Kerron Clement looks to give the Visa Championship Series a boost in Boston

Boston. (February 4, 2010)-Kerron Clement starts his season with a 60m race at the Reebok Boston Indoor, hoping to pick up in 2010 where he left off in 2009, when an old-and-improved form carried the 400m hurdler to victories at the U.S. Outdoor Nationals and World Championships.

In a break from recent history, Clement is set to run the indoor 60 meters. The world no.1 and La,Porte, Texas native is by trade a 400 meter hurdler, who is a threat whenever running an 400 but does not often compete at the shorter distance.

To say that all eyes will be on Clement would be an understatement.  He is Pitt to track’s Clooney and seldom has the sport needed him more.  Part of the problem for track is that more runners (David Oliver, Lolo Jones,) are simply choosing to run in more lucrative European races or all together skipping the indoor season to focus on the outdoor season.

Running in the 60m is reigning U.S. National Champion Michael Rodgers, 2004 Olympic Gold medalist Shawn Crawford, former NCAA great Walter Dix, and Daniel Bailey the 100m Antiguan national recorder holder.

But don’t sleep on the men’s 5000m that pits rookie Galen Rupp against the seasoned veteran in Bernard ‘Kip” Lagat.  Coming off of one of the great careers in NCAA history, the former University of Oregon distance runner will face off against of the sports most consistent and accomplished distance runners.  Lagat won a 1,500m silver medal at 2000 Olympic Games, and the silver medalist at the 2004 Olympic Games.

Sure, Rupp has competed at an elite level for several seasons now, the difference this is the first year of his professional track career.

Meet directors have been struggling to attract the top talent and the solution is unclear at this point.

Absences by the top American stars are tougher to stomach in the sprints.  Clement will at least provide a reprieve, if not the the antecedote to sparsely populated fields and low visibility on the U.S. sports scene.

In an effort to draw a larger television audience, the 2010 Reebok Boston Indoor has been moved to Sunday, February 7, from 2-4pm EST on ESPN2.

The Boston Reebok Indoor contributed to this story.

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