NATHAN ON DAY TWO: MARKS COME UP SHORT

September 24, 2000

(INDIANAPOLIS)-- DeDee Nathan (Bloomington, Ind.) completes day two of the heptathlon competition in Sydney, Australia. Nathan finishes with a two-day total in her multi-event discipline of 6150 points. Nathan finishes as the top American athlete in the competition placing 9th. Nathan finished 434 points behind overall winnner, Denise Lewis of Great Britian.

"The marks needed for a big second day weren't there for DeDee", said Invaders Director Greg Harger. He added, "We know that she gave her best under the circumstances of these two days.........we are very proud of her efforts".

The Top 9 Heptathlon Finishers (33 athletes started the competition):

Name                    Country         Total Points

Denise LEWIS            GBR             6584 
Yelena PROKHOROVA       RUS             6531
Natalya SAZANOVICH      BLR             6527
Urszula WLODARCZYK      POL             6470
Sabine BRAUN            GER             6355
Natalya ROSHCHUPKINA    RUS             6237
Karin ERTL              GER             6209
Tiia HAUTALA            FIN            	6173
DeDee NATHAN            USA             6150

Olympic Results available at http://www.olympics.com.

For additional Invaders information, please contact Greg Harger.

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NATHAN ON TRACK: COMPLETES DAY ONE IN NINTH PLACE

September 23, 2000


(INDIANAPOLIS)-- DeDee Nathan (Bloomington, Ind.) completed day one of the heptathlon competition in Sydney, Australia. With a total of 3679 points Nathan remains the top American athlete in the competition at 9th place. Nathan is 224 points behind overall leader Natalya Sazanovich of Belarus. Nathan entered the heptathlon as the American Olympic Trials champion and with the 13th best individual heptathlon performance in 2000.

Saturday's heptathlon competition also saw 1996 Olympic Champion of Syria, Ghada Shouaa, fail to finish the 100m hurdles. Fellow American teammate, Kelly Blair-LaBounty, withdrew from competition before the opening event, returning home due to an aggrevating spinal disc injury.

"After a tough first event score DeDee has responded very well to the challenges of her event", said Invaders Head Coach Chris Buhler. He added, "What is most important is her continued focus on the remaining events and the strength that she draws from the fact that she is in a great position just 224 points off the lead".

"DeDee has potentially her best event (long jump) to start the second day and that result should set the tone for her finish. Add a season best in the javelin and we could be looking at a dramatic finish in the final event (800)", said Invaders Director Greg Harger.

Nathan's Day One Summary:

#1 100 METER HURDLES
Nathan finishes the 100m hurdles in a time of 13.74 (1015 points) giving her an initial start in this multi-event competition of 16th.

#2 HIGH JUMP
Nathan bests her Olympic Trials mark of 1.76m with a 1.78m height (953 points). Nathan's clearance of 1.78m moves her into an overall 11th place standing.

#3 SHOT PUT
Nathan's 6th place toss of 14.22m adds another 809 points to her total.

#4 200 METERS
In the final event of the day Nathan gains another 902 points with a run of 24.84 in her heat of the 200m.

The Top 10 (33 athletes started the competition) standings to start Day 2 of the Heptathlon:

Pos.  Athlete                              Country         Points

1            Natalya Sazanovich                 BLR             3903
2            Natalya Roshchupkina               RUS             3872
3            Denise Lewis                          GBR             3852
4            Urszula Wlodarczyk                 POL             3805
5            Yelena Prokhorova                  RUS             3771
6            Sabine Braun                          GER             3770
7            Eunice Barber                         FRA             3707
8            Karin Specht-Ertl                     GER             3697
9            Le Shundra "DeDee" Nathan     USA             3679
10          Tiia Hautala                             FIN             3621

Nathan's Olympic showdown takes place in front of an overall Olympic television audience of 3.7 billion.

Television coverage of the Heptathlon will resume at 7 PM this Sunday at 7 PM on NBC (Time EST and subject to change). Sunday's competition will start with the long jump followed by the javelin throw and ending with the 800m.

Olympic Results available at http://www.olympics.com.

For additional Invaders information, please contact Greg Harger.

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INVADERS' NATHAN TO COMPETE AT OLYMPIC GAMES, SEPTEMBER 23-24

September 22, 2000

(INDIANAPOLIS)-- DeDee Nathan (Bloomington, Ind.) will represent the USA at the 27th Olympic Games in her first Olympic appearance after 3 World Championship appearances in her distinguished career.

Sydney Australia plays host to the largest sporting event in the world with the centerpiece of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games being the largest outdoor venue in Olympic history. The Olympic Stadium has a capacity of 110,000, in which four Boeing 747s would fit side-by-side under the span of the main arches of the grandstands.

Nathan will compete in a field of 48 heptathletes in front of over 100,000 spectators in the Olympic Track & Field venue. Nathan begins competition on September 23.

"The Olympic Games are the pinnacle for an athlete pursuing the ultimate challenge", said Invaders Head Coach Chris Buhler. He added, "This experience for DeDee has been a hard earned journey and regardless of the outcome we are sure that she has put herself in position to turn in her best competitive effort ever".

"DeDee has a great support team with her in Sidney and has received exceptional coaching support over the last couple of years from her Indiana University family and personal coaches, John Smith, George Freeman, and David Martin", said Invaders Director Greg Harger.

Nathan won the US Olympic Trials and her first National Championship in Sacramento, California in July. "First and foremost, I'm treating this like just another championship as I'm competing against the same athletes as in any other major Heptathlon", said Nathan. She added, "I know my competitors and they know me, it is in God's hands now." The modern heptathlon was born in 1984 after 20 years as the pentathlon. With the same spirit as the men's decathlon, the two days of competition include the 200m, 100m hurdles and the high jump, shot put, long jump, and javelin, all leading to a concluding 800m run on the track. After enduring two days of competition the heptathlon victor will be crowned the world's greatest female athlete in front of an overall Olympic television audience of 3.7 billion.

Television coverage of the Heptathlon will start at 7 PM this Saturday and will resume Sunday at 7 PM on NBC (Times EST and subject to change). Saturday's competition will start with the 100m hurdles and be followed by the high jump, shot put, and finish with the 200m. Sunday's competition will start with the long jump followed by the javelin throw and ending with the 800m.

Olympic Results available at http://www.olympics.com.

For additional Invaders information, please contact Greg Harger.