ATHENS, Ohio - The Ohio University Sports Administration and Facility Management program announces the 2002 Ohio Valley Strongman Contest to take place on May 11 to 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Aquatic Center Parking Lot on the campus of Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

This year's Ohio Valley Strongman Contest is one of only four professional qualifiers in the United States for the American Strongman Championship and the World's Strongest Man Contest seen on ESPN. In addition, two of the top 20 women in the world will compete in the 2002 Ohio Valley Women's Extreme Fitness Challenge to be held in conjunction with the Ohio Valley Strongman Contest. Over $11,000 in cash prizes will be distributed to athletes for both contests. Admission and parking for the Ohio Valley Strongman Contest is free to the public. Twenty-five percent of the proceeds from the event will be divided between the Athens Fraternal Order of Police, and the Athens Fire Department to help offset the cost of new equipment.

Currently, 13 of the top 20 strongmen in the United States are registered for the 2002 Ohio Valley Strongman Contest. Some of the athletes registered include: Phil Pfister (ranked #1 in the U.S.; #5 in the world), Karl Gillingham (ranked #3 in the U.S.; #11 in the world), Steve Kirit (ranked #4 in the U.S.; Top 50 in the world), Chad Smith (ranked #5 in the U.S.; Top 50 in the world), Bryan Neese (ranked #8 in the U.S.; Top 50 in the world), and Chad Coy (ranked #9 in the U.S.; Top 50 in the world). Five of the athletes currently registered for the contest have represented the United States at the World's Strongest Man Contest (Pfister, Gillingham, Neese, Brown and Coy).

The Ohio Valley Strongman Contest is listed on the World's Strongest Man Web site as one of the premier events for 2002. The contest will be broadcast on Fox Sports Ohio in six states (Ohio, KY, IN, WV, NY and Pa.) to a base of approximately 11.5 million viewers on Saturday, July 13, at noon.

A media room has been established at the AmeriHost Inn, the official hotel of the 2002 Ohio Valley Strongman Contest, on Friday evening May 10, 2002, for media interviews. A media room will also be available at the competition site including a copier, fax machine, and Internet access.

For more information, contact contest promoter Jim Reese at (740) 593-9496, or reesej1@ohio.edu.