MARCH 19, 2000

(INDIANAPOLIS)-- Collette Liss (Valparaiso, Ind.) lead the American Team with her 20th place finish in the women's 4km race at the 28th IAAF World Cross Country Championships held at Algarve resort, Vilamoura, Portugal on Sunday. Liss finished in 13:32 and was followed by Amy Rudolph (53rd), Mary Jane Harrelson (82nd), Jenelle Deatherage (89th), Carmen Ayala-Troncoso (97th), and Christine Udovich (107th) in the field of 131 of the world's best female distance runners. The U.S. Team finished 12th out of 19 scoring teams. The host country, Portugal, won the team competition in the women's 4km race with 46 points over runner-up Ethiopia (55pts) and 3rd place France (57pts).

The race produced the best finish of the weekend with the first three finishers being awarded the same finish time. Ethiopia's Kutre Dulecha overtook Morocco's Zahra Ouaziz, Kenya's Margaret Ngotho, and Britain's Paula Radcliffe in the final 300 meters to win on the 4180 meter race course in 13:00. The 21 year-old Dulecha made history as the first junior title winner to win the senior title.

"I came here to compete, not just show up for the experience.", said Liss. She added, "I wanted to get out hard and establish a position up front to make the best possible contribution to our team score."

"Collette executed the game plan that was set for her and the results followed", said Invaders Head Coach Chris Buhler. He added, "She has grasped our philosophy of pursuing excellence which includes planning not to be intimidated by events, athletes, current thinking, and history. We trained for this race, not the trials that were held in February, and she was able to turn in the best race of her young career."

Collette Liss and her Invaders' teammates now turn their attention to the U.S. Olympic Trials scheduled for July in Sacramento, Ca.

For further information, please contact Greg Harger.

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