1000m, Mile and 5000m All Strong in Boston

BOSTON (Jan. 11) – Following in its tradition of delivering track fans world-class endurance races at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games, organizers announced additional athlete commitments for the 2010 event today. The athletes announced include Olympic Medalist Nick Willis, number one ranked American 800m runner Anna Pierce (née Willard) and former University of Oregon star Galen Rupp. They join the previously announced Double Olympic Champion, Tirunesh Dibaba from Ethiopia. Tickets for the 15th annual Olympic-styled event are on sale now at www.BostonIndoorGames.com or by calling 1-877-TIX-TRAC.

Willis, who in 2008, became New Zealand’s first male track athlete in 32 years to bring home an Olympic medal, returns to the track for his first international competition since suffering a season ending injury last March. The 2006 Commonwealth Games champion and national record-holder at 1500 meters, Willis also broke the New Zealand indoor mark and NCAA record for 3000 meters here in 2004 while competing for the University of Michigan. He won the 2009 Reebok Boston Indoor Games Mile in 3:53.54 and is travelling to Boston from his winter training base outside of Wellington, New Zealand.

Anna Pierce, whose 2009 campaign was one of the best seasons ever by an American middle distance or distance runner, will compete in the women’s 1000m. The winner of three IAAF Golden League events as well as at the World Athletics Final, she ranked #2 in the world at 800m. In addition to her success over 800m, Anna also established herself as the third fastest American in history at 1500m, with her time of 3:59.38. She finished 2009 with a top three US Ranking at 800m (1st), 1500m (3rd) and 3000m steeplechase (2nd). The current American Record of 2:34.19 was set by Jen Toomey in 2004.

Galen Rupp led the University of Oregon men to the their first indoor national team title and became the first person in NCAA history to win the 5,000 meters, 3,000m and the Distance Medley Relay in the same championship. During last year’s indoor campaign he also set the American Record at 5000m (13:18.12) and finished his NCAA career with an impressive six NCAA Titles. Rupp will line up at 5000m at this year’s Reebok Boston Indoor Games.

Since the Reebok Boston Indoor Games began in 1996, more than 100 Olympic and World Championship medalists have competed in the event, which has also played host to six World Records and nine American Records. Sponsored by Reebok International Ltd., with its world headquarters in Canton, Mass., the event is owned and produced by Global Athletics & Marketing, Inc., an athlete-representation and events firm based in Boston.

The 15th-annual Reebok Boston Indoor Games, the second stop in USA Track & Field’s Visa Championship Series, begins at 5:00 p.m. on Feb. 6 at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center at Roxbury Community College. Information is now available on-line at www.BostonIndoorGames.com. Follow us on Twitter at @BostonIndoor and become a fan on Facebook at www.bostonindoorgames.com/facebook . Tickets are available on-line or by calling 1-877-TIX-TRAC.

Willis, Pierce and Rupp join Dibaba as distance headliners