Among the newest athletes are Octavious Freeman, ranked #1 in the U.S. this season at both 100 and 200 meters; Aaron Ernest, whose wind-aided time of 10.17 seconds is the fastest 100 meters this season under all conditions; Ammar Moussa, the U.S. leader at 3200 meters; and Amy-Eloise Neale and Shelby Houlihan, the fastest girls in the mile and 1500 meters, respectively, in the country so far this season.

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.

In the Girls’ Dream 100, Freeman will be joined by Shayla Sanders. In addition to her top rankings this season, Freeman (Lake Wales, Fla.) is a seven-time Florida State Champion and 2010 national outdoor champion at both 100 and 200 meters. Her personal-best 100-meter time of 11.16, set last year, is one of the fastest in high-school history. Sanders (Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.) ranks #3 in the nation this season at 100 meters under all conditions, and was third in the 2010 FHSAA 4A state meet.

In the Boys’ Dream 100, Ernest (Homewood, Ala.), a silver medalist at 100 meters in the 2010 AAU Junior Olympics and #2 in the nation this year at 200 meters in all conditions, will face Bradley Sylve (Port Sulphur, La.) and Adonis Saunders (Olathe, Kan.) Sylve, a two-time Louisiana state champion at 100 meters, has the second-fastest time in the country this year, a wind-aided 10.18, while Saunders earned his spot in the Dream 100 by defending his 100-meter title at the Kansas Relays last weekend after anchoring his high school team to a 4x100-meter victory. Saunders is the 2009 Kansas 6A state champion at 100 and 200 meters.

Returning to the Boys’ Dream Mile will be Moussa (Arcadia, Calif.), a two-time member of the U.S. team for the World Junior Cross Country Championships and the 2010 Gatorade Cross Country Athlete of the Year in California. Making their debuts will be Elias Gedyon (Los Angeles, Calif.) and Matt Carpowich (Torrey Pines, Calif.). Gedyon is a three-time Division 2 California Cross Country Champion, the 2010 California champion at 1600 meters and a member of the U.S. squad for 2010 World Junior Championships at 1500 meters, while Carpowich has the #2 U.S. mile time so far this year at 4:07.15.

In the Girls’ Dream Mile, Neale and Houlihan will be making their debuts. In addition to their nation-leading times, Neale (Snohomish, Wash.), just a sophomore, is the reigning Washington State 3A Cross Country Champion and 2A/3A/4A 1600m and 3200m champion, and Houlihan (Sioux City, Iowa) is the reigning Iowa State Cross Country Champion and 2009 state runner-up at both 800 and 1500 meters. Returning to the Dream Mile is Eleanor Fulton (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), a five-time Colorado 5A Track and Field State Champion, 2010 Gatorade Colorado Girls Track Athlete of the Year and sixth-place finisher in the steeplechase as the 2009 World Youth Championships.

Three more winners from the 2011 Kansas Relays  – Colleen Quigley (St. Louis, Mo.), Daniel Everett (Westminster, Mo.) and Peyton Chaney (St. Louis, Mo.) – will be added to the field pending achievement of the qualifying standards, Quigley and Everett in the mile and Chaney in the 100m.

Previously announced athletes include Lukas Verzbicas (Orland Park, Ill.), Jantzen Oshier (Mission Viejo, Calif.), Edward Cheserek (Newark, N.J.), Jim Rosa (Plainsboro, N.J.) and Joe Rosa (Plainsboro, N.J.) in the Boys’ Dream Mile; Maddie Meyers (Seattle, Wash.), Alli Billmeyer (San Diego, Calif.) and Ajee Wilson (Neptune, N.J.) in the Girls’ Dream Mile; and Marvin Bracy (Orlando, Fla.) and Remontay McClain (Covina, Calif.) in the Boys’ Dream 100.

Fields for the Dream Mile and Dream 100 will be drawn from the winners of three qualifying meets in the adidas Golden Stripes series, 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, the event’s pages on Facebook and on Twitter. In addition, media accreditation is now available at the adidas Grand Prix Media Center.
 
The application deadline is Wednesday, June 1. 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.
 
About Icahn Stadium
Icahn Stadium, a state-of-the-art facility on Randall’s Island featuring a 400-meter Mondo track and covered seating for spectators, is the premier outdoor track-and-field venue in New York City. It was built by the Randall’s Island Sports Foundation (RISF) in partnership with New York City Department of Parks. The facility is programmed, operated and maintained by RISF.