AMERICAN MILERS CLUB HIGH PERFORMANCE SERIES: NO NEED FOR EUROPE
June 30, 2006
(INDIANAPOLIS) The first two days of the American Milers Club High
Performance Series produced a significant number of season best
performances and lifetime best times in the 800 and 1500 for some of
America's top middle distance athletes.
Day One of the series produced 15 Season Bests, 10 Personal
Bests, two sub-1:48 800’s, two sub-2:06 800’s for women, and four sub
3:44
1500’s. The Nike Farm Team won all three events with Elliott Blount
(1:47.78) and Eri McDonald (2:05.47) capturing their respective 800
meter races while Drew Griffin (3:43.08) won the 1500 on Tuesday, June
27th.
Day Two of the series raised the bar for American high
performance races with 19 Season Bests, 13 Personal Bests, four
sub-1:48 800’s, four sub-
2:06 efforts in the women’s 800, and nine sub 3:44 1500’s for the men.
The Nike Farm Team continued their winning ways with Krista Ferrara
winning the 800 (2:03.33) in exciting fashion on her collegiate track
by one, one hundredth of a second while
Sean Graham posted an exciting three tenths of a second win (3:40.73)
in the 1500 over Jason Lunn. Rob Myers, of Buckeye Reebok, broke the
Farm Team's winning streak by capturing the win in the men’s 800 with a
life-time best time of 1:47.26 edging Brandon Shaw by six one
hundredths of a second in the third photo finish of Thursday evening.
Meet Series Director Greg Harger said, "After competing in
Indianapolis
last week at the USA Outdoor Championships we're seeing some great
performances from some very hungry and fit athletes. This series is
specifically designed to fulfill the needs of our country’s elite and
elite development athletes as determined by the coaches of these
athletes. Clearly these athletes and their performances show that
domestically we can race very fast without traveling to Europe. Posting
fast times in highly competitive races is merely a function of putting
like-minded athletes on the track in the same place at the same time.
For a few these races allow a high caliber race before heading over to
Europe to compete and for many these races afford an unprecedented
opportunity to improve in an electric racing environment.” Harger
added, "Saturday's races should be very competitive and for many this
will be their last chance of the season to improve on their Personal
Bests and also to post qualifying marks for next year's USA national
championship. The growth of this series has been a great example of
coaches and athletes working together to solve their collective
challenges with respect to timely competition opportunities and we
expect the level and depth of performances to grow again next year."
American Milers Club High Performance Series:
http://www.nftl.net
The Indiana Invaders, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1998,
presents an innovative approach to track & field by providing a
resident-based, athlete-centered support system unique to the sport in
the United States.
INVADERS' KOCZMAN AND SHUNK IN USA FINALS
June 26, 2006
(INDIANAPOLIS) The Indiana Invaders' Jacob Koczman and Adam Shunk had
respective outings in the finals of the 800 and high jump not unlike the
challenging weather on the final day of the 2006 USA Outdoor Track &
Field Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Koczman struggled to hold onto or improve his 4th place position after
the 600 meter mark and ended with an 8th place finish while Shunk,
representing NIKE in the championships, searched in vain for his
championship timing with his approach in the high jump and failed to
clear a height.
Coach Greg Harger said, "Koczman raced with impeccable tactics in each
of the three rounds of the 800 but simply ran out of gas after putting
himself in the best possible position at the 600 meter pole in the
finals. These three races in four days against the best in the country
for Koczman demonstrate that he can compete while navigating medical
school and sheds light on his prospects in 2008 if we are able to
capitalize on some opportunities to improve his rest & recovery
environment as he moves into his initial hospital rotations."
Team Director Harger added, "Shunk was bitten by the vertical jump bug
that strikes all high jumpers at one time or another in their career.
Posting a no height in the competition is initially hard on a champion
like Shunk. But Shunk is a champion and champions learn lessons from
every disappointment and turn the negative experiences into a future
victory. We will see Shunk again on the awards podium."
The Invaders' middle distance athletes will next compete in Bloomington,
Indiana on June 27, 29 and July 1st at the American Milers Club High
Performance Series.
2006 AT&T USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships:
http://www.usatf.org/events/2006/USAOutdoorTFChampionships/
American Milers Club High Performance Series:
http://www.nftl.net
The Indiana Invaders, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1998,
presents an innovative approach to track & field by providing a
resident-based, athlete-centered support system unique to the sport in
the United States.
INVADERS' KOCZMAN ADVANCES TO USA SEMI-FINALS
June 23, 2006
(INDIANAPOLIS) The Indiana Invaders' Jacob Koczman advances to the
semi-finals of the 800 after winning his qualifying section with a time
of 1:49.01 at the 2006 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in
Indianapolis, Indiana on June 22.
Koczman, a 2004 Olympic Trials Finalist in the 800, will compete in the
800 semi-finals on Friday, June 23rd. Teammate Ricardo Bell, 6th at the
2006 USA Indoor National Championships, did not advance out of the
qualifying round with his time of 1:48.82 in the 800. This was Bell's
first USA Outdoor Championship appearance.
Team Director Greg Harger said, "Koczman has worked diligently to
balance medical school with his athletic goals. He sets the bar very
high with extreme diligence. He is ready for round two." Coach Harger
added, "Bell ran his outdoor season best race in his first appearance at
the USA outdoor championships. After this weekend's championship outing,
Bell has his focus on running some very competitive races in the
American Milers Club High Performance Series next week in Bloomington."
2006 AT&T USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships:
http://www.usatf.org/events/2006/USAOutdoorTFChampionships/
American Milers Club High Performance Series:
http://www.nftl.net
The Indiana Invaders, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1998,
presents an innovative approach to track & field by providing a
resident-based, athlete-centered support system unique to the sport in
the United States.
INDIANA INVADERS TO COMPETE AT USA NATIONALS
June 15, 2006
(INDIANAPOLIS) The Indiana Invaders will compete at the 2006 USA Outdoor
Track & Field Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana on June 22-25,
2006. This is the Invaders' eighth appearance at the USA Outdoor
Championships where over the course of their first eight seasons of
competition at USA Track & Field National Championships, the Indiana
Invaders have produced 121 athlete appearances and 8 qualifying efforts
for USA National Teams.
The Invaders are led into the 2006 championships by Adam Shunk (Delta,
Muncie, Ind.), a graduate student at Ball State University, who is
currently fourth on the United States performance list in the high jump
for the national championships. Shunk is the reigning USA National
Indoor Champion in the high jump and was a 2004 Olympic Trials finalist.
Shunk currently competes under a NIKE affiliation.
Joining Shunk are teammates Dameion Smith (hammer throw), Jacob Koczman
(800), Ricardo Bell (800), Garland Porter (hammer throw), Erin Nehus
(10,000), and Stephanie Dueringer (10,000).
Dameion Smith, a graduate of the University of Indianapolis, was an
Olympic Trials participant in 2004 and rolls into the championship
competition with the 7th best entry mark. Jacob Koczman, a 2004 Olympic
Trials Finalist, will compete in the 800 where he has a career best of
1:47.06. Ricardo Bell comes into the meet off of a breakthrough indoor
season where he finished 6th in the USA Indoor National Championships.
Team Director Greg Harger said, "This is a great opportunity for our
team to compete in front of our home community. It's exciting to have
the championships in your own community and it should be a great week of
competition for many from Indiana." Coach Harger added, "Indiana has a
great pipeline of young athletic talent, and with focused support and
encouragement they have as much as a right to expect future berths on
US National Teams and US Olympic Teams as that of athletes from any
other part of the country. As we continue to improve our recruiting
efforts, sponsorship development efforts, and coaching efforts we look
to have a larger impact when we return next year and especially as we
head into the 2008 Olympic year. This is a great kick off to the
beginning of a push to the Olympic Trials and Olympic Games of 2008."
2006 AT&T USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships:
http://www.usatf.org/events/2006/USAOutdoorTFChampionships/
The Indiana Invaders, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1998,
presents an innovative approach to track & field by providing a
resident-based, athlete-centered support system unique to the sport in
the United States.
HOT 800 & 1500 FIELDS SHAPING UP FOR AMERICAN MILERS CLUB SERIES
June 15, 2006
(INDIANAPOLIS) The Indiana Invaders are hosting the American Milers Club
High Performance Series on June 27th, June 29th, and July 1st. The
fields include NCAA Champions, Olympians, top Indiana athletes, and
athletes from the top US elite development clubs battling for top
performances on the Famed Billy Hayes Track on Indiana University’s
Bloomington campus.
The American Milers Club High Performance Series is an outgrowth of
meets hosted by the Indiana Invaders in 2004 to meet the needs of Elite
Athlete Development programs from throughout the country. For the July
1st meet there will also be open and community races at the venue.
Top clubs supporting the series and providing many top athletes include
the Farm Team, Hansons-Brooks, Wisconsin Runner, Zap Fitness, Big Sur
Distance Project, Team USA Minnesota and the Indiana Invaders.
For the July 1st race, $1000 will go to the best meet performance in the
800 or 1500 where the performance exceeds the following standards,
1:46.00/3:38.00 for men. Power Tables will be used to determine the
single winner of this $1000 challenge. This prize money would be split
if a tie exists after applying the Power Tables. To be eligible an
athlete must have raced in one of previous two dates of the series to be
eligible for prize monies on the 1st of July.
Invaders Director Greg Harger said, "The fields are shaping up to be
extremely competitive. There will be some great head-to-head competition
as athletes look to chase World Championship "A" qualifying standards
and US National Qualifying Marks for next year's US Nationals, that will
be held in Indianapolis." Harger added, "We look forward to building on
this series as we explore expanding the series to include additional
events that cater to the post-collegian."
American Milers Club High Performance Series:
http://www.nftl.net
The Indiana Invaders, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1998,
presents an innovative approach to track & field by providing a
resident-based, athlete-centered support system unique to the sport in
the United States.
