NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 30, 2008

Contact: Brian Hill, 814-3202

Portsmouth Olympic Hopeful Send Off Reception:
LaShawn Merritt 21-Year-Old Cavalier Manor Resident

Portsmouth – The Portsmouth Department of Parks, Recreation and Leisure Services invites members of the community to the Cavalier Manor Recreation Center located at 404 Viking Street in Portsmouth. The reception will occur on Friday, August 1st at 5 p.m. with brief remarks from city officials. LaShawn will be competing in the 400-meter Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

LaShawn is a sprinter who specializes in the 400 meters. LaShawn is a native of Portsmouth, Virginia where he graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 2004. LaShawn spent one year as a college athlete at East Carolina University before signing an endorsement contract with Nike. He is currently a student at Old Dominion University in his home state of Virginia. Merritt claimed the silver medal at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics in Osaka.

The City of Portsmouth encourages everyone who is able to come out and give LaShawn a spirited send off. For additional information on LaShawn’s historic athletic biography, visit http://www.usatf.org/athletes/bios/Merritt_LaShawn.asp. For additional information on the ceremony, contact Brandon Hill at bhill@gmgsports.com or (757) 814-3202.

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