Bruny Surin committed to compete at The World's

MEDIA RELEASE


Quashing rumours his career has come to an end Canadian sprinter Bruny
Surin has confirmed he will be running in the 8th IAAF World Championships
in Athletics where he expects to be very competitive.

It was only two years ago that the Montreal sprinter shocked the world by
running 100m in 9.84 seconds to claim the silver medal at the 7th world
championships in Seville. That time equaled Donovan Bailey's Canadian
record and is the third fastest time ever run!  Surin has also been in
every world championship final since 1991 an enviable record unmatched by
any male sprinter.

Speaking from his training camp in Austin, Texas where he will spend a week
training with coach Dan Pfaff, Surin believes he can still run under 10
seconds in Edmonton a time that only four men have achieved this season.
His fastest time came in Lausanne, Switzerland, July 4th, where he ran
10.11 seconds despite having what he calls "a dreadful final 40 metres."

"My only concern was the technical part of the race. I know I am in good
shape it's just a matter of running good technically - that's why I came
here  (to Texas)," Surin said, "Every time I come here I am in a good mood.
To me Dan (Pfaff) is like a magician that is why I came here to try to
run well at the world championships."

Following the Sydney Olympics, where he was injured, Surin did not train
properly for almost four months and then in June he re-injured his adductor
muscles. Then a collision with a photographer, while warming up for a
Golden League meeting in Paris, resulted in him finishing last in 10.52
seconds. Surin dismisses the claims of Canadian journalists who say he is
too old.

"That doesn't bother me at all, you know, I am 34 years old and they were
telling me the same stuff when I was 30," he says, "Let me put it this way.
Track and field is not my life.  I am going there to Edmonton, and I want
to run the 100m, and to me personally I have nothing to lose. If I win a
gold medal that will be great. And, if I don't, the next day I am still a
happy guy."

As for the sprinter himself he is committed to performing at his best on
Canadian soil and that means getting under 10 seconds.  How serious is he?
 "I believe I have it in me 100% and if I didn't believe it I would say I
am only running to have some fun and to make money and I don't care if I
run 10.2," Surin declares, "What do I have to lose? Why should I lie about
it?"

The 8th IAAF World Championships in Athletics is expected to bring more
than 3,000 athletes, coaches and officials from more than 200 countries, to
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to compete in 24 men's and 22 women's athletic
events, August 3rd through 12th, 2001. More than 2,500 media are also
expected to attend and provide coverage around the world. The IAAF World
Championships in Athletics is the third-largest sporting event in the
world, based on a world-wide television audience of four billion viewers
anticipated to tune in during the 10 days of competition. The IAAF World
Championships in Athletics is third in scope only to the Summer Olympics
and World Cup Soccer.
    
Edmonton 2001 World Championships in Athletics is pleased to acknowledge
the following partners: IAAF Partners TDK, adidas, Coca-Cola, EPSON, SEIKO,
Eurovision and TBS.
Government Partners: Government of Canada, Government of Alberta and the
City of Edmonton; Sport Partners: Athletics Canada and Athletics Alberta;
National Partners: TELUS, Royal Bank Financial Group, Labatt, EPCOR, IKON
Office Solutions, Sony of Canada Ltd. and the General Motors Dealers of
Edmonton. For further information, visit the Edmonton 2001 Web site at
www.2001.edmonton.com.


For more information:
Paul Gains
Media Information Coordinator 
Edmonton 2001 World Championships in Athletics  
Telephone: (780) 821-6138