Webb Switches, Will Challenge Bekeles, AR, At Pre

June 6, 2007
For Immediate Release



WEBB SWITCHES TO THE 2-MILE TO TAKE ON THE BEKELE BROTHERS, AMERICAN RECORD

     Eugene, Oregon--Aiming to take advantage of his excellent fitness, world-leading miler Alan Webb has switched from the Bowerman Mile to the 2-Mile at this Sunday's Prefontaine Classic, looking to improve upon his own American Record of 8:11.48, set at the Pre Classic two years ago.
He will almost certainly have to run faster than that to have a chance at beating 5k/10k World Recordholder Kenenisa Bekele, and his younger brother Tariku Bekele, who is a new addition to the meet. Tariku ran a world-leading 13:04.05 in the 5000 last weekend, showing that he, too, is in excellent shape.
     Scratched from the event are Saif Shaheen (knee) and Sileshi Sihine (visa problems). The revised startlist:

2-MILE (MEN)

*Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia)
*Tariku Bekele (Ethiopia)
*Alan Webb
*Dathan Ritzenhein
*Craig Mottram (Australia)
*Ben Limo (Kenya)
*Zersenay Tadesse (Eritrea)
*Adam Goucher
*Solomon Tsige (Ethiopia)
*Matt Tegenkamp
*Sileshi Sihine (Ethiopia)
*Jonas Cheruiyot (Kenya)
*Boniface Songok (Kenya)
*Abrehem Feleke (Ethiopia)
*Sean Graham
*Anthony Famiglietti
*Juan Barrios (Mexico)
*Bernard Kiptum (Kenya)--pace
*John Jefferson--pace


KOECH LEADS THE RETURN OF THE STEEPLE TO PRE

    Eugene, Oregon--The last time the men's Steeplechase was held at the Prefontaine Classic in June of 1995, no runner had ever broken 8 minutes in the 3000-meter event. This year's heavy favorite, Paul Koech, has broken that standard in each of the past four years! The 2004 Olympic bronze medalist has a personal best of 7:56.37, and is the fifth-fastest steepler in history. The field also includes the national recordholder for Japan, Yoshitaka Iwamizu, and last year's NCAA champion, Josh McAdams

STEEPLECHASE (MEN)

*Paul Koech (Kenya)
*Steve Slattery
*Tom Brooks
*Josh McAdams
*Max King
*Kim Hogarth (New Zealand)
*Yoshitaka Iwamizu (Japan)
*Nicodemus Naimadu (Kenya)
*Brian Olinger

    The Nike Prefontaine Classic will be televised live on NBC from 1 to 3 p.m. PT.
    Tickets are available in person at the Casanova Center ticket office, by calling 1-800-WEBFOOT, or online at www.goducks.com <http://www.goducks.com>