Olympians, World Champions Highlight Teams for Inaugural Peachtree Cup

ATLANTA -- Olympians, World Cross Country champions, national record-holders and former AJC Peachtree Road Race winners are among those named to the four international elite teams competing in the inaugural Peachtree Cup at the 2015 AJC Peachtree Road Race.

The webcast for the Peachtree Cup begins at 7:15 a.m. ET Saturday, July 4 on USATF.TV and will air tape-delayed at 11 p.m. ET Monday, July 6 on NBCSN. Fans can watch the Peachtree Cup on demand on USATF.TV following the tape-delayed broadcast on NBCSN.

Representing nine countries and four continents, Team USA, Team Africa, Team Europe, and Team Asia will line up on July 4 determined to prove the superiority of their combination of speed, strength, and racing tactics.

In the new competition, four international teams of six top athletes, including three men and three women, will race the clock and each other, vying for international bragging rights and a first-place prize of $42,000. Team members’ individual finish times will be added together, and the team with the fastest cumulative time will be declared the victor and earn the honor of being the first to have its name engraved on the Peachtree Cup trophy.

Led by team captain Shalane Flanagan (Portland, OR), a 2008 Olympic bronze medalist and two-time Olympian who holds three American records, Team USA will feature:

• Christo Landry (Bainbridge Island, WA), 29, winner of the 2014 AJC Peachtree Road Race and, along with it, the title of 2014 USATF 10K Champion—one of three USATF titles he won last year in addition to setting the American record (1:14:18) for 25K.

• Bobby Curtis (Berkley, MI), 30, the 2008 NCAA Champion at 5000 meters who has represented the USA three times (2009, 2010, 2015) in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.

• Tyler Pennel (Blowing Rock, NC), 27, the 2014 USA Marathon Champion, runner-up in the 2014 AJC Peachtree Road Race and USATF 10K Championships, and the 2012 NCAA Division II Champion at 10,000 meters.

• Janet Bawcom (Flagstaff, AZ), 36, a 2012 Olympian at 10,000 meters who has won at least 10 USA titles on the roads since 2011—including the 2013 USATF 10K title at the AJC Peachtree Road Race. A former resident of Rome, GA, she is the American record-holder at 10 miles (52:12).

• Rachel Ward (Charlottesville, VA), 25, fifth at 10,000 meters at the 2014 USATF Outdoor Championships before finishing third at the AJC Peachtree Road Race, putting her on the podium for the USATF 10K Championships.

Provided in part by Atlanta Track Club

Meeting Areva to stream live on beIN SPORTS Connect, air tape-delayed on beIN SPORTS

PARIS -- The second half of the Diamond League schedule is set to begin with a stop in Paris, as the Meeting Areva takes place on Saturday, July 4.

Seven U.S. athletes rank atop the race standings in eight events heading into the second half of Diamond League action, including Tianna Bartoletta (long jump) Johnny Dutch (400mH), Justin Gatlin (100m, 200m), Francena McCorory (400m), David Oliver (110mH), Jasmin Stowers (100mH) and Jeneba Tarmoh (200m).

Live streaming of the Meeting Areva begins at 1:45 p.m. ET on beIN SPORTS Connect Saturday with broadcast highlights airing from 2-4 p.m. ET on beIN SPORTS Sunday.

Fans are invited to join the conversation by following USATF on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and use the hashtag #MeetingAreva.