Cheserek set to debut in Dream Mile; Rosa twins and Wilson return

 

NEW YORK CITY (April 21, 2011) – Four of the top high school middle-distance stars in New Jersey – and the country – have been added to the field for the Dream Mile at the adidas Grand Prix on June 11, meet organizers and adidas have announced.

 

In its seventh year as one of the premier track-and-field events in the world, the adidas Grand Prix, at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island, is the sixth stop on the international Samsung Diamond League circuit. To date, four superstar athletes ranked #1 in the world for 2010 – Blanka Vlašić, Tyson Gay, Jeremy Wariner and Jessica Ennis – have been announced, along with “Blade Runner”Oscar Pistorius, the 400-meter Paralympic gold medalist hoping to compete in the 2012 Olympic Games. Tickets are available at the event website, www.adidasgrandprix.com, or by calling 1-877-TIX-TRAC.

 

Making his first appearance in the Dream Mile will be Edward Cheserek (Newark, N.J.), who has met with success at a variety of distances since arriving in this country last summer from his native Kenya. In his first season, Cheserek won the New Jersey prep school championships in cross country before finishing second to Lukas Verzbicas at nationals. This winter, he won the NJISAA (Prep) Championships indoors at 1600 meters and 3200 meters, while finishing second at 800 meters, then finished a close second to Verzbicas in the 2-mile indoor national championships. Earlier this month, Cheserek broke the New Jersey state record in the 3K steeplechase when he posted a 9:00.11, the fastest time in the nation so far this year.

 

Returning to the Boys’ Dream Mile after a third-place finish last year is Jim Rosa (Plainsboro, N.J.). His time of 4:07.70, a personal best, ranked as the third-fastest time in the country outdoors for 2010. Also last year, Rosa won the NJSIAA Meet of Champions 1600 meters in 4:07.89, a personal best and meet record, and the Meet of Champions cross country title.

 

Also coming back to the Dream Mile is Joe Rosa (Plainsboro, N.J.), who finished fifth here last year. Joe Rosa is the reigning 2-mile national champion outdoors, a race in which his winning time of 8:44.06 ranked as the fastest in the U.S. for the 2010 season. (His twin brother, Jim, was runner-up.) Joe also had the fastest 3000-meter time in the country last year, 8:08.86.

 

Ajee Wilson (Neptune, N.J.), who appears destined to become one of the best New Jersey high school runners in history, returns in the Girls’ Dream Mile. Wilson owned the fastest 800-meter time in the country for 2010 with her 2:04.18 clocking in placing fifth at the World Junior Championships. She is the 2011 indoor national champion at 800 meters, and ran the 800-meter anchor leg of the sprint medley relays at outdoor nationals last June in 2:00.59 to lead her team to a state record. Had her time been run in an open 800, it would have demolished the New Jersey state record of 4-time Olympian Joetta Clark Diggs.

 

In addition to Verzbicas, Jantzen Oshier, Maddie Meyers and Alli Billmeyer have previously been announced as competing in the Dream Mile, while sprinters Marvin Bracy and Remontay McClain have been confirmed for the new Dream 100.

 

Fields for the Dream Mile and Dream 100 will be drawn from the winners of three qualifying meets in the adidas Golden Stripesseries, as well as from at-large bids. The first meet, the adidas Meet of Champions, was held on March 26. Next up is the Kansas Relays in Lawrence, Kan., April 20-23, followed by the Golden South Classic in Orlando, Fla., May 27-28. In addition to the opportunity to compete in a world-class international track event, athletes in the Dream Mile and Dream 100 will also have the chance to receive coaching from mile legend Jim Ryun and Olympic gold medalist Maurice Greene.

 

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. Note the new, earlier start time this year: the adidas Grand Prix, part of the Visa Championship Series, will begin at 1 p.m. on June 11.

 

For even more coverage on the Dream Mile and Dream 100, visit www.adidasgoldenstripes.com.