Jan. 30, 2003

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Coming off an impressive weekend at the SEC Challenge, the third-ranked Gamecock Track and Field teams will send split squads to three meets this weekend. Highlighting the weekend is a stellar field of U.S. and international stars that will kick off the USA Track & Field 2003 Indoor Golden Spike Tour. The adidas Boston Indoor Games will be held on Saturday Feb. 1 at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center in Boston, Mass. The meet will broadcast live February 1 at 6 p.m. (ET) on ESPN2. Also on Saturday, USC will send athletes to the Carolina Fast Times Meet in Chapel Hill, N.C. and to the East Tennessee State Invitational in Johnson City, Tenn.

In Boston, Otukile Lekote will represent Botswana as he faces eight other competitors from four nations in the 800m dash. Lekote was named SEC Male Track and Field Athlete of the Week following his impressive performace at the SEC Challenge last weekend. Lekote ran 1:46.88 in the 800m run, an NCAA Automatic Qualifying time, and currently holds the world’s fastest time in that race this year. Aleen Bailey, representing Jamaica, will run in the 60m dash, competing against seven other runners from three nations. Bailey was named the Week One SEC Female Track and Field Athlete of the Week. Lashinda Demus, Demetria Washington, and Miki Barber will all compete in the 400m dash, each facing six runners from two nations while Tiffany Ross will run in the 60m hurdles, facing seven competitors from four nations.

The last time the Gamecocks had track and field members competing on live national television was in June 2002 at the USA Track and Field Championships. This is the first time this season the Gamecocks will be on television. Last year, USC athletes competed in nine televised meets.

At the Carolina Fast Times Meet in Chapel Hill, USC will face twelve other teams, mostly coming from the Southeastern and Atlantic Coast Conferences. The top-ranked Florida women will be one of the teams competing against the Gamecocks this weekend.

In Johnson City, Carolina will face athletes from 59 different teams and groups. Complete results can be found at www.tarheelblue.com for the North Carolina meet and at www.etsubucs.com for the ETSU meet. For more information on the Boston meet, check out www.usatf.com, the home of USA Track and Field.