Posted: May 20, 2004

Athletics:Chase For Olympic Qualifiers Begins At Home Depot Invitational

From David Monti

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

by Bob Ramsak

When USA Track & Field's Golden Spike Tour resumes at Saturday's Home Depot Invitational in Carson, Calif., it's quite likely that media attention will be focused on fallout from the ongoing BALCO scandal. But on the track, for U.S. middle distance runners in particular, the chase for Olympic 'A' standards will begin in earnest.

With only David Krummenacker and collegian Grant Robison having achieved the 3:36.20 Olympic 'A' standard, organizers are hoping for a fast 1500. Training partners Jason Lunn, last year's winner, and 2000 Olympian Michael Stember, have each run in the 3:38-3:40 range this Spring. Lunn clocked 3:38.83 last month, currently the fastest among Americans this year, while Stember has primarily focused on speedwork in the 800. Alan Webb, who showed promising closing speed during his mile/5000m double win at the Penn Relays last month, is also in the field, along with Indiana University sophomore Sean Jefferson, this year's NCAA indoor champion. Sydney Olympic finalist Kevin Sullivan, who added the indoor 3000m to his collection of Canadian national records in January, competes in his first 1500m of the season. 800m specialist Milton Browne of Barbados will be the pacesetter.

Nicole Teter and Carrie Tollefson, the second and third fastest Americans this season, lead the women's 1500m. Teter, who was injured much of the 2003 season, already has the 'A' standard in the 800m, but has yet to decide whether she will double at July's Olympic Trials. 2000 Olympian Shayne Culpepper, a bronze medallist at 3000m at this year's World Indoor Championships, comes to Carson on the heels of her 15:01.36 personal best in the 5000m at last months's Cardinal Invitational in Palo Alto. Canadian Malindi Elmore, who followed up her PB to 4:09.73 win at the Mt. SAC Relays with a win in Palo Alto, is also in the field, along with 17-year-old Ethiopian Meskerem Legesse, who has a 4:03.96 best to her credit. Shalane Flanagan, who is gunning for a spot on the Olympic 5000m squad, will make her first 1500m start of the season.

Bryan Woodward and Derrick Peterson, both with 'A' standards under their belt, headline the men's 800, while Chantee Earl and Sasha Spencer, both with sub-2:03 performances this Spring, highlight the women's.

More than $140,000 in prize money will be awarded at the meet's second edition, with more than 40 Olympians expected to compete. The meet will be broadcast live in the U.S. on NBC from 4-6 p.m. Eastern time.

Provisional Startlist (as of Thursday, May 20):

MEN -

800m:
Bryan Woodward, USA/Nike
Derrick Peterson, USA/adidas
Jebreh Harris, USA/Holyfield Intâ?Tl
Floyd Thompson, USA/SMTC
Toby Henkels, USA/Team Minn.
Kevin Elliott, USA/Nike Farm
Elliott Blount, USA/Nike Farm
Andy Neugebauer, USA/Nike Farm
Richard Smith, USA/Nike
Mike Hummel, USA/unattached
Tim Brown, USA/unattached

1500m:
Kevin Sullivan, Canada
Bryan Berryhill, USA/adidas
Jason Lunn, USA/Nike
Charlie Gruber, USA/Nike
Jesse Strutzel, USA/Nike
Jon Riley, USA/Nike
Seneca Lassiter, USA/Nike
Michael Stember, USA/Nike
Sean Jefferson, USA/Indiana
Alan Webb, USA/Nike
Daniel Lincoln, USA/Nike
Ricky Etheridge, Puerto Rico
Milton Browne, Barbados/Mob Fitness


WOMEN -

800m:
Tanya Blake, Malta
Chantee Earl, USA/Nike
Sasha Spencer, USA/Nike
Tiffany Burgess, USA/unattached
Lauren Simmons, USA/Nike Farm
Andrea Morgan, USA/Nike Farm
Tamika Williams, Bermuda
Alisa Harvey, USA/unattached
Vicky Fleschner, USA/unattached
Aleksandra Deren, Poland
Nakiya Johnson, USA/unattached

1500m:
Courtney Babcock, Canada
Meskerem Legesse, Ethiopia
Malindi Elmore, Canada
Shayne Culpepper, USA/adidas
Colette Liss, USA/Nike
Katie Vermeulen, Canada
Nicole Teter, USA/Nike
Carrie Tollefson, USA/adidas
Jenelle Deatherage, USA/WRRT
Sally Hauser, USA/Nike
Shalane Flanagan, USA/unattached
Christin Wurth, USA/Nike
Sherron Rhetta, USA/South Bay TC

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