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Purpose Athletes want to promote Track & Field Businesses want to make a buck Money Involved $500,000 for appearing $1,000,000 for winning False Starts Initial is allowable Each after - $100,000 penalty T.V. Coverage | Saturday, May 31, 1997 The much anticipated and overly hyped race is fast approaching. Many are looking forward to this race which has been touted as though it were a prize fight. Some have paid as much as $60 for a seat nearest the finish line at the SkyDome and many more will be watching from their seats at home. Both CBC and CBS will be covering this event which includes other One-to-One Challenges which are being overlooked as well as a performance from The Blues Brothers. One can argue the appropriateness of this event. It may, as the athletes hope, spark greater interest in Track and Field, a sport that seems to be dying. It will surely raise great revenue for the companies involved. Though touted as the world's fastest man race, this is rather rediculous. World's fastest man cannot be determined from a one-on-one race. Rather it should be simply determined by the fact that one man has a greater speed calculated at miles per hour. But the promoters wish to exploit this as a world's fastest man race. If Donovan Bailey wins, the U.S. will most likely bypass the outcome. If Johnson wins, the world won't hear the end of it. Nothing against Americans (many like Bailey over their fellow American) but when they're on top they're loud and when they lose they're hush hush. One of those predictaments will occur after Sunday's race. |
Victory in B.C. - Harry Jerome Classic
Donovan Bailey ran the second fastest time in the 100 meters this year Sunday, May 18 in Burnaby, B.C. Only Ato Boldon, who ran 9.89s in Japan last week, has ran faster.
Bailey posted an excellent time of 9.99s and sure looks like he is going to be ready for the June 1st match up. Leroy Burrell ran second with a time of 10.18
The relay team consisting of Bailey, Bruny Surin, Robert Esmie, and Gilbert Glenroy won the 4x100 in 38.97s. This was the first time they had run since Atlanta.
Bailey Won May 4th Rio GP
Though previously reported that Bailey would be making his track debut on May 18, Bailey ran the 100 meters May 4 at the Rio de Janiero Grand Prix. Running in what he described as a disappointing 10.13 seconds, Bailey came in first ahead of Americans Terry Bowen (10.26) and Kareem Streete-Thompson (10.33).
Bailey says he is very capable of running under 10 seconds now, but he woke up at 8 that morning and usually trains in the afternoon. Nevertheless, a win is a win and Bailey won his first race of the season.
Tuesday, April 8, 1997
Bailey's Got New Shoes
When Bailey and Johnson meet head-to-head June 1st, the two sprinters will be wearing similar shoes.
Johnson wore $30,000 gold spikes during his Olympic matches and now Bailey will be footed just as equally. Bailey's organizers have ordered shoes from the same manufacturer that made Johnson's.
"Twenty gold medals were won using our product, with Johnson being the highlight. The only sad part was that Donovan Bailey didn't use them at the Olympics, because he required a special style we didn't have at the time," said David Grant, president of Omni-Lite Industries Inc., which developed the lightweight spikes from a composite of aluminum and alumina.
Saturday, March 29, 1997
1997 Track & Field Debut
It has been reported that Donovan's 1997 track and field debut will occur May 18th at the Harry Jerome Classic being held in Burnaby, B.C. He will run along with teammates Bruny Surin, Robert Esmie, and Glenroy Gilbert.
Wednesday, March 26, 1997
Bailey Named Athlete of the Year
Bailey took home double hardware last night at the Canadian Sport Awards. He won the male athlete of year award and the Canadian men's 4x100 meter relay team (Bailey, Bruny Surin, Glenroy Gilbert, Robert Esmie, and Carlton Chambers) took the honors for the male team of the year.
"The team award does mean more because of the trust we have in each other. You have to come together almost like siblings.", Bailey said of the male team of the year award.
The awards were hosted by the Spirit of Sport Foundation, the Commonwealth Games Association of Canada, the Canada Games Council, Athletes CAN, and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport.
Bailey is currently in Austin, Texas training for the upcoming season.
Bailey Backs Ben Johnson Ban
Donovan Bailey doesn't think Ben Johnson deserves another chance to run. Johnson, suspended for life after his second positive drug test in 1993, is appealing to the International Amateur Athletics Federation to get reinstated.
Bailey is upset that Athletics Canada isn't taking quick, appropriate action on Johnson's request. Lifetime suspensions cannot be appealed in Canada, but that rule will soon be reviewed.
Bailey states his reason for backing the Johnson ban, "He broke the rules once and he was given a second chance. He came back and the Canadian public got behind him and trusted him again, and then he screwed up again."
Bailey gives boost to Big Brothers
Recently, Donovan Bailey has been providing great support to Big Brothers. Big Brothers is an organization that provides mentors to children without fathers. Bailey wishes to use his celebrity as a means to benefit this non-profit organization.
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Copyright (c) 1997, 1998 NetSpace1, Frank Williamson.