Johnson Forgoes Plan for 200m/400m Double Goodwill Gold; Defending Champion Will Focus on 400-Meter Races

For Release: July 11, 1998

Beset by slow-healing injuries dating back to early spring, Olympic gold medalist and world-record holder Michael Johnson will not shoot for double championships in the 200 and 400 meters at the 1998 Goodwill Games. Johnson, who owns the best-ever time in the 200 meters of 19.32 seconds, announced today he will only compete in the 400-meters and on the U.S. 4 x 400 meter relay team. The track and field portion of the Goodwill Games is scheduled for July 19-22 at the Nassau County Mitchel Athletic Complex.

"As the two-time Goodwill Games defending champion, I've always enjoyed the Goodwill Games' ability to bring the world's best together," said Johnson. "It had been my plan to come into the Goodwill Games supremely prepared and conditioned - an absolute must for sprint races like the 200."

"Unfortunately, injury problems this spring and early summer have not allowed me to reach that optimum level of preparation for the sprint races. I've decided concentrate my efforts on one distance for the Goodwill Games, the 400 meters, and I'm excited to defend my title in that race."

Goodwill Games President Mike Plant said that fans hoping to see Johnson repeat his double-gold medal performance from the 1996 Atlanta Olympics should not be disappointed at Johnson limiting himself to the 400 meters.

"He [Johnson] is the world's best in the 400 meters, just as he is in the 200," Plant said. "As the defending Olympic 200 and 400-meter champion, Michael is still the man to beat at whichever distance he chooses to run. The fact that he is still committed to represent his country in the 400 meters is indicative of the kind of athlete and individual he is."

Johnson's decision means that his first appearance at the Nassau County Mitchel Athletic Complex won't come until July 21 against a 400-meter field which includes U.S. sprinters Jerome Young and Tyree Washington and Jamaican speedster Michael McDonald. The 4 x 400-meter relay is not scheduled until July 22 when the U.S. foursome squares off against teams from Russia, Poland and Jamaica. The Goodwill Games feature a unique finals-only format, thereby eliminating usual preliminary heats found at most track and field events.

The 1998 Goodwill Games will showcase approximately 1,500 of the world's best athletes from more than 60 countries competing in 15 sports. Events will take place from July 19-August 2 at venues across Manhattan, Nassau County and Staten Island. The competitors, which include numerous world and Olympic champions, will be vying for $5 million in prize money and world record/performance incentives, the largest purse in multi-sport event 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. Turner Sports is the host broadcaster and is coordinating all aspects of the production.

Past Goodwill Games sites include Moscow, Soviet Union, 1986; Seattle, Washington, 1990; and St. Petersburg, Russia, 1994.

CONTACT:
Michael Lewellen, Goodwill Games, 212-484-7600
Richard Finn, Goodwill Games, 212-484-7647