by Larry Eder
The adidas Atlanta city Games is coming to Atlanta on May 6, 2023, and the hurdle fields will be insane!
World’s Greatest Hurdlers to Compete at adidas Atlanta City Games
Event is to be Held May 6 in Centennial Olympic Park
ATLANTA – March 29, 2023 — Four of the world’s greatest hurdlers have been added to the inaugural adidas Atlanta City Games lineup. Meet organizers announced today that reigning World Champions Grant Holloway and Tobi Amusan, World Silver Medalist Trey Cunningham, and Olympic Silver Medalist Kendra Harrison will all compete in Atlanta on May 6.
“I’m excited to compete at the adidas Atlanta City Games,” said Harrison, the former world record holder in the 100m hurdles. “Being from North Carolina, a lot of my family will get to drive up and watch me do what I love on the streets of Atlanta.”
It was Amusan who toppled Harrison’s world record with a shocking 12.12 in the semifinals at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene last summer. She would go on to win the gold medal in a wind-aided 12.06. Amusan’s spectacular season continued as she won her second consecutive gold medal in the Commonwealth Games. She was also part of Nigeria’s gold medal-winning 4×100 relay team.
“I am looking forward to the inaugural adidas Atlanta City Games,” said Amusan, who represents Nigeria but competed collegiately for the University of Texas El Paso. “It’s going to be great to be so close to the fans.”
World record holder Grant Holloway will headline the men’s hurdle competition. Holloway, who holds the record in the 60m hurdles indoors, also has the second-fastest 110m hurdle time in history (12.81). Holloway has won the last two World Championships in the 110m hurdles as well as the 2022 World Indoor Championship title in the 60m hurdles.
“Flamingoo will be landing in The ATL! “ Said Holloway, the 2020 Olympic Silver Medalist, referring to his nickname.”I’m thrilled to announce to all my family and friends that I’ll be competing in adidas City Games on May 6. Come out and see another dirty bird!”
Holloway, a former Florida Gator, will face familiar competition in fellow American Trey Cunningham, a former Florida State Seminole. Cunningham was the NCAA Champion both indoors and outdoors last year before claiming his silver medal at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene.
“I’m really excited about making my debut at the adidas Atlanta City Games,” said Cunningham, the second fastest 110m hurdler in NCAA history. “It’s going to be my first street meet, and it’s going to be great to have the fans right next to the track while we race.”
A full list of athletes currently announced for the meet can be found here.
Held on the evening of Saturday, May 6, the adidas Atlanta City Games will feature sprint and hurdle competitions held on a specially-built, elevated track. It also includes middle-distance events on the streets surrounding Centennial Olympic Park and a pole vault competition. The meeting is free and open to spectators. It will also be broadcast live on adidas’s YouTube channel. A tentative schedule of events can be found here.
The day will kick off with the Run with Maud 5K at 8 a.m., a fundraiser for the Ahmaud Arbery Foundation to celebrate the life of Arbery, who was killed while running in 2020. The early afternoon will feature the Youth City Games, with performances from the fastest youth athletes in the state of Georgia. In the evening, runners and walkers of all abilities are invited to the Running City Mile, a road mile race where runners can compete against people in their own age group. The Running City Mile will culminate with a professional race, kicking off the adidas Atlanta City Games.
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About Atlanta Track Club
Atlanta Track Club is a nonprofit committed to creating an active and healthy Atlanta. Through running and walking, Atlanta Track Club motivates, inspires, and engages the community to enjoy a healthier lifestyle.
With more than 30,000 members, Atlanta Track Club is the second-largest running organization in the United States. In addition to the AJC Peachtree Road Race (peachtreeroadrace.org) – the world’s largest 10K running event, the Publix Atlanta Marathon, PNC Atlanta 10 Miler, and Invesco QQQ Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon, Atlanta Track Club directs more than 30 events per year. Through the support of its members and volunteers, Atlanta Track Club also maintains a number of community initiatives, including organizing and promoting the Kilometer Kids youth running program to metro Atlanta youth, honoring high school cross country and track and field athletes through Atlanta Track Club’s All-Metro Banquets and supporting the Grady Bicycle EMT program. For more information on Atlanta Track Club, visit atlantatrackclub.org.
