Kansas Relays officials unveiled Wednesday a roster of 36 Olympians and 110 Major Champions who will compete during GOLDZONE II next Saturday during the 79th annual event held at KU’s Memorial Stadium.
“The fields of GOLDZONE II are even more impressive than those we enjoyed last spring,” said meet director Tim Weaver, of the list that includes seven Olympic champions, three Olympic silver medalists, one Olympic bronze winner, 24 other Olympians, eight world champions, six additional world championship medal winners, eight U.S. Champions, 19 NCAA champions, and 34 other major championship winners.
“There are so many household names in track and field,” continued Weaver of the event that has participants from 641 schools, 17 states and represents 24 nations. “The fact that many of them will be in Memorial Stadium on April 22 speaks to the strength of the Kansas Relays and the reputation that the local fans are getting around the world. Athletes want to go where the crowds are.”
GOLDZONE II will run from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday, April 22. This new, fast-paced, three-hour format for the most popular events at the Kansas Relays drew 24,619 fans in 2005, the second highest attendance in the meet’s history. Weaver said that he felt the all-time attendance mark of 30,000, set in 1972 when KU’s Jim Ryun raced the mile, was a realistic goal for next Saturday.
“Starting with the high school finals, through the college races, up to the main event that has the two Olympic champions going head-to-head like a pair of heavyweights, this will be the fastest three hours in track and field this area has ever seen,” Weaver said.
“Not many people can travel to an Olympic Games or world championship meet, so we’re importing the action to Kansas for an April afternoon. I expect the size of the crowd to be every bit as impressive as the performances on the track.”
The list of champions set to appear at the 2006 Kansas Relays includes:
Maurice Greene Olympic Champion
Justin Gatlin Olympic Champion
Shawn Crawford Olympic Champion
Nick Hysong Olympic Champion
Crystal Cox Olympic Champion
Brian Lewis Olympic Champion
Otis Harris Olympic Champion
Allyson Felix Olympic Silver
Austra Skujyte Olympic Silver
Michelle Burgher Olympic Silver
Torrie Edwards Olympic Bronze
Christian Cantwell World Champion
Mitch Potter World Champion
Leonard Scott World Champion
Bershawn Jackson World Champion
Adam Steele World Champion
Ladji Doucoure World Champion & Olympian
Leonard Byrd World Champion
James Davis World Champion
Rachelle Smith World Championships Silver
Sheryl Morgan World Championships Silver
Mary Danner World Championships Silver
Kia Davis World Championships Silver
Dominique Arnold World Championships Bronze
Gary Kikaya World Champ Bronze / Olympian
Jenny Adams World Championships Finalist
Charlie Gruber Olympian
Muna Lee Olympian
Derrick Peterson Olympian
Pierre Browne Olympian
Natasha Danvers Olympian
Chris Lloyd Olympian
Aime Issa Nthepe Olympian
Angela Williams Olympian
Claude Toukene Olympian
Dana Ellis Olympian
Dwight Thomas Olympian
Natasha Danvers Olympian
Dace Ruskule Olympian
Ian Weakly Olympian
Diane Nukuri Olympian
Damion Barry Olympian
Laverne Jones Olympian
Nadine Faustin Olympian
Egle Uljas Olympian
Priscilla Lopes Olympian
Dace Ruskule Olympian
Dmitrjis Milkevics Olympian
Kip Janvrin Olympian
Pat Manson U.S. Champion
Kiamesha Otey U.S. Champion
Joel Brown U.S. Champion
Kevin Hicks U.S. Champion
Lela Nelson U.S. Champion
Kenneth Ferguson U.S. Champion
Mardy Scales U.S. Champion
Amy Mortimer U.S. Champion
Gatis Spunde National Champion
Scott Sellers National Champion
Issar Yazhbin National Champion
Thomaida Polydorou National Champion
Frances Keating National Champion
Pinar Saka National Champion
Stelios Kapsalis National Champion
Alex Sawyer National Champion
Natalja Zarcenko National Champion
Amy Linnen NCAA Champion
Jacob Pauli NCAA Champion
Nichole Denby NCAA Champion
Arturs Abolins NCAA Champion
Dan Taylor NCAA Champion
Russ Buller NCAA Champion
Christian Smith NCAA Champion
Arturs Abolins NCAA Champion
Scott Russell NCAA Champion
Decosma Wright NCAA D2 Champion
Matt Campbell NCAA D2 Champion
Wilbert Walker NCAA D2 Champion
Davita Prendergast NCAA D2 Champion
Venessa Lee NCAA D2 Champion
Clint Prange NCAA D2 Champion
Kristin Anderson NCAA D2 Champion
Jennifer Drum Gree NCAA D2 Champion
Kerry-ann Robinson NCAA D2 Champion
Trinity Davis NCAA D2 Champion
Dexter Faulk NJCAA Champion
Sheldon Battle NJCAA Champion
Rashaud Johnston NJCAA Champion
Frankie Gatson NJCAA Champion
Rodney Martin NJCAA Champion
Tracy Robinson NJCAA Champion
Darryl Elston NJCAA Champion
Tim Allen NJCAA Champion
Tavarus Roberts NJCAA Champion
Simone Facey NJCAA Champion
Keisha Brown NJCAA Champion
Celethia Byrd NJCAA Champion
Tracy Ann Rowe NJCAA Champion
Shameka Speed NJCAA Champion
Bobby Reyes NJCAA Champion
Daniel Maina NJCAA Champion
Kyle Dennis NJCAA Champion
Courtney Gougler NJCAA Champion
Lamar Garrett NJCAA Champion
Kaaron Conwright World University Games Champion
Ivory Williams World Junior Champion
Ashley Owens World Junior Champion
Mark Jelks World Championship Team
Rae Edwards World Championship Team
John Hetzendorf World Championship Team
