For Release: March 2

"Fastest Man" Title on the Line at 1998 Goodwill Games As Canada's Bailey, America's Greene Renew 100-Meter Rivalry

Two men --- one a Canadian, the other from the United States. One is the world champion, and the other the world record holder. But only one can be the world's fastest man.

At this summer's Goodwill Games in New York, Donovan Bailey and Maurice Greene will square off over 100 meters to settle the issue. The 100-meter dash is scheduled for Tuesday, July 21, at the Mitchel Athletic Complex in Long Island. A total of eight sprinters will be entered in the race. Bailey and Greene are the first to confirm their participation.

The Greene-Bailey matchup renews a USA-Canada sprint rivalry that dates back to the mid-1980s when Carl Lewis and Ben Johnson battled for world 100-meter supremacy.

"This battle between two of track and field's premiere performers is truly indicative of the high level of competition we expect during the 1998 Goodwill Games," said Mike Plant, Goodwill Games president. "The 100-meter dash has long been a favorite of track and field fans around the world. With competitors like Donovan Bailey and Maurice Greene heading up the field, spectators and viewers can look forward to an outstanding race."

Bailey, the speedy Ontario stockbroker, won the 100 meters at the 1995 World Championships and set a world record, 9.84, en route to an Olympic gold medal in Atlanta in 1996. Bailey entered the sprinting game late compared to his rivals. Most world-class runners make their mark before age 23, but the Canadian speedster only began to shine after joining coach Dan Pfaff in mid- 1994. At the unlikely age of 29, Bailey achieved his Olympic dream.

Greene, a Kansas City product, snatched away Bailey's world title at last year's global meet in Athens, clocking a 9.86. Greene has been the hottest sprinter in the world of late, setting a world indoor record in the 60 meters and winning two Australian Grand Prix races in the 100 meters.

Greene, 23, emerged as a world-class contender after moving to California to work with new coach John Smith. Training along side world 200-meter champion Ato Boldon and fellow American sprinter Jon Drummond, Greene has improved from a steady low 10-second sprinter to one of the most consistent sub-10 men in history. In Melbourne, Australia on February 25, Greene beat Bailey handily, 10.06 to 10.36. In Sydney on February 28, Greene ran an impressive 9.99 into a head wind. Bailey missed that meet due to a hamstring injury.

Without a World Championships or Olympic Games in 1998, the Goodwill Games will provide the marquee matchup for the world's two fastest men.

The 1998 Goodwill Games are scheduled July 19 - August 2, in Manhattan and Long Island. The Games will feature approximately 1,500 international athletes competing in 15 sports for a prize purse of $5 million dollars in world record/performance incentives, the largest prize purse in multi-sport history.

TBS Superstation, the Games' host network, will televise 45 hours of prime-time coverage of the 1998 Goodwill Games. CBS will televise 10 hours of weekend, afternoon coverage. In addition to appearing on TBS and CBS, boxing will be televised on HBO as part of the Boxing After Dark series. The 1998 Games mark the first time a sporting event has appeared on all three levels of television distribution. Turner Sports is the host broadcaster and is coordinating all aspects of the production. Internationally, the syndication rights are being sold by Warner Bros. International Television Distribution, and the Games are expected to be broadcast to more than 130 countries.

More than 600,000 tickets are available for sale to the 15 sports of the 1998 Goodwill Games. Tickets, which range in price from $10 to $60, are available through Ticketmaster, the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum box office and the Madison Square Garden box office. For up-to-date information on ticket availability and all ticket outlets, visit the Goodwill Games website at www.goodwillgames98.com. Past Goodwill Games sites include Moscow, Soviet Union, 1986; Seattle, Washington, 1990; and St. Petersburg, Russia, 1994.

The Goodwill Games are hosted through a combined effort between Goodwill Games, Inc. and the participating sports federations, in conjunction with the appropriate state, city and county governmental agencies. Goodwill Games, Inc., a division of Turner Sports and Time Warner, Inc., is responsible for all aspects of the event.

See Also: Donovan Bailey official web site

CONTACTS:

Michael Lewellen Eileen Sexton Richard Finn Pete Cava

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