Courtesy: USATF

With some of the world's finest athletes including Marion Jones, Stacy Dragila, John Godina and Gail Devers competing at the Oracle U.S. Open, Mother Nature made an appearance at Stanford University's Cobb Track and Angell Field as well.

A strong, swirling wind gusting to levels far in excess of event wind readings and cool temperatures were competitors in every event, but it did nothing to diminish the level of competition or the appreciativeness of the facility-record 6,844 fans on hand for the meet, the third stop on USA Track & Field's Golden Spike Tour.

Stanford alumna Regina Jacobs and 800m American indoor record holder Nicole Teter pitched an epic duel over the final 400 meters of the Oracle Women's 1,500 meters in the night's most hotly contested event. Jacobs, the defending U.S. champion in the 1,500 and the greatest American middle-distance runner of the last several years, avenged her last-lap loss to Teter at the Nike Prefontaine Classic two weeks earlier by running 4:11.35 at Stanford. Teter was second in 4:11.70 and Sarah Schwald was third in 4:12.75.

Three-time world champion Gail Devers turned in one of the most impressive performances of the night, bucking a .7 meters-per-second headwind to run 12.81 in the Oracle women's 100m hurdles. Donica Merriman was second in 12.88 and Jenny Adams was third in 12.99. Running strongly in second, Miehsa McKelvy hit a hurdle and finished fifth in 13.20.

Marion Jones fought through a 2.7 mps headwind and strong Caribbean competition to win the Verizon women's 100m dash in 11.20 seconds. Veronica Campbell of Jamaica was second in 11.31 and Tayna Lawrence of Jamaica was third in 11.33.

Among the most popular events of the night with the crowd was the Nike men's mile. Kenyan William Chirchir took advantage of pacesetting through 800m by Stanford's Gabe Jennings (1:55.6) to win in 3:55.40. He was followed by a trio of Americans: Seneca Lassiter (3:58.59), Jonathon Riley (3:59.69) and Bolota Asmeron (3:59.86).

In one of the most anticipated competitions, 2001 world indoor and outdoor champion John Godina won the men's shot put with a best of 21.38m/70-1.75 to earn his first victory of the Golden Spike Tour. Nike Prefontaine Classic champion Kevin Toth was second at 21.11m/69-3.25. adidas Oregon Track Classic winner Adam Nelson withdrew from the meet due to an Achilles tendon injury but is expected back for the USA Outdoor Championships.

Olympic champion and world record holder Stacy Dragila easily won the Visa women's pole vault. Struggling against the unpredictable wind on her approach, Dragila cleared 4.32m/14-2. Becky Holliday was second at 4.07m/13-4.25.

Defending world 400m hurdles champion Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic won the SoBe Sports System men's 400m in 45.24 seconds. Alleyne Francique of Grenada was second in 45.36.

A homestretch run brought Jearl Miles-Clark a victory in the women's 400 meters. The three-time U.S. outdoor champion in the event ran 50.45 to post the second-fastest time in the world this year. World leader Michelle Collins was second in 50.87, with four-time Jamaican Olympian Sandie Richards third at 50.98.

Former TCU standout Kim Collins of St. Kitts held off 2001 World University Games champion Marcus Brunson in the Oracle Men's 100 meters with a time of 10.18 seconds. Brunson, who attended Arizona State, was runner- up at 10.21 with a 3.0mps headwind.

U.S. indoor champion Miguel Pate dominated the men's long jump with a mark of 8.28m/27-2. Tyrone Ward was a distant second at 7.47m/24- 6.25. The reigning U.S. indoor champions also won the men's triple jump and the Oracle men's 800m. Tim Rusan won the triple jump with a leap of 17.17m/56-4 (wind readings were not available for the LJ and TJ). In the 800m, Derrick Peterson ran down NCAA champion Otukile Lekote of Botswana, by way of LSU. Peterson ran 1:47.18 to Lekote's 1:47.42, repeating their 1-2 finish in the 800 at the 2001 US Open.

In the women's high jump, Tisha Waller made it through the competition with no misses, clearing 1.93m/6-4. (She missed three times at her final height of 1.96m/6-5.) Canadian Nicole Forrester was second at 1.90m/6- 2.75. Suzy Powell won the women's discus with a throw of 64.39m/211-3, with Aretha Hill second at 63.21m/207-4. Luke Kipkosgei of Kenya won the men's 5,000m in 13:17.46 with countryman Abraham Chebii second in 13:22.88 and American Dan Browne third in 13:34.72.