Courtesy: USATF

Marion Jones, Stacy Dragila, Adam Nelson, Hicham El Guerrouj, Gail Devers, Allen Johnson, Jeff Hartwig Svetlana Feofanova and Sonia O'Sullivan are just a few of the top entries at the 28th annual Nike Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday, May 26. The IAAF Grand Prix I meet, the second event on USATF's 2002 Outdoor Golden Spike Tour, will be televised on ESPN2 from 11 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

2002 Prefontaine Classic at a Glance (fields subject to change).

Women's Pole Vault - 1:00 p.m.

THE FIELD: Stacy Dragila, Svetlana Feofanova (RUS), Kellie Suttle, Mel Mueller, Mary Sauer, Jill Schwartz.

THE SCOOP: Only seven women in history have cleared 15 feet (4.57m) in the pole vault outdoors, and five of them will be jumping in the Prefontaine Classic on Sunday. Leading the field will be outdoor world record holder Stacy Dragila, and indoor world record holder Svetlana Feofanova of Russia. Dragila has dominated outdoors, winning the inaugural World Championships vault in 1999, the Olympics in 2000, and the 2001 World Champs in Edmonton. In Edmonton, she and the 21-year-old Russian engaged in one of the greatest vault competitions of all-time, both clearing 4.75 meters/15 feet 7 inches, a height second only to Stacy's 4.81m/15-9.25 world record, with the American taking the win on fewer misses. Indoors in 2002, while Dragila battled foot problems, Feofanova set five world records in 29 days. Her current world indoor record is 4.75m/15-7. Joining the two world record holders will be fellow 15-foot club members Kellie Suttle (4.60m/15-1), last week's adidas Oregon Track Classic winner Mary Sauer (4.61m/15- 1.25), and Mel Mueller (4.62m/15-1.75).

Men's Shot Put - 1:05 p.m.

THE FIELD: Adam Nelson, John Godina, Kevin Toth, Adam Nelson, John Davis, Brad Snyder (CAN), Justin Anlezark (AUS).

THE SCOOP: Olympic silver medalist Adam Nelson produced one of the greatest series in shot put history with his performance in the adidas Oregon Track Classic. His winning throw of 22.51m/73-10.25 was the fifth-best ever by an American, and all four of his fair throws were over 71-feet. Nelson wasn't the only hot thrower, as world #3 John Godina threw 21.89m/71- 10, and comebacking Kevin Toth threw 21.78m/71-5.50. The Prefontaine Classic shot put record is the oldest one on the books, a mark of 21.52m/70- 7.50 by Al Feuerbach, from the 1974 Renovation Meet (which became the Pre Classic the next year). The 28-year-old standard appears to be in serious jeopardy.

Women's 1,500 Meters - 1:07 p.m.

THE FIELD: Regina Jacobs, Nicole Teter, Jen Toomey, Cheri Kenah, Sarah Schwald, Mary Jayne Harrelson, Janet Trujillo, Mari Chandler, Ellissa Reidy, Jenelle Deatherage, Diane Cummins (CAN), Mardrea Hyman (JAM), Lyudmila Vasilyeva (RUS).

THE SCOOP: Two-time World Outdoor Championships silver medalist Regina Jacobs will take on a strong list of competitors in this event. The ten-time U.S. Outdoor 1,500m champ, Jacobs also won the gold medal in this event at the 1995 World Indoor Championships. New American indoor 800m record holder Nicole Teter, who won her specialty (2:00.52) last Saturday in Portland, will challenge Jacobs, along with fellow Americans Cheri Kenah, who finished third in the 5,000m in Portland (15:14.69) and 2001 World Outdoor Championships semifinalist Sarah Schwald. 2002 U.S. Indoor mile and 800m runner-up Mary Jayne Harrelson is also in the field. Russia's Lyudmila Vasilyeva, who ended the 2001 season ranked #9 in the world, leads an international cast that includes Canada's Diane Cummins and Jamaica's Mardrea Hyman.

Men's 100 Meters - 1:23 p.m.

THE FIELD: Tim Montgomery, Bernard Williams, J.J. Johnson, Coby Miller, Jon Drummond, Kim Collins (SKN), Aziz Zakari (GHA).

THE SCOOP: Americans Tim Montgomery and Shawn Crawford will square off in a showdown as the co-holders of the fastest time in the world so far this year of 9.94. Montgomery ran his in Pretoria, South Africa, edging Crawford by 5/100ths of a second. Crawford turned the tables in Osaka earlier this month, blistering his 9.94, to 9.95 for Montgomery. Three additional sprinters ranked in the world's top ten are also in the field. Bernard Williams of the U.S. (#4), Abdul Aziz Zakari of Ghana (#7), and Kim Collins of St. Kitt's (#10). Prefontaine Classic meet record holder Coby Miller (10.00), who won in Portland last Saturday by equaling his personal best of 9.98, is also in the field, along with Mt. SAC Relays champion (9.95) and 2001 World Outdoor Championships relay gold medalist J.J. Johnson.

Women's 400 Meters - 1:32 p.m.

THE FIELD: Jearl Miles-Clark, LaTasha Colander-Richardson, Michelle Collins, Suziann Reid, Monique Hennagan, Sanya Richards, Sandie Richards (JAM), Nadjina Kaltouma (CHA).

THE SCOOP: In a spirited race to the wire, Kaltouma Nadjina of Chad edged former world-champion Jearl Miles-Clark by 8/100ths to win the adidas Oregon Track Classic 400 meters in 51.58. Suziann Reid was third in 51.99. All three are slated to run in the Prefontaine Classic women's 400 meters. But most eyes could well be on prep sensation Sanya Richards of Aquinas H.S. in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Richards has the fastest prep time in the country this year at 51.68.

Women's 100m Hurdles - 1:40 p.m.

THE FIELD: Gail Devers, Anjanette Kirkland, Jenny Adams, Melissa Morrison, Miesha McKelvy, Dionne Rose-Henley (JAM), Lacena Golding-Clarke (JAM), Vonette Dixon (JAM).

THE SCOOP: 2000 Olympic bronze medalist Melissa Morrison will meet an all-star field, led by 3-time world champion Gail Devers. Ranked #1 in the world last year by Track & Field News, Devers is an Olympic silver medalist and 2001 World Championships silver medalist in the event. She also is a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 100m dash. The woman who beat her for the gold in Edmonton, Anjanette Kirkland of the U.S., is also entered. With the addition of American Jenny Adams, 4th in the 2001 World Championships and ranked # 3 in the world, Dionne Rose-Henley of Jamaica, # 8 in the world, and Miesha McKelvy, 2002 U.S. indoor runner-up and winner last week in Portland (12.73), this field has the quality of an Olympic Games final.

Men's 110m Hurdles - 1:47 p.m.

THE FIELD: Allen Johnson, Terrence Trammell, Mark Crear, Larry Wade, Dawane Wallace, Dudley Dorival (HAI), Aubrey Herring, Arend Watkins.

THE SCOOP: Allen Johnson, the 1996 Olympic Champion and three- time World Champion, currently has the fastest time in the world (13.04) by a large margin. The Hayward Field and Prefontaine Classic record of 13.12 is held by Johnson and another competitor in the field, Larry Wade, ranked #3 in the world last year by Track & Field News. Joining them will be World Championships bronze medalist Dudley Dorival of Haiti, 2000 Olympic Games silver medalist Terrence Trammell, Olympic silver and bronze medalist Mark Crear, plus the #9 hurdler in the world last year, Dawane Wallace.

Women's Discus Throw - 1:50 p.m.

THE FIELD: Suzy Powell, Kris Kuehl, Seilala Sua, Aretha Hill, Beatrice Faumuina (NZL), Allison Lever (AUS).

THE SCOOP: American Suzy Powell headlines the field after destroying the 16-year-old U.S. record in the discus by more than ten feet at the U.C. San Diego Open earlier this spring. Her performance of 69.44m/227-10 erased the 66.10m/216-10 standard set by Carol Cady in 1986. Powell's mark is the farthest by anyone in the world since June of 1999. She will be joined by two others ranked in the top 10 in the world including four-time U.S. champ Seilala Sua (#6) and 1998-'99 U.S. runner-up Kris Kuehl (# 7). The field is rounded out by 2002 National Champions Beatrice Faumuina of New Zealand and Allison Lever of Australia. The Hayward Field and Pre Classic meet record of 65.32m/214-4 may fall on Sunday.

Women's 3,000 Meters - 1:55 p.m.

THE FIELD: Marla Runyan, Kathy Butler (GBR), Sonia O'Sullivan (IRL), Carrie Tollefson, Werknesh Kidane (ETH), Nicole Jefferson, Lisa Nye, Collette Liss, Courtney Babcock (CAN), Turinesh Dibaba (ETH), Priscilla Hein, Marie Davis, Catherine Berry (GBR), Anna Brzezinska (POL).

THE SCOOP: This figures to be a hard-fought race featuring Regina Jacobs, the U.S. record holder at 5000 meters, who has a 3k best of 8:31.08. Jacobs is a four-time Olympic team qualifier and 2-time World Outdoor Championships 1,500m silver medalist. 2000 Olympian and 2001 U.S. 5,000m champ Marla Runyan returns as the defending Pre Classic champion. She ended last year as the #1 ranked 3000 & 5000-meter runner in the U.S. Sonia O'Sullivan of Ireland, the Hayward Field and meet record holder, is making her first Pre Classic appearance at the distance since running 8:39.33 in 1996. Other contenders include Canadian record holder Courtney Babcock, who won the Mt SAC 5000m in April over an international field, and Australia's Benita Johnson, who won the Osaka Grand Prix 5000 meters last weekend in 15:01.44. Ethiopians Meseret Defar, Werknesh Kidane and Turinesh Dibaba will also challenge the top Americans.

Men's High Jump - 1:57 p.m.

THE FIELD: Charles Austin, Nathan Leeper, Charles Clinger, Matt Hemingway, Tora Harris, Staffan Strand (SWE), Mark Boswell (CAN), Kwaku Boateng (CAN).

THE SCOOP: Every one of the seven athletes entered in this event has equaled or exceeded the Hayward Field and Prefontaine Classic record of 2.34m/7-8 set in 1996 by Charles Austin, who later that summer won the Olympic gold medal in Atlanta. Austin, the reigning American record holder at 2.40m/7-10.50, will appear in his fourth Pre Classic high jump. Four entrants in the field have have already jumped 2.31m/7-7 or higher this year, led by indoor world leader Staffan Strand of Sweden, who cleared 2.35m/7-8.50 in Stockholm in February. Canadian Olympian Mark Boswell jumped 2.33m/7-7.75 in France in February, while 2001 USA Champion Nathan Leeper and 2001 NCAA Champion Charles Clinger have also gone 7-7 or higher in 2002. 2000 National Indoor champ Matt Hemingway set the 2002 U.S. leader of 2.32m/7-7.25 in winning at Portland last Saturday.

Men's Pole Vault - 2:00 p.m.

THE FIELD: Jeff Hartwig, Nick Hysong, Tim Mack, Tye Harvey, Derek Miles, Toby Stevenson, Russ Buller, Piotr Buciarski (DEN).

THE SCOOP: U.S. indoor and outdoor record holder Jeff Hartwig will have his hands full with an all-star field in the men's pole vault. Hartwig set the outdoor record of 6.03m/19-9.25 in 2000, and the Hayward Field mark of 6.02m/19-9 in 1999 for a new American record. The 34-year-old enjoyed an outstanding 2002 indoor season with the four highest heights in the world, with a best of 6.02m/19-9. The Prefontaine Classic meet record is 19-6.25 by the legendary Sergey Bubka, set eight years ago. Challenging Hartwig will be defending Olympic gold medalist Nick Hysong, who also took the bronze at last summer's World Championships in Edmonton and was ranked No. 6 in the world in 2001. Behind Hartwig and Hysong are World Indoor Championships silver medalist Tye Harvey, World Championships team members Tim Mack and Russ Buller, and University of Oregon grad Piotr Buclarski of Denmark.

Men's 400 Meters - 2:10 p.m.

THE FIELD: Angelo Taylor, Antonio Pettigrew, Gregory Haughton (JAM), Felix Sanchez (DMA), Davian Clarke (JAM), Hamdan Al-Bishi (KSA), Michael McDonald (JAM), Michael Blackwood (JAM).

THE SCOOP: As ranked by Track & Field News, the event's No. 2, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 10 one-lap runners from 2001 will go head-to-head at Hayward Field. Gregory Haughton (#2), 1993 1991 World Outdoor 400m champion and Olympic relay gold medalist Antonio Pettigrew (#4), Michael McDonald (#6), 2001 World Outdoor relay gold medalist Leonard Byrd (#7), Hamdan Al- Bishi (#8), and 2000 Olympic 400m hurdles gold medalist Angelo Taylor (#10) will be joined by 400-meter hurdles world champion Felix Sanchez. It is an international field, with representatives from Jamaica, U.S.A., Saudi Arabia, and Dominican Republic.

Women's 100 Meters - 2:17 p.m.

THE FIELD: Marion Jones, Inger Miller, Chryste Gaines, Tasha Jenkins, Torri Edwards, Savatheda Fynes (BAH), Beverly McDonald (JAM), Tayna Lawrence (JAM).

THE SCOOP: Marion Jones will make her fifth appearance at the Prefontaine Classic, where she has never lost in any event she has contested: 100m (twice), 200m (twice), or long jump (twice). In fact, over a four-year period, there has never been a woman sprinter as dominant as Jones: 2000 100 & 200-meter Olympic Champion, 1999 100-meter World Champion, 2001 200-meter World Champion, five times ranked #1 in the world in both the 100m and 200m by Track & Field News. Jones will face a tough field led by Jamaican Olympic bronze medalist Tayna Lawrence, who is running well again in 2002 after being out last year with a stress fracture. Former NCAA Champions Tasha Jenkins of the U.S. and Savatheda Fynes of the Bahamas will also be in the field. Jenkins posted the second-fastest time in the world this year (11.05), and Fynes is coming off an impressive win in the adidas Oregon Track Classic last weekend. 1999 World Outdoor Championships 200m gold medalist and 100m silver medalist Inger Miller will return to Hayward Field to run on the track where she won the 1999 USA Championships.

Men's 5,000 Meters - 2:23 p.m.

THE FIELD: Meb Keflezighi, Abdi Abdirahman, Tim Broe, Dan Browne, Brad Hauser, Luke Kipkosgei (KEN), Albert Chepkurui (KEN), Nolan Swanson, Ray Hughes, John Mayock (GBR), Abraham Chebii (KEN), Mark Bett (KEN), Ismael Sghyr (FRA), Daniel Gachara (KEN-pace), Martin Keino (KEN-pace).

THE SCOOP: U.S. 10,000m record holder and two-time U.S. 12k Cross Country champion Meb Keflezighi leads many of America's best distance runners in this event. The 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials champion, Keflezighi will be challenged by fellow American and 2001 U.S. 10,000m champion Abdi Abdirahman. Other Americans in the field include American 3,000m indoor record holder and two-time U.S. Indoor 3,000m champion Tim Broe, the two-time defending U.S. men's 4k cross country champ. Americans Brad Hauser, Dan Browne and Ray Hughes are also in the field, along with Kenyan Luke Kipkosgei, who ended the 2001 season ranked #9 in the world at 5,000m. Other international stars include Kenya's Albert Chepkurui, Abraham Chebii and Mark Bett. John Mayock of Great Britain and Ismael Sghyr of France will also compete.

Bowerman Men's Mile - 2:45 p.m.

THE FIELD: Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR), Bernard Lagat (KEN), Seneca Lassiter, William Chirchir (KEN), David Krummenacker, Bryan Berryhill, Mike Miller, Benjamin Kipkuri (KEN), Graham Hood (CAN), David Kiptoo (KEN), David Lelei (KEN), Jason Lunn, Adam Goucher, Leonard Mucheru (KEN), Michael Stember, Ibrahim Aden.

THE SCOOP: Eugene, Oregon - World mile and 1500 meter record holder Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco will return to Eugene to defend his Bowerman Mile title. The greatest miler in history wowed the Hayward Field crowd in 2001 with the first sub-3:50 mile ever recorded on U.S. soil of 3:49.92. El Guerrouj holds the world mile record of 3:43.13 and the 1500m standard of 3:26.00. He was the 2000 Olympic silver medalist, three-time world indoor champion, three-time world outdoor champion, and undefeated at any distance in 2001. Challengers include Kenya's Bernard Lagat, the World Championships silver medalist, who has run 3:26.34. The two met at the World Outdoor Championships last summer in Edmonton, with El Guerrouj winning his third consecutive World title at 1500 meters, and Lagat taking the silver. Lagat has been training hard in Pullman, Wash., with countryman Benjamin Kipkurui, ranked No. 10 in the world last year by Track & Field News, who is also in the race. U.S. challengers include 2000 Olympian Michael Stember, and the winners of last year's USA Outdoor title Andy Downin, and NCAA, Bryan Berryhill.