Posted: May 30, 2004

Athletics: Runyan, Rudolph And Flanagan Get Olympic Qualifiers

From David Monti

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

WALTHAM, Mass. (29-May) -- As the sun set over the track at Bentley College this evening, the persistent winds that had characterized the weather of the day finally began to subside. And by the 7:55 p.m. starting time of the invitational women's 5000m, conditions were slightly chilly, ideal for fast times.

There wasn't a dime on the line at this mostly all-comer meet, the second in the Boston High Performance Series (competitors actually pay to run), but the invitational 5000m was a critical stop for the top athletes who want to claim a starting position at this summer's Olympic Games in Athens. The IAAF Olympic "A" standard had been set at a stiff 15:08.70, and Marla Runyan, Amy Rudolph, Shalane Flanagan and Marie Davenport were all on pace to make that mark throughout the race.

Sonja Friend-Uhl did the early pacing, taking the leaders through 1600m in 4:48.1 before retiring. The lead pack dwindled to eight by 2000m (6:03.0): Flanagan, Runyan, Rudolph, Davenport, Katie McGregor, Dulce Maria Rodriguez, Kate O'Neill, and Nicole Aish. Flanagan was leading, but Runyan was poised to take over, and share the work.

Runyan recalled thinking, "'Hey, this could go well.'"

By 2800m, Runyan was in front, and the lead pack was whittled to just four: Runyan, Rudolph, Flanagan and Davenport. They passed through 3000m in about 9:04. Runyan was glad to lead after Flanagan had set the pace during the second kilometer.

"I didn't want her to do all the work," said Runyan after the race.

Four thousand meters went down in 12:06.9, and with a fast closing lap the top runners looked like they were going to make the standard with room to spare. Runyan zoomed through 4800m in 14:27.4, and accelerated through turn three to cover the last 200m in 31.8 seconds, setting a career best time of 14:59.20, the second-fastest time in the world this year. Rudolph finished right behind Runyan in 15:00.03, with Flanagan also setting a personal best in 15:05.08. Davenport, who already got her "A" standard time in the 10,000m at the Cardinal Invitational last month at Stanford, just missed the mark in 15:09.07, still a personal best.

"I'm happy that things are starting to step into place now," said Runyan whose season is off to a late start. The U.S. indoor record holder for the distance did not open her season until last weekend when she ran a low-key 10,000m at Willamette University in Salem, Ore., just a few miles from her home. Wearing road flats, she broke the track record by some three minutes, clocking 32:39.46, good enough to qualify her for the U.S. Olympic Trials in that event, should she decide to contest it.

Top Results: Waltham, MA (29-May) - Invitational Women's 5000m
Timing FAT
 1. Marla Runyan, Nike, 14:59.20 PB
 2. Amy Rudolph, adidas, 15:00.03
 3. Shalane Flanagan, Unatt., 15:05.08
 4. Marie Davenport, New Balance (IRL), 15:09.07 PB
 5. Dulce Maria Rodriguez, MEX, 15:18.06
 6. Kate O'Neill, Nike, 15:25.87
 7. Katie McGregor, adidas, 15:27.20
 8. Jen Rhines, adidas, 15:27.33
 9. Catherine Berry, Nike (GBR), 15:33.86
10. Amy Yoder Begley, Asics, 15:35.95
11. Nicole Aish, Nike, 15:40.01

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