His Space Is for Lease

Two-time Olympic shotput silver medalist Adam Nelson is serious about performing well today at the Adidas Track Classic at the Home Depot Center in Carson. That’s because it will be his first outdoor competition after being hobbled by an injured right foot, and because he wants to experience the conditions that will prevail when the U.S. championships are held there in June.

But the Georgia native’s sense of humor will be on display when he walks onto the field wearing a T-shirt proclaiming, “Buy me on eBay,” publicizing his effort to raise money by auctioning advertising space on his uniform.

Despite his success, which also includes three world championship silver medals, Nelson recently lost two sponsors and sought help to defray his $20,000 annual training expenses. He decided to put himself up for bid, promising to wear the winner’s logo at meets May 30 at Palo Alto, June 11 in New York and at the U.S. championships. He reserved the right to reject bidders who are “unethical or inappropriate to be associated with.”

The auction ends Wednesday evening. As of Saturday night, the top bid was $4,000.

“This sport relies on sponsorship and generosity of really just a couple of companies and we don’t have an aggressive marketing arm that goes out and brings in new sponsorship to the sport,” Nelson said Saturday. “We don’t have the agents and marketing personnel that can do that for the individual athlete.... Maybe this will get some exposure.”

Nelson said he planned to donate a portion of the proceeds to the World Anti-Doping Agency in gratitude for its efforts to weed out drug cheats. “I’m a strong advocate of the anti-drug campaign, and certain things that have happened the last few years reinforced my resolve to push for a clean and fair sport,” he said.

Nelson’s prospects for winning a share of today’s $139,400 prize money increased when Christian Cantwell, the 2004 U.S. and world indoor champion, withdrew after suffering an injury in training. Reese Hoffa, a 2004 Olympian, withdrew earlier because of a gall bladder ailment.

Meet organizers said 400-meter specialist LaShawn Merritt, who ran a world-leading 44.66 on May 7, also pulled out. So did 100-meter hurdles specialist Nichole Denby of Riverside. Olympic 100-meter gold medalist Justin Gatlin withdrew earlier this week, citing fatigue.

Their absences will do little to hurt the caliber of the meet, which starts at noon and will be televised live on ESPN from 1 to 3 p.m.

Joanna Hayes of Los Angeles, the Athens 100-meter hurdles champion, will compete against 2003 world champion Perdita Felicien of Canada and 2001 world champion Anjanette Kirkland of the U.S. Veronica Campbell of Jamaica, who ran for the University of Arkansas before winning gold in the 200 and bronze in the 100 at Athens, will run the 100 today. Allyson Felix of Los Angeles and Lauryn Williams, silver medalists in the 200 and 100 at Athens, respectively, will compete in the 200.

Maurice Greene, who has run under 10 seconds in his two previous races in Carson, faces a field scheduled to include Olympic 200-meter silver medalist Bernard Williams, Leonard Scott, John Capel, Coby Miller and Terrence Trammell, who will double in the 110-meter hurdles. Olympic 400-meter gold medalist Jeremy Wariner leads a solid field in his specialty.