Posted: August 31, 2007

Athletics: Relay finals begin Saturday in Osaka

OSAKA, Japan - World Outdoor silver medalist Brad Walker (Mountlake Terrace, Wash.) competes in the men's pole vault and Team USA's 4x100m relays go for the medal podium in Saturday competition at the 2007 IAAF World Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Nagai Stadium. Competition in the men's decathlon comes to a close, with 2003 World Outdoor Champion Tom Pappas (Knoxville, Tenn.) in fifth place after Day 1. American record holder Shalane Flanagan (Pittsboro, N.C.) and two-time Olympian Jen Rhines (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) contest the women's 5,000m final, and Kevin Eastler (Aurora, Colo.) opens the day by competing in the men's 50 km race walk. In addition to the sprint relay finals, the men's and women's 4x400m relays compete in first-round action. Below is a complete listing of USATF entrants for Saturday competition. Team USA entrants - Saturday, Sept. 1 7 a.m., men's 50 km race walk FINAL - Kevin Eastler (Aurora, CO) 9 a.m., decathlon 110m hurdles - Tom Pappas (Knoxville, TN), Paul Terek (San Luis Obispo, CA), Robert Arnold (Santa Rosa, CA) 9:45 a.m., women's 4x100m first round 10 a.m., decathlon discus 1 p.m., decathlon pole vault 7 p.m., women's 1,500m wheelchair FINAL 7 p.m., decathlon javelin 7:20 p.m., men's 1,500m wheelchair FINAL 7:30 p.m., men's pole vault FINAL - Brad Walker (Mountlake Terrace, Wash.) 8:05 p.m., women's 4x400m relay first round 8:30 p.m., women's 5,000m FINAL - Shalane Flanagan (Pittsboro, N.C.); Jen Rhines (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) 9 p.m., men's 4x400m relay first round 9:30 p.m., decathlon 1,500m FINAL event - Tom Pappas (Knoxville, TN), Paul Terek (San Luis Obispo, CA), Robert Arnold (Santa Rosa, CA) 10:05 p.m., women's 4x100m relay FINAL 10:20 p.m., men's 4x100m relay FINAL For complete results, quotes and Team USA reports, visit USATF.org. Fans can watch Team USA on national television broadcasts on NBC and Versus, or online via live, daily Webcast at www.wcsn.com. For complete TV listings, visit USATF.org. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest