Posted: July 17, 2004

Athletics: Broe Wins But Is He Bound For Athens?

From David Monti

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

SACRAMENTO (16-Jul) -- With three powerful laps before the finish --including a final 400m in 57.8 seconds-- Tim Broe of Ann Arbor, Mich., defended his U.S. 5000m title here tonight and won the Olympic Trials for his event. However, whether he actually will be running in Athens remains an open question.

Broe, 27, was able to beat pre-race favorite Jonathon Riley of Palo Alto, Calif., the only athlete with the Olympic Games "A" standard mark of 13:21.50 under his belt. But, when the former Alabama steeplechaser crossed the finish line in 13:27.36 he failed to achieve at least the Olympic Games "B" standard of 13:25.40. Under USATF rules a "B" winner trumps an "A" runner-up as long as he is the only "A" in the race, but since Broe did not achieve at least a "B" time tonight he will have until August 9th to get it.

Riley finished second in 13:30.05 and Bolota Asmerom finished third in 13:32.77.

Now here's the tricky part: If Broe gets the "B" standard and no other U.S. athletes gain an "A" standard mark out of the four athletes who will be nominated for potential team spots, Broe will be the only American man running the 5000m in Athens. However, if Broe gets the "A" standard instead, he takes Riley with him.

Louis Luchini and Jorge Torres will be the other two athletes nominated behind Broe and Riley when the United States Olympic Committee submits their potential team members to the IOC next week. Broe is the only non-standard holder who will get nominated because he won the race.

Riley had to win the race to guarantee himself a spot on the team. If there had been just one other "A" standard holder in the race, the two "A"'s would be nominated and Broe would have to get the "A" to join the team. "A" standard holders allow a country to field a full three-person squad for any athletics discipline at the Athens Games.

Kastor Dominated 10,000M; Sets Trials Record

American 10,000m record holder Deena Kastor of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., dominated the women's 10,000m finals, lapping the field and flirting with her own record before slowing to 31:09.65 at the finish, still the second-fastest time ever by an American. Elva Dryer (31:58.14) and Kate O'Neill (32:07.25), both "A" standard holders, finished second and third, respectively and guaranteed their team spots in Athens.

Kastor, who also holds the U.S. record for the marathon, will only contest the longer event in Athens. While this potentially opens the door for the "B" standard holders who finished behind the top-3 in the race, Katie McGregor in 4th place (32:33.87) and Nicole Aish in 12th place (33:38.62) their Olympic quest for 2004 is essentially over. They would have to find and run 10,000m races in 31:45.00 or better by August 9, a very tall order considering the amount of racing they have already done this year and the lack of quality 10,000m races available.

"I really believe that by choosing the marathon, I have a chance to medal," said Kastor of her Olympic chances. She steadfastly held that she will not double in Athens, and that her next race after Athens would be the ING New York City Marathon on 07-Nov.

Making the Olympic squad for Kate O'Neill was bitter-sweet. Her twin sister, Laura, finished seventh and will not make the team, but she will likely be there to support Laura in her Olympic bid. "I'm just so excited right now," said Kate who was born slightly later than Laura. "It's really an accomplishment for my entire family."

Tactics Rule 1500M Races:

Both the men and women ran the second to last round of the 1500m tonight, and just who will make the Olympic team is anything but clear.

On the men's side, Grant Robison failed to advance to the final, but since he already has the Olympic Games "A" standard he may end up with a team spot after all. Why? because with two "A" standard holders in the competition, Robison and Alan Webb, there will be at least two "A's" behind a "B" or non-standard winner, and two "A's" trump a "B" winner.

"He'll be on the team," said Robison's manager, Ray Flynn.

Nathan Robison won the first semi in 3:43.84, with Charlie Gruber, Jason Lunn, Christopher Lukezic and Donald Sage --who surged in the last 100m-- making the cut. In the second semi, Michael Stember sat on Alan Webb for the last lap, before passing him at the line to win in 3:39.74 to Webb's 3:39.92. Rob Myers, Christopher Estwanik, Scott McGowan and Drew Griffin rounded out the list of qualifers to the final. Paul McMullen was eliminated.

In the women's preliminary round (only one round before the final), Jen Toomey bounced back from her disappointing finish in the 800m to win the slow and strategic first heat in 4:14.53. Jenelle Deatherage, Sarah Schwald, Amy Rudolph and Mary Jayne Harrelson all advanced by finishing in the top-5. In the much faster second heat, Marla Runyan crossed the line first in 4:09.63, with Suzy Favor Hamilton, Carrie Tollefson, Lindsey Gallo, and Heather Sagan all automatically advancing by finishing in the top-5. Then, the next five finishers (Janet Trujillo, Sally Hauser, Bethany Brewster, Shalane Flanagan and Amy Mortimer all advanced on time. Eleventh place finisher Treniere Clement fell with 5 meters to go and failed to advance. Ironically, her time (4:14.42) would have won the first heat!

The 1500m finals will be held on Sunday afternoon.