Posted: April 8, 2004

Athletics: Graff To Defend U.S. 10-Mile Title Saturday In Louisville

From David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

By Bob Ramsak

Defending champion Chris Graff leads a strong field at Saturday's Papa John's 10 Miler in Louisville, Ky., which also serves as the U.S. Men's Championship.

The 28-year-old Graff, a St. John's graduate who lives and trains in Palo Alto, Calif., set a championship record of 47:09 last year en route to his first national title. In March, Graff finished third at the national 15-K Championship at the Gate River Run in Jacksonville, Fla.

The field also includes Dan Browne of Portland, Ore., who qualified for his first Olympic Team after this third place finish at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials two months ago; Trent Briney of Rochester Hills, Mich., fourth at the marathon trials; Scott Strand and Matt Thull, second and third at last year's Papa John's 10 Miler; and Clint Verran and Josh Cox, fifth and seventh at February's marathon trials.

More than $26,000 in prize money will be awarded to the top-15 U.S. male athletes with, $10,000 to the winner.

The Papa John's 10 Miler/USA Men's Championship is part of the 2004 USA Running Circuit, a USA Track & Field road racing series featuring USA Championships from 5K to the marathon. In addition to race awards, the first ten U.S. runners from each USARC race earn points to claim a share of the series' $12,500 grand prix purse.

The elite field, as of 05-April:

- Chris Graff, Winner 2003 Papa John's 10 Miler/USA champion, 3rd 2004 USA Men's 15K Championship
- Dan Browne, 3rd Qualifier, 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Team
- Matt Thull, 3rd 2003 Papa John's 10 Miler/USA Men's Championship
- Trent Briney, 4th 2004 U.S. Men's Olympic Trials Marathon
- Josh Cox, 7th 2004 U.S. Men's Olympic Trials Marathon
- Clint Verran, 5th 2004 U.S. Men's Olympic Trials Marathon
- Teren Jameson, 4th 2003 USA Half-Marathon Championship
- Henry Dennis, 2003 USA 5K champion, 9th 2003 Papa John's 10 Miler/USA Men's Championship
- Pete Gilmore, 9th 2004 U.S. Men's Olympic Trials Marathon
- Keith Dowling, 6th 2003 Papa John's 10 Miler/USA Men's Championship, 11th 2004 U.S. Men's Olympic Trials Marathon
- Brian Sell, 2003 USA 20K Championship runner-up
- Scott Strand, 2nd 2003 Papa John's 10 Miler/USA Men's Championship runner-up
- Kevin Collins, 2003 USA Marathon Championships runner-up
- Carl Rundell
- Ryan Shay, 2003 USA Half-Marathon and Marathon champion, USA Running Circuit Grand Prix champion
- Kevin Doyle
- Teddy Mitchell
- Chris England
- Ben Rosario
- Aaron Carrizales
- James McGown
- Paul Aufdemberge
- Chris Lundstrom, 3rd 2001 USA Marathon Championships

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