Weekend Thoughts: 4/10 - 4/11

There were a number of majors this past weekend, notably the Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner Kersee meet at UCLA, Tennessee’s Sea Ray Relays and Sun Angel Track Classic at Arizona State.

Professionals open season.

All signs are indicating that a number of elite runners are in fabulous shape considering the early time of the year.  Some say that there is little gain in a non-Olympic year and I couldn’t disagree more with this line of thinking.  You have to admit that the best track athletes in the world facing off and exhibiting their talent is a good idea.

It’s his defining feature: An intense focus on being the best track runner in the world.  Regardless of the drama surrounding Walter Dix off the track, the two-time Olympic bronze medalist took a turn on Saturday after running 10.00 in the 100 meters with a 0.0 wind at the Seminole Invitational.

This after news reports surfaced that Dix will be training with Florida A&M’s Rey Robinson, a 1972 Olympian and touted sprint coach. He is leaving former FSU track and field coach Terry Long who was heavily involved Dix’s training last year.  At the present time, Dix is also a contract dispute with agent Kimberly Holland. What kind of a year is in store for Richard Thompson?

Jamaica’s Kerron Stewart is quietly piece her race together, running 22.62 at the Sun Angel Track Classic. Trinidad’s Richard Thompson cranked out 20.6 in the damp, cool conditions in Arizona.

Don’t call it a come back, she’s been here for years.  This year Carmelita Jeter opened the season at the Jackie Joyner Kersee/Rafer Johnson meet in 22.59.  Jeter has recently joined the HSI group and already showing signs that she may have the best season yet of her professional career.

Bringing the heat, Lauryn Williams got her season started running 11.11 at the Miami Elite Invitational, while  2008 Olympic Trials runner-up Damu Cherry flew over the hurdles in 12.43.

Hazel Clark-Riley was spotted at the Sea Ray Relays. She placed 7th in her 1,500m heat at Sea Ray Relays, running 4:31.47.  In another early season race Anthony Famiglietti jumped in the 1500m at Sea Ray Relays, winning the race in 3:42.77 by over three seconds.

College Runners
With so many talented runners, the women’s 800 is already shaping up to be a hot race at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.  Chanelle Price is getting healthier as the season goes on, recording a third place finish in the 800 meters (2:05.54), behind Treniere Clement (2:04.23).

Reigning NCAA 400 meter hurdle champion Jeshua Anderson improved on his season’s best time on Saturday, running 49.44 seconds showing that he is a force to be reckoned with again this season.  In a dramatic race, Allyson Felix ran down Texas A&M’s on the anchor leg of the 4×100 relay to win in 43.46 seconds.

Winning the overall title Ronnie Ash of Bethune-Cookman University took the high hurdles in 13.58, setting a new stadium record in Miami.

The race in L.A. had twist and turns but in the end Tran Howell, Gerlad Phiri, Chris Dykes and Justin Oliver of Texas A&M prevailed in the 400 meter relays over elite runners Craig Everhart, Kerron Clement, Rodney Martin and Shawn Crawford, 39.13 to 39.28.

Alyson Felix provided fireworks on the anchor leg of the 4×100 meter relay. Felix delivered a come from behind win, crossing the line in 43.46 to 43.47 over Texas A&M.

Fam Signs Endorsement Deal With Saucony

For Immediate Release: January 28, 2009

Saucony, Inc.

SAUCONY SIGNS ENDORSEMENT DEAL WITH TWO-TIME
U.S. OLYMPIAN ANTHONY “FAM’ FAMIGLIETTI

“Fam” to make brand debut at 2009 USA Cross Country Championships, presented by Saucony

LEXINGTON, MA (January 28, 2009) – Saucony, Inc., a leading global supplier of performance athletic footwear and apparel, today announced the signing of two-time U.S. Olympian Anthony Famiglietti to a multi-year endorsement contract. Famiglietti, the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials champion, competed for the U.S. in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at both the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Famiglietti, who’s versatility extends to the roads as well, is the 2007 USA 8K and 2006 and 2008 USA 5K champion. In 2007, Famiglietti, known to the running world as “Fam,” ran the fastest 5,000 meters ever by an American on U.S. soil (13:11.93).

“I’m very excited to join the Saucony family and represent a brand that is both inspiring and authentic,” said Famiglietti, named the number one ranked steeplechaser in the U.S. in 2008 by Track & Field News. “Based upon the experience I’ve had training in their footwear and apparel, it’s obvious that Saucony truly appreciates the technical needs of the performance runner at every level. The brand’s commitment to inspiring every runner, on every run, on every day is one that I’m honored to share,” added Famiglietti.

“We are all very excited about the addition of Fam to the Saucony brand and family,” said Richie Woodworth, president of Saucony. “Our values and commitment to product innovation and excellence are shared by Fam, both as an athlete and as a person. Fam, as all our athletes, is more than a product spokesperson: He inspires us in our relentless pursuit of creating the best running shoes and apparel on the planet and will be a valued partner in that effort,” added Woodworth.

Famiglietti’s first competition in a Saucony uniform will be at the 2009 USA Cross Country Championships, presented by Saucony, on February 7th in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He then plans to continue his progression as an athlete aiming at American records on the track in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters this spring as well as debuting in the marathon in the near future.

Famiglietti, 30, graduated from Patchogue-Medford High School in Long Island, New York. He attended Appalachian State University and the University of Tennessee, where he graduated in 2000. At Appalachian State, Famiglietti was 1996 Southern Conference Freshman of the year in Cross Country and 1997 Southern Conference Cross Country Runner of the Year runner-up. On the track, he was 1998 Southern Conference Champion in both the steeplechase and the 5,000 meters. In 1998, he transferred to Tennessee, where he placed 11th at the SEC Cross Country Championships and 75th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. In 1999, he was 6th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the steeplechase, and 8th in his heat at the U.S. Championships. In 2000, his final year of college, Famiglietti was 2nd at the SEC Championships, 4th at the NCAA Championships, and 7th at the U.S. Olympic Trials, where he ran an 8:25.37.

Since 1998, Famiglietti has followed the coaching advice of George Watts, head cross country and distance coach at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. For his altitude training program, Famiglietti consults with Jack Daniels, Ph.D., a world-renowned authority on distance running.
Famiglietti currently lives and trains in Knoxville, Tennessee. When not running, he is an artist with a special interest in abstract expressionism and composing music.
For interviews with Anthony Famiglietti or Saucony executives, please contact Sharon Barbano at Saucony (617-824-6126), sharon.barbano@saucony.com or Jeff

About Saucony, Inc.: Saucony, Inc., a subsidiary of Collective Brands, Inc., is a leading global supplier of performance athletic footwear and apparel with its widely recognized brands Saucony and Saucony Originals. For more information, go to www.saucony.com.
About Collective Brands, Inc.: Collective Brands, Inc. (NYSE: PSS) is a leader in bringing compelling lifestyle, fashion and performance brands for footwear and related accessories to consumers worldwide. The company operates three strategic units covering a powerful brand portfolio, as well as multiple price points and selling channels including retail, wholesale, ecommerce and licensing. Collective Brands, Inc. includes Payless ShoeSource, focused on democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories through its more than 4,500-store retail chain, with its brands American Eagle™, Airwalk®, Dexter®, Champion® and designer collections Abaeté for Payless, Lela Rose for Payless and alice + olivia for Payless, among others; Stride Rite, focused on lifestyle and athletic branded footwear and high-quality children’s footwear sold primarily through wholesaling, with its brands including Stride Rite®, Keds®, Sperry Top-Sider®, Robeez®, and Saucony®, among others; and Collective Licensing International, the brand development, management and global licensing unit, with such youth lifestyle brands as Airwalk®, Vision Street Wear®, Lamar®, Sims®, LTD®, genetic®, Dukes™, Rage®, Ultra-Wheels®, and Skate Attack®. Information about, and links for shopping on, each of the Collective Brand’s units can be found at http://www.collectivebrands.com.