at the AT&T USA Indoor Track & Field Championships as the 2006 Visa Championship Series comes to a close at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center February 24-26.

Two athletes will be crowned Visa Champions, earning a combined $50,000 in bonus money to help support them on their Olympic journeys; the Team USA roster for the 2006 World Indoor Track & Field Championships will be chosen; and fans have an opportunity to win a total of $10,000 for following the Visa Championship Series and correctly predicting the winners as part of the Visa Championship Series Consumer Promotion.

Championship drama

Sprinter Lisa Barber and shot putter Reese Hoffa enter the meet as the Visa Championship Series leaders. Barber's 60m time of 7.10 seconds, run at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games, has held up as the women's leader throughout the Series with 1,203 points. But Olympic gold medalist Joanna Hayes is just a whisker behind, her 60m hurdles time of 7.93 seconds at the 99th Millrose Games putting her just one point back with 1,202 points. 2005 Outdoor Visa Champion Sanya Richards is in third with 1,181 points and will be at her best this weekend in the 400 meters.

Hoffa likewise has led from the first week in Boston, and his throw of 21.65m/71-0.5 at the 99th Millrose Games gives him the current lead with 1,219 points. He enjoys a healthy lead over Tyson Invitational 3,000m winner Adam Goucher (1,191 points), but Goucher is on a roll, having won the USA 4 km cross country title last weekend in New York. He will compete in the 3,000 meters in Boston. Miler Jason Lunn is just one point back, at 1,190 points.

As 2005 demonstrated, however, anything can happen once the AT&T USA Indoor Championships begin. After Danielle Carruthers and Adam Nelson led the 2005 Visa Championship Series since week 1, sprinter Angela Daigle-Bowen and thrower John Godina stole victory - and the cash bonus - in Boston. Daigle-Bowen and Godina both will be in Boston to defend their titles.

The two lucky fans who correctly predict the overall Visa Champions, and enter their predictions online at www.visachampionshipseries.com by 11:59 p.m. on February 23 will each win a $5,000 grand prize, along with a Nike/USATF gift bag.

How it works

The male and female athlete with the top overall performance in the 2006 Indoor Visa Championship Series will be named Visa Champion and each will receive a $25,000 bonus. The top American male finisher and top American female finisher in each event of the Visa Championship Series have their performances assigned a point total based on the IAAF Scoring Tables of Athletics. The athlete whose performance has the highest point total at the end of the Visa Championship Series will be named the Visa Champion.

For more information on the Race for the Championship and the Visa Championship Series, visit www.visachampionshipseries.com

For more information on the AT&T USA Indoor Track & Field Championships, including schedule, ticket information and status of entries, visit http://www.usatf.org/events/2006/USAIndoorTFChampionships/

Sponsors of the AT&T USA Indoor Track & field Championships are AT&T, Nike, Visa, Hershey's, 24 Hour Fitness, Gleukos, Gill Athletics and Sport Court. Local sponsors include the Boston Herald Coca-cola, Keyspan, Hilton Family of Hotel, MBTA and Hot 97.7FM.