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American Hopefuls Score Olympic Qualifying Marks at 2004 Cardinal
Invitational
By Mark Winitz, Running USA wire
PALO ALTO, Calif. - (April 30, 2004) - When the sun goes down at the Cardinal Invitational
each spring and temperatures drop, athletes and fans know that times and records
are about to fall. In an Olympic year, those assumptions become virtual guarantees.
Bolstered by ideal, cool and windless conditions, U.S. distance runners made hefty
down payments for their tickets to Athens on Friday evening at Stanford University
by notching Olympic and U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying times.
In 2001, Meb Keflezighi set an American 10,000 meter record of 27:13.98 at this meet.
Keflezighi couldn't quite match that feat this time, three months after earning a
berth on the U.S. Olympic marathon squad. The Team Running USA athlete merely topped
the stacked field while recording a 27:24.10, the fourth fastest time on the U.S.
all-time list (Meb has three of the four times).
Paced by several rabbits, Keflezighi and fellow 2000 Olympian and sometime training
partner Abdi Abdirahman proceeded through 4K in 10:52, just under record pace. By
5K (13:35), Abdirahman fell off the gait by about 10 meters. When pacemaker Bernard
Lagat concluded his chores, Keflezighi was left to negotiate the final 9-1/2 laps
of the 25-lap race alone, finishing 10 plus seconds short of his AR. A chase pack
caught Abdirahman at 8K, but he tucked in and placed fourth in a personal record
27:34.24 in a close battle with Kenyan Thomas Kiplitan (2nd, 27:32.30) and Ireland's
Cathal Lombard (3rd, 27:33.53, an Irish record).
Americans Bob Kennedy, Dathan Ritzenhein (University of Colorado) and Dan Browne
finished strongly in fifth through seventh. All five top Americans recorded times
well under the Olympic "A" standard of 27:49.0. In addition, Ritzenehein's
27:38.50 is the fastest time ever run by an American collegian (former record: 27:40.69,
Alberto Salazar, 1981).
"I wanted a shot at a PR and the American record," said Keflezighi of Mammoth
Lakes, Calif. "But you take a risk and sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.
"Bernard Lagat did a great job of pacing. I could have followed his pace for
a long time, but when you do the work yourself, you can't."
Said Keflezighi about his prospects for Athens "Right now the marathon is looking
good, I want to try and get a medal, and right now I think the marathon is my best
chance."
In the women's 10,000, American and rising star Kate O'Neill demonstrated that she
is a serious contender for the Olympic team. As Kenya's Sally Barsosio rocketed herself
to the lead on the sixth lap, O'Neill joined Brits Kathy Butler and Haley Yelling,
Ireland's Marie Davenport and Team USA Minnesota's Katie McGregor in a spirited chase
pack. O'Neill's third-place finishing time of 31:34.37 makes her the third American
to achieve the Olympic "A" standard of 31:45.0. Deena Kastor and Elva Dryer
have also obtained the mark. McGregor placed sixth and second American in 31:51.26.
Alicia Craig, a Stanford sophomore, finished in 32:19.97 surpassing the previous
American collegiate record of 32:22.97 by Villanova's Carole Zajac.
Ireland's Sonia O'Sullivan made a rare appearance in the U.S., and her first at Stanford.
The 2000 Olympic silver medalist at 5000 meters tuned up on her own agenda for Athens,
easily capturing the women's 5000 meter title on Cobb Track in 14:58.43.
"It was my first race for a long time, so I really didn't know what to expect,"
O'Sullivan admitted. "The main thing was to try and win the race. I had a good
pacemaker. I thought if I could do the fastest time in the world this year, it would
be fantastic. And, I managed that."
Over the last several laps, a U.S. trio behind O'Sullivan locked in a riveting contest
for the runner-up spots. Colorado's Shane Culpepper (2nd, 15:01.36) imposed a strong
kick on the last lap to nip Carrie Tollefson (3rd, 15:04.07) and Lauren Fleshman
(4th, 15:09.98).
"After my indoor season, I knew I was really fit," commented Culpepper,
the 2004 3000 meter bronze medalist at the World Indoor Championships. "I knew
I had a new level fitness. So it really worked out well. Once again, Stanford set
up a great situation for distance athletes. We really appreciate it."
"I surprised myself tonight," said Team USA Minnesota's Tollefson who ran
a 17-second personal best. "I was just racing and trying hard not to think too
much. April is always hard in the Midwest. The wind is so strong, and you never seem
to hit your times in training."
University of Arkansas star Alistair Cragg, who represents Ireland, dominated the
men's 5000 race in a swift 13:16.98, fronting a hoard of U.S, men intent upon obtaining,
or improving upon, times to land them on the starting line at July's U.S. Olympic
Track & Field Trials in Sacramento.
Team USA Minnesota's Jason Lehmkuhle won a solid "B" section men's 10,000
in 28:26.95, under the U.S Trials provisional "B" standard. Team USA Monterey
Bay's Fasil Bizuneh placed 6th in 28:43.1, also under the standard.
Cardinal Invitational
Cobb Track & Angell Field, Stanford University
Palo Alto, CA, Friday night, April 30, 2004
MEN
5000m
1. Alistair Cragg IRL/Arkansas 13:16.98
2. Brendan Rogers Nike Farm Team 13:44.52
3. Chad Johnson Nike Oregon 13:45.26
4. Forest Braden Boise State 13:45.41
5. Marc Davis Nike Oregon 13:45.44
6. Ahman Dirks Nike Oregon 13:45.92
7. Steve Slattery Nike 13:46.04
8. Takashi Maeda Japan/Araco Running 13:46.11
9. James Carney Team USA Monterey Bay 13:46.59
10. Peter Julian adidas 13:47.31
Kim McDonald 10,000m
1. Meb Keflezighi Nike/Team Running USA 27:24.10
2. Thomas Kiplitan Kenya/Puma 27:32.30
3. Cathal Lombard Ireland 27:33.53
4. Abdi Abdirahman Nike 27:34.24
5. Bob Kennedy Nike 27:37.45
6. Dathan Ritzenhein Colorado 27:38.50
7. Dan Browne Nike Oregon 27:42.19
8. Jaames Getanda Puma 27:44.73
9. John Henwood New Zealand 27:45.98
10. Linus Maiyo Nike 27:49.73
WOMEN
5000m
1. Sonia O'Sullivan IRL/Melbourne TC 14:58.43
2. Shayne Culpepper adidas 15:01.36
3. Carrie Tollefson adidas/Team USA Minnesota 15:04.07
4. Lauren Fleshman Nike 15:09.98
5. Georgie Clarke AUS/Melbourne TC 15:34.52
6. Emily Morris Australia 15:40.10
7. Elva Dryer Nike/Team Running USA 15:45.20
8. Kristen Nicolini Team USA Minnesota 15:56.76
Kim McDonald Women's 10,000m
1. Sally Barsosio Kenya/Nike 31:18.72
2. Marie Davenport GBR/New Balance 31:28.78
3. Kate O'Neill Nike Int'l 31:34.37
4. Kathy Butler GBR/New Balance 31:45.63
5. Haley Yelling Great Britain 31:50.85
6. Katie McGregor adidas/Team USA Minnesota 31:51.26
7. Nicole Aish Nike 32:09.13
8. Alicia Craig Stanford 32:19.97
9. Dulce Maria Rodriguez Mexico 32:26.37
10. Laura O'Neill Nike Int'l 32:27.89
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