Posted: May 9, 2004

Athletics: Invaders' Long Hits Olympic Trials "A" Standard

(INDIANAPOLIS) Indiana Invaders' Carri Long hit the 2004 US Olympic Trials "A" Qualifying Standard with a career best jump of 1.88 meters to win the Billy Hayes Invitational, hosted by Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana on Friday, May 7th, 2004.

Long, a graduate of Purdue University, is now ranked seventh on the US performance list in the high jump. Along with teammate Adam Shunk, ranked third on US performance list in the high jump (2.27), the Invaders will have a strong presence at the US Olympic Team Trials High Jump competition in July.

Brandon Hon, narrowly missed the Olympic Trials qualifying standard of 50.50, in taking third in the 400 hurdles with a time of 50.66 after recovering from a hitting a hurdle and almost hitting the ground late in the race. Fellow 400 hurdler, Adrian Swanson, took fourth in the 400 hurdles (51.32) after also experiencing significant contact with a hurdle. Jacob Koczman posted a 1:49.96 in the 800 to take fifth while Hope Sanders captured a win in the 800 with a time of 2:10.49 after running a 56.59 second 400 meter race earlier in the meet.

Jamey Sperle took third in the 200 (21.40) and fourth in the 400 (47.46). Sharline Maxwell-Divis was third and Amber Plowden was fourth in the 200 with times of 24.48 and 24.65, respectively.

Saturday, May 8th in the 2004 Indianapolis Life 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, Donnie Fellows and teammate John Ngigi took sixth and eighth with times of 1:06:43 and 1:07:17, respectively. Fellows, competing in his first 1/2 marathon, is already qualified for the US Olympic Team Trials in the 10,000. Kim Lorenz was 10th in the women's race with a career best time of 1:20:34.

Team Director Greg Harger said, "Long did an excellent job in hitting the 'A' Standard. This is as much a mental break through for her as it is technical. Clearly she has room for more improvements before the Olympic Trials." Harger added, "Hon and Swanson continue to show glimmers of a pending emergence at the next level in the 400 hurdles. Their ability to manage technical improvements in the way they apply their fitness will determine whether they are in the 49's next week or next month.

Billy Hayes Invitational: /iuhoosiers.com/womenstrackandfield/results/'04/BillyHayesResults.html.

2003 Indianapolis Life 500 Festival Mini-Marathon: www.500festival.com.

For further information on the Indiana Invaders, please contact Greg Harger at 317 289-4018 or online at: (greg.harger@indianainvaders.com)   www.indianainvaders.com.