Clement Kicks to USA 1500 Three-Peat By Charlie Mahler, Running USA wire

INDIANAPOLIS - (June 23, 2007) - It's as simple as one, two, three.

Two-time defending USA women's 1500 meter champion Treniere Clement kicked to a third metric mile title in 4:07.04 at the AT&T USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday.

Christin Wurth was national runner-up in 4:07.86, while Erin Donahue grabbed the third IAAF World Championships team spot in 4:08.22. Team Running USA's Sara Hall of Mammoth Lakes, Calif. finished 5th in a PR 4:08.99.

Two-time Olympian Shayne Culpepper, who won the USA Indoor mile title this year and ran a personal best 4:05.98 recently, finished second-to-last in 4:22.35, after having difficulty staying on the lead group after a pair of 66.1 400s opened the race.

Wurth took the lead with 400 meters run, but Knoxville resident Clement, 25, who bided her time until the final homestretch, was rightly confident in her final kick.

"My main focus is pretty much being able to close with anyone in the world," the Georgetown alum Clement said. "My training partner is Hazel Clark, and she's top 10 in the 800, so I know if I can run 800s with her, I know my speed will be there."

Clement is excited for her chance to test her closing speed with the best in the world this August in Japan.

"I would like to make the finals of the 1500 [at the World Championships]," she said. "And have a chance to get a medal there in Osaka as well."

AT&T USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships
World Championships and Pan Am Games qualifier
Indianapolis, IN, Sat-Sun, June 23-24, 2007

Saturday, June 23, 2007
Women's 1500m
1) Treniere Clement (TN), 4:07.04, $4000
2) Christin Wurth (AR), 4:07.86, $3000
3) Erin Donohue (NC), 4:08.22, $2000
4) Tiffany McWilliams (MS), 4:08.86, $1000
5) Sara Hall (CA), 4:08.99, $500
6) Lindsey Gallo (MI), 4:11.00
7) Amy Mortimer (MA), 4:11.97
8) Jenelle Deatherage (MN), 4:12.49
9) Natalie Picchetti (GA), 4:16.59
10) Anne Shadle (VA), 4:17.83