“Batman” coming to Beantown
Bershawn Jackson
Bershawn “Batman” Jackson, world #1 at 400m hurdles in 2010, won’t have any hurdles to clear at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, but he will be flying around the oval at the Reggie Lewis Center on Saturday.
The 16th-annual meet, the second stop in USA Track & Field’s Visa Championship Series, begins at 5:00 p.m., on Saturday, February 5 at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center at Roxbury Community College. Tickets and meet Information can be found on-line at www.nbindoorgrandprix.com or by calling 1-877-TIX-TRAC.
The 2005 World champion and 2008 Olympic bronze medalist, Jackson dominated the 400m hurdles last year in winning nine of his twelve finals, and earning victories at the USA Outdoor Championships and six Samsung Diamond League meets. Jackson not only posted the fastest time in the world last year of 47.32 seconds, but also recorded five of the top ten times run last year, and ended the season ranked #1 in the world by Track & Field News for the first time since 2005. He won the 400m at this event in 2010, and will compete in the 600m this year.
Manzano, Reid & Chelanga added to Boston field
Additions to the strong field competing Saturday in Boston include 2008 Olympian Leo Manzano, who has been added to the men’s mile. Sheila Reid and Sam Chelanga, both 2010 NCAA Cross Country Champions, will race in the women’s mile and men’s 3,000m, respectively.
Manzano, a three-time NCAA Champion at the University of Texas, finished 2010 as the fastest outdoor miler in the U.S. with his mark of 3:50.64. He won his first USA Indoor Championship title in 2010 at 1,500m and was ranked #1 in the U.S. by Track & Field News for the year. Manzano will face previously announced Olympic silver medalist Nick Willis of New Zealand and high school phenom Lukas Verzbicas. Alan Webb has scratched from the field.
Reid, who led Villanova to an NCAA Cross Country Championship team title in Terre Haute, Ind., last November with her individual first place finish, could scare Villanova’s school’s record in the mile of 4:28.31, held by Vicki Huber. She will face, among others, fellow Canadian and Villanova alum, Carmen Hussar and previously announced World Indoor Champion Kalkidan Gezahegne from Ethiopia. Three-time NCAA Champion Sam Chelanga will compete in the 3,000m against previously announced double European Champion Mo Farah and Ethiopian Dejen Gebremeskel.
