DES MOINES, IOWA -- Ten days ago local USATF Co-Competition Director Mark Kostek called the upcoming USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships "the greatest track and field meet ever held in Iowa."
On the eve of the first day of competition Kostek is willing to upgrade his comments.
"With 93 Olympians competing in this meet, you would be hard-pressed to find another sporting event ever staged in Iowa that can approach the spectacle of this event," said a beaming Kostek.
Nineteen of those Olympians have combined to earn 29 Olympic medals, including 10 gold medals.
If that's not enough, 11 athletes who own American records in 12 events, will be competing.
An additional eight athletes who hold world-leading marks in their specialties this outdoor season, also will be on hand.
Three-time Olympian Allen Johnson, who won the gold medal in the men's 110 hurdles at the 1996 Olympics, is one of the oldest athletes competing at the age of 39. Johnson is a seven-time U.S. outdoor champion.
Jeremy Wariner and Dwight Phillips, who won gold medals in the men's 400 and long jump, respectively, at the 2004 Olympics, head the list of world leaders. Wariner owns the world's fastest time in the 400 this year at 44.73 seconds, set in Rome, Italy, June 10. Phillips has the world's top mark in the long jump at 27-7.50, set at the same meet in Rome.
Other world leaders include Des Moines native Lolo Jones in the women's 100 hurdles at 12.55; 2010 Drake Relays outstanding women's performer Chaunte' Lowe at 6-8.25 in the women's high jump; and three-time Olympic medalist Allyson Felix, in the women's 400 at 50.15.
2008 Olympian David Oliver owns the fastest time in the world in the men's 110 hurdles of 12.99, set in Shanghai, China, May 23, while Cory Martin is the world leader in the men's shot put at 72-6.25. Two-time Olympian Brian Clays has posted the best performance in the grueling decathlon with 8,483 points at Gotzis, Austria, May 30.
Jenny Suhr, who won the silver medal at the 2008 Olympics, will make her outdoor debut this weekend in the women's pole vault as the American record holder at 16-1.75.
Bernard Lagat, the American record holder in both the 1,500 and 5,000, will run in the men's
5,000 meters.
The 20k race walks, which will be held on University Avenue, early Sunday morning, feature American record holders Tim Seaman in the men's division and Teresa Vaill in the women's division.
Kostek expects an all out assault on Drake Stadium records.
Since the renovation of Drake Stadium was completed in 2006, 25 Drake Stadium records have been set. The last time Drake hosted a national championship meet, 17 Drake Stadium records were set at the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
The USA Junior Nationals also will be held during the same time at Drake Stadium with athletes competing for berths on TEAM USA for the upcoming Junior World Championships in Moncton, Canada July 19-25.
All-session tickets, covering five days, are on sale for $100. A special Saturday and Sunday package is $50. Individual session tickets are also on sale for $20 for Wednesday, $25 for Thursday and $30 for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The championships open on Wednesday with the first day of competition in the heptathlon and decathlon for the USA Junior Nationals.
There is a full day of activities beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday with the last event scheduled at 8:55 p.m. with the finals of the women's 10,000-meter run featuring two-time NCAA outdoor champion Lisa Koll of Iowa State.
Friday's action starts at 10 a.m. with the last event starting at 9 p.m. with the junior men's
10,000-meter run finals.
Competition at Drake Stadium on Saturday begins at 10:30 a.m., running through 6:30 p.m. with the finals in the 1,500 of the men's decathlon featuring Olympians Tim Pappas and Brian Clay.
Twenty events will take place on Sunday, starting with the men's 20k race walk at 6:30 a.m. The first event at Drake Stadium starts at 12 p.m. with finals in the men's shot put, women's pole vault and men's javelin. The meet will conclude with finals in the men's 110 hurdles at 2:50 p.m.
