by Larry Eder
Today, it was announced that Nickel Ashmeade, with his .45 improvement in the 200 meters last Saturday, will be running at the adidas Grand Prix, to be held on June 11, 2011 at Icahn Stadium on Randalls Island, New York.
To read an interview of Nickel and also listen to an audio tape, just check below!
Nickel Ashmeade, photo courtesy of PhotoRun.netFollow the link to listen to the audio of Nickel Ashmeade’s interview with the adidas Grand Prix following this weekend’s race.
Follow the link to read the transcript.
to adidas Grand Prix
Nickel Ashmeade, fresh off upset win in
Kingston, will compete at 100m
NEW YORK CITY (May 11, 2011) – Nickel Ashmeade, the 21-year-old
Jamaican who last weekend stunned a world-class 200-meter field at the JN Jamaica
International Invitational, will compete at the 2011 adidas Grand Prix on June 11, organizers announced today.
In its seventh year as one of the
premier track-and-field events in the world, the adidas Grand Prix on Randall’s Island is the sixth stop on the
international Samsung Diamond League circuit. Tickets are available at the
event website, www.adidasgrandprix.com, or by calling 1-877-TIX-TRAC.
Ashmeade, the former St. Jago High
School star who won his first senior title in 2009 when he became the Central
American and Caribbean Champion at 200 meters, has long been a rising star.
Also in 2009, he won gold at 200 meters in the Pan-Am Junior Championships,
after earning silver medals at both the 2008 IAAF World Junior Championships at
200 meters and the 2007 IAAF World Youth Championships at 100 meters. Since
January of 2010, he has been training in Clermont, Fla., with American
Record-holder Tyson Gay under coach
Lance Brauman. Gay has previously been announced as headlining the 100-meter
field in New York.
In winning the race last Saturday in
Kingston, Ashmeade – who turned 21 just last month – ran a world-leading time
of 19.95 seconds, demolishing his personal best by .45 seconds and handily defeating
a field that included former 100-meter World Record-holder Asafa Powell and
Wallace Spearmon, a three-time World Championships 200-meter medalist.
“I was really amazed,” Ashmeade said in
an interview. “My mom, she was amazed because Sunday was Mother’s Day, as you
all know, and that was part of her gift.”
In addition to Gay, Ashmeade joins
previously announced stars such as Blanka
Vlašić, Jeremy Wariner, Jessica Ennis, Allyson Felix, Sherone
Simpson, Kerron Clement, Bershawn Jackson and Abubaker Kaki, as
well as four-time Paralympic gold medalist “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius, as the fields for the 2011 edition of the adidas Grand Prix begin to take shape.
All of the latest news, photos and
additional information on the adidas
Grand Prix can be found at www.adidasgrandprix.com and the event’s pages on Facebook and Twitter. Use the hashtag #agpnyc when
referencing or searching for the event.
Media accreditation is now available at
www.adidasGrandPrix.com, under Media. The application deadline
is Wednesday, June 1. The adidas Grand
Prix, part of the Visa Championship Series, will begin at 1 p.m. on June
11.
About
Icahn Stadium
Icahn Stadium, a state-of-the-art facility on Randall’s Island featuring a
400-meter Mondo track and covered seating for spectators, is the premier
outdoor track-and-field venue in New York City. It was built by the Randall’s Island
Sports Foundation (RISF) in partnership with New York City Department of Parks.
The facility is programmed, operated and maintained by RISF.
