NCAA Champion at Baylor, sprinter gains invaluable European experience

Stockholm - World Express Athletic Mgmt. quarter-mile specialist Reggie Witherspoon enjoyed an undefeated campaign during his first trip to Europe after finishing his college career at Baylor in June with an NCAA Championship title. The purpose of the trip overseas for Witherspoon was to learn how to adjust to the travel, food and time difference while still being able to perform on the track.

Competing in low-key to mid-level track meets, Witherspoon did not lose a 400 meter race and successfully improved his times at every meet. With 2007 seasonal best of :45.56 and :20.32, the expectations for Witherspoon to run faster were low due to the long college season. But with focus, a positive attitude and determination; Reggie exceeded his expectations.

His first 400m race was won at a low-key meeting in Brasschaat Belgium where Witherspoon enjoyed an easy victory at :46.47. He then travel to Amsterdam and ran a relaxed :46.14. Two days later in Uden Holland, Witherspoon ran a meet and NBC Circuit record :45.97 with very little competition. He is confident that with better competition, his 400 meter times would be :45.20 or better. In all of his 200m races in Europe, Witherspoon ran :20.75, :20.84 and :20.84.

When asked about his first trip to Europe, Witherspoon stated, “It was definitely a learning experience. On the trip from home to Europe the airline lost my bags. Luckily I listened to my agent who told me to carry-on my spikes and uniform. Then I had to sleep in the airport one night and adjust to the different foods and 6 hour time difference. I had a little problem sleeping but overall it was a great trip. I looked at the results of all the 400 meter races in Europe and watched all the track meets on EuroSport. I now know what I have to do to run in bigger and better meets in Europe. I want to thank World Express for giving me this opportunity and know that next year I will enjoy much faster results”.

Below are the meet results of the 400 meter races won by Witherspoon in Europe:

MONDO Keien Meeting: Uitslag Loopnummers
Datum: zaterdag, 4 augustus 2007

Hoofd-programma Mannen 400 meter

VN StrtNr Deelnemer GebJr Vereniging Uitslag Wind

1 545 Reggie Witherspoon 1985 USA 45.97 0

2 684 Youssef el Rhalfioui 1983 Phanos 46.55 0

3 818 Brian Murphy 1982 IRL 47.17 0

4 605 Gordon paul Kennedy 1981 IRL 47.23 0

5 987 Lüdrick Berrenstein 1982 AV Achilles Top 47.49 0

6 960 Sekou Clarke 1983 JAM 47.50 0

7 578 Cory Innes 1985 NZL 47.93 0

8 992 Yuri Shapsay 1986 ISR 47.97 0

Uitslagen EAP Amsterdam Open 2-Aug, 2007
Main programme/Hoofdprogramma
Mannen/men - 400 m
1. Witherspoon, Reggie 31-05-1985 USA 46.14 sec
2. Ormrod, Mark 01-12-1982 AUS 46.57 sec
3. Steele, Bryan 23-03-1984 JAM 46.75 sec
4. Kennedy, Gordon 09-03-1981 IRL 46.90 sec
5. Rhalfioui, Youssef el 06-09-1983 Phanos 46.91 sec
6. Murphy, Brian 16-09-1982 IRL 47.54 sec
7. Clarke, Sekou 07-09-1983 JAM 48.03 sec
8. Kamut, Moses 07-07-1982 VAN 49.12 secs
Full results of the AC Break Meeting in Brasschaat Belgium can be found below:
http://www.acbreak.be/Docs/Uitslag%20AV-meeting%20Brasschaat.pdf

World Express Athletic Mgmt. athletes will now return home to the US and prepare for the second half of the European season in September after the IAAF World Outdoor T&F Championships (8/25 - 9/3).

The first inauguration of a MONDO track in the Netherlands proved to be a successful one as 14 stadium records fell and another 8 National Track Circuit records were broken at the 14th edition of the Mondo Keien Meeting in Uden last Saturday, 3th of August. World Express Athletic Management athletes posted several of these records and victories.

Click on the link below to read about the performances of Reggie Witherspoon, Joel Brown and Mickey Grimes:

http://www.iaaf.org/news/Kind=2/newsId=40165.html

Kaunas Lithuania - World Express Athletic Management sprinters Joel Brown and Mickey Grimes traveled from Estonia to Kaunas Lithuania looking for redemption after two subpar performances. Grimes had his blocks slip in the Tallinn meeting and didn’t finish his 100m race while Brown smashed hurdle #6 and placed 3rd. Both athletes were looking to extend their winning that had started in France the week before. As true professional athletes, both arrived in Lithuania focused and determined to regain the winning that is expected of them as world-class performers.

Grimes started off by winning his semi-final heat in a relaxed :10.35. In the final he put together the race that was expected in Tallinn if not for faulty equipment and scored his second victory in Europe but his 6th win in the 2007 season. Grimes time was both a meet record and All-Comers Lithuania record. See results below:

Brown opened the season at :13.32 (wind aided) and then sustained a quad injury. The injury was resolved in June but Brown lost valuable training time. Not making the finals at the US Championships was very disappointing but Brown has pressed on and still steadily producing :13.50s performances. Brown scored a good win over Ladji Dourcore (defending world champion) in France on July 17th. The Tallinn race did not produced the results he was looking for as he placed 3rd. Thus Brown looked to the Kaunas meeting as his way to prove he is better than what the times are indicating to those reading. That determination produced a seasonal best time as well as the US Olympic Trials qualifying time for the 2008 Trials scheduled for late June/early July next year. See results below:

Grimes and Brown will now travel to Spain for the Reunión Internacional “Gobierno de Aragón” meeting in Zaragoza on 28-July.

Meanwhile, Kyle Farmer and Reggie Witherspoon will continue their european campaign also on July 28th in Huesden-Zolder Belgium at the 2007 KBC Night of Athletics meeting. Both scored victories in their last meet and will try and continue their winning against stiffer competition on Saturday. Farmer is confirmed for the 100m dash while Witherspoon will run the 200m event. If lanes become available, Farmer could be added to the 200m while Witherspoon could also be added to the 400m event.

At the Pan American Games in Rio de Janerio, Melissa DeLeon (Trinidad & Tobago) ran a great race in the semi-final running 2:02.70 to make the finals but could only place 8th in the finals the next evening with a 2:03.63 clocking.

Results from Kaunas Lithuania EAA Meeting 7/25/07

Rio de Janiero, Brazil - World Express Athletic Management middle distance ace Melissa DeLeon qualified for the finals of the woman’s 800m run with a seasonal best time of 2:02.72 in semifinal #2 at the Pan American Games in Brazil. That time is not far off of her career best of 2:02.27 that DeLeon ran in 2005. She is the national record holder and many time national champion for Trinidad & Tobago. The final is scheduled to run on July 24th.

Melissa’s fellow countryman, Sherridan Kirk is scheduled to compete in his semifinal heat of the men’s 800m event on Friday July 27th. For full results of the Pan American Games click on the following link:

http://www.rio2007.org.br/data/pages/8CA3C78413B9BA990113BA4581D96AF6.htm

Alan Webb breaks American Record for 1 mile with 3:46.91

Brasschaat Belgium - World Express Athletic Management sprinters Kyle Farmer and Reggie Witherspoon performed well at a low-key track meet in the tiny town of Brasschaat Belgium. But their performances were upstaged by US distance star Alan Webb who broke the American Record for the 1 mile run which stood for 25 years.

Witherspoon is regaining his form and adjusting to Europe slowly but is on the right progression as he dominated the 400m event winning in :46.47. Farmer is also beginning to enjoy Europe and scored a victory of his own in the 200m dash running :20.75. The former Florida gators renewed an old college rivalry in the 200 with Farmer getting the edge but Witherspoon ran a nice :20.78 for 2nd place. Earlier, Farmer also placed 2nd in the 100m dash with a :10.43 clocking. Both 100 and 200 events weer run under legal wind conditions.

Full results can be found below:
http://www.acbreak.be/Docs/Uitslag%20AV-meeting%20Brasschaat.pdf

US Hurdler Joel Brown competed in Tallinn Estonia and finished 3rd in the 110m hurdles with a :13.56 clocking. His group mate Mickey Grimes experienced troubles with his blocks and did not finish the 100m race.

Farmer and Witherspoon remain in Belgium for two meets scheduled for 25-July and 28-July. The Liege International Athletica Meeting is confirmed for the 25th while the Night of Athletics in Huesden-Zolder is set for the 28th. Brown and Grimes travel to Kaunas Lithuana for a meeting on 25-July.

1st place finishes in France has group looking toward more success

Paris France - World Express Athletic Mgmt. athletes Joel Brown and Mickey Grimes are doing what they traveled across the ocean to do……win or run fast races. After recoverying from the long travel and adjusting to the time difference, the athletes are beginning to hit full stride toward a successful tour of the European circuit.

In Cuxhaven Germany (14-July), Grimes placed 2nd in the 100m event posting a time of :10.24. It was a fair race but not what Grimes had expected after running :10.02 in June and :10.06w at the USA Championships. At the French meeting in Reims (17-July), Grimes put a much better race together with a tie for 1st place posting a :10.16 clocking (0.0w). Speaking to a reporter for the IAAF, Grimes is confident he can reach or match his career best of :9.99 he ran in Zurich 2003. His reaction time to the starters gun must improve but his last 30 meters of the race is extraordinary. See 100m results below:

See Reims meeting report for details of the race and full results at the link below:
http://www.iaaf.org/news/Kind=2/newsId=39842.html

Grimes will have plenty of chances to improve on his performances as he is confirmed for the following meets: 22-July in Tallinn Estonia, 25-July in Kaunas Lithuania, 28-July in Zaragoza Spain. He is hoping to earn a starting lane at the prestigious DN Galan meeting in Stockholm on 7-August.

Joel Brown exacted a measure of revenge on one of his hurdle competitors and friend. In 2005, Brown finished 6th at the IAAF Outdoor World Championships in Helsinki losing to World Champion Ladji Doucoure of France. Since then, Brown has been battling a left leg quad injury and slowly regaining his form that earned him a world ranking 6th in 2005. This year has seen an emergence of 4-5 fast US hurdlers that has put pressure on Brown.

The Reims french meeting was organized to showcase the french sprint T&F athletes before their national championships with Christine Aaron and Ladji the highlights. Brown spoiled the party by defeating Ladji and quieting the home crowd with a convincing :13.56 win over the former world champion?s :13.59 in -1.0w. Brown?s signature fast start has returned as he was clear of the field after hurdle #1. Brown still needs to improve his time but the win was a boost to his confidence. Brown will also travel with Grimes to Tallinn Estonia, Kaunas Lithuania and Zaragoza Spain to compete in one of the world`s most competitive event in T&F the 110m hurdles. Brown too is hoping to earn a starting lane at the prestigious DN Galan meeting in Stockholm.

Kyle Farmer?s first trip to Europe has been encouraging by his 3rd place finish in Cuxhaven with a :10.32 clocking and a 4th place :10.40 performance in Reims. NCAA Champion Baylor`s Reggie Witherspoon experienced terrible travel problems arriving late in Germany. Both Witherspoon and Farmer will look to post some good times at a low-key meeting in Brasschat Belgium on 21-July and then show world-class results in the Netherlands on 1-Aug and 4-Aug.

Results of the EWE Athletics Track Meet in Cuxhaven Germany can be found at the link below:

http://www.ewe-athletics.de/ergebnisse2007/ergebnisliste_ewe2007.pdf

US Stars Joel Brown and Mickey Grimes travel overseas;
Kirk, Ahmed & DeLeon to Pan Ams

Baltimore, MD - This summer is a buzz with track meets scheduled across the globe. World Express Athletic Management will have a hand in most of these events with athletes crossing the globe in search of personal best and their country’s glory.

World Express Athletic Management will be sending four of its star athletes for 8-10 track meets throughout Europe. Confirmed for meets are Joel Brown (110m hurdles), Mickey Grimes (100m), Kyle Farmer (100 & 200m) and recent NCAA Champion Reggie Witherspoon of Baylor Univ. (200 & 400m). The group will travel to their European base in Antwerp Belgium and then begin to crisscross Europe for track meets starting 14-July till 9-August.

Grimes heads to Europe with a seasonal best of :10.02. Brown is looking to rebound from a disappointing US Championships and is a veteran of European meets having been ranked #6 in the world in 2005. Farmer is running well this year with a career & season’s best :10.18 and :20.42. Witherspoon travels from Baylor with career & seasonal bests of :20.32 and :45.56.

World Express Athletic Mgmt’s Trinidad & Tobago middle distance 800m stars Sherridan Kirk (1:45.43)and Melissa DeLeon (2:02.30) will continue their seasons at the North America, Central America and Caribbean Athletic Association senior championships in El Salvador on July 11-13th…….see link below for more details.

http://www.nacac.sportcentric.com

World Express Athletic Mgmt. will be well represented at the 2007 Pan American Games scheduled for July 23-29th in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. US distance star Said Ahmed (3:35.94) will run in the 1500m event for the US team as well as Kirk and DeLeon for the T&T team…………see link below for more details.

http://www.rio2007.org.br/data/pages/8A488A8F12D856280112D876FFDA6E31.htm

Sherridan Kirk (Men’s 800m) will represent Tobago at the 11th IAAF 2007 World T&F Championships scheduled for Aug 25th - Sept. 2nd in Osaka Japan…………….see link below for more details.

http://www.iaaf.org/WCH07/index.html

The group traveling to Europe’s first stop will be in Cuxhaven Germany for the EWE Athletics

Weltklasse meeting on July 14th. From there, the group will travel to Paris France for a local meet in Reims. On July 21st the group will then compete at the Atletiek Vlaanderen in Brasschaat Belgium. Other meets confirmed are the Tallinn 2007 meet in Estonia, the Kaunas 2007 meet in Lithuania.