FRESNO -- Athletes from high school, college and international levels will compete in the second Run for the Dream meet, which is scheduled for Monday at the Save Mart Center.

The unique indoor competition, which took a hiatus after its inaugural year in 2006, is designed to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., recognize track and field stars of the past, and showcase stars of the present and the future.

Olympic gold medalists Dwight Phillips and Allen Johnson will be among those competing.

Phillips, who won a gold medal in the long jump at Athens in 2004, will compete in the 55-meter dash Monday. Johnson, the 110-meter high hurdles champion at the Atlanta Games of 1996, will be in action in the 55-meter hurdles.

"The meet is meant to re-ignite the spirit and excitement of the old West Coast Relays,'' Fresno State track and field coach Bob Fraley said in a news release. "'The Run for the Dream' will help build back the tradition of the San Joaquin Valley. This massive event will help bring track and field back to the highest level.''

Fraley, who attended Hanford's Hardwick Elemen-tary School and Lemoore High, won 13 championships in 15 seasons as Tigers track coach before moving on to Fresno State.

His current Bulldogs squad includes former Hanford West High sprinter Charles Williams. But Williams won't run Monday, as Fresno State does not field a men's indoor team because of Title IX restrictions.

Yet current Huskies sprint star Vontrail Love is scheduled to run the 55-meter dash. The junior will be competing for a Central California all-star team, which will square off with squads from Southern California and Northern California.

The South coaching staff will include J.W. North's Charles Leathers, a former Hanford High star.

The event will begin at 10:45 a.m. with the women's indoor teams of Fresno State, Hawaii, Cal Poly, and Cal State Stanislaus squaring off. High school teams will compete in the "Dream Team Championships" starting at 5 p.m., and the Visa Championship Series USA vs. the World event is slated for 6:45 p.m.

The USA vs. the World meet will feature athletes from 13 nations -- some of them Olympians and former national champions.

World 400-meter champion Breshawn Jackson will be part of a stellar field for the 600-yard race. The field will also include American 800-meter star Khadevis Robinson as well as Jamaicans Michael Blackwood and Sherridan Kirk in a race that could produce a world record.

In other USA vs. the World events:

Women's 55 dash: Carmelita Jeter and former Fresno State star Angela Daigle will represent the USA against the World's Shandria Brown (Bahamas) and Natasha Mayers (St. Vincent and the Grenadines).

Women's 55 hurdles: Americans Candace Davis and Damu Cherry against Jamaica's Vonette Dixon and Canada's Priscilla Lopes.

Women's 800: Sherron Rhetta and Kim Gildersleeve of the USA vs. Greada's Neisha Bernard-Thomas and Great Britain's Roseline Abroke in the 800.

Women's pole vault: Americans Jillian Schwartz and Nikole McEwen vs. Ikuko Nishikori of Japan and Dana Ellis-Buller of Canada.

Women's long jump: Jenny Adams and Tameshia King representing USA vs. Saeko Okayama of Japan and Elva Goulbourne of Jamaica.

Women's high jump: Americans Sharon D ay and Amy Acuff vs. Mireya Beltran of Mexico and Gaelle Niare of France. Acuff is a three-time Olympian.

Men's 55 dash: Phillips and Josh Norman of the USA vs. Jamaica's Lerone Clark and Nigeria's Adetoyi Duotoye.

Men's 55 hurdles: USA's Johnson and Aubrey Herring vs. Charles Allen of Canada and Decosma Wright of Jamaica.

Men's mile: Americans Said Ahmed and Michael Stembe vs. Mexico's Mario Macias and Canada's Ryan McKenzie.

Men's pole vault: Giovanni Lanaro of Mexico and Taquro Mori of Japan vs. Americans Russ Buller and Tommy Skipper.

Men's long jump: Tony Allmond and John Moffit of the USA vs. Haiti's Narc Narcisse and Bermuda's Tyrone Smith.

Men's shot put: American shot putters Reese Joffa and Dan Taylor vs. Om Prakash of India and Dorian Scott of Jamaica.

Tickets for Run for the Dream, priced at $15 for adults and $5 for children, are good for both the high school and professional meets, while the collegiate event in the morning requires a separate ticket.

(Jan. 16, 2008)