Posted: March 10, 2005

Athletics: Olympians Rhines, Tollefson And Rudolph Join U.S. 8-K Field

From David Monti

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

The New York Road Runners announced today that Olympians Jen Rhines, Carrie Tollefson and Amy Rudolph had joined the field for the U.S. Women's 8-K Championships scheduled for Saturday, 26-Mar in New York City. The Road Runners will also host the men's championship on the same day for the fourth consecutive year, but this will be the first year hosting the women.

"These women truly exemplify the kind of top talent we have in American distance running today," said Mary Wittenberg, executive vice-president and chief operationg officer of the Road Runners in a prepared statement. "We are excited to have them coming to New York for our first-year hosting of the USA Women’s 8-K Championships."

Like the USA Men’s 8K Championships being hosted by NYRR on the same day, the race features a $20,000 prize purse and will start and finish in the new Icahn Track and Field Stadium on Manhattan’s Randall’s Island. Rhines, Tollefson, and Rudolph will toe the line with Deena Kastor, the 2004 Olympic bronze medalist in the marathon, whose entry was announced in February. Also announced today was Tollefson’s Team USA Minnesota teammate and 2005 US World Cross Country team member, Katie McGregor.

Rhines, 30, of Ardmore, Pa., was a 2004 Olympian in the marathon after running an 11-minute personal best to finish third at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Women’s Marathon (2:29:57). She was runner-up at the 2005 USA Cross Country Championships women’s 8-K last month.

Tollefson, 28, of St. Paul, Minn., was the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track and Field winner at 1500 meters, claiming her first national title as well as a place on the 2004 Olympic team. A five-time NCAA champion at Villanova University, Tollefson has continued to reign as one of America’s best track runners.

Rudolph, 31, of Providence, R.I., has competed on two Olympic teams (1996 and 2000), twice won both the U.S. Indoor Championships 3000 meters and USA Cross Country Championships, and was the 1998 and 1999 USA Women’s 8-K champion. Rudolph was runner up in at time of 8:57.42 at the 2005 U.S. Indoor 3000 meters last month.

The U.S. 8-K Championships will be partially run on the new Mondo track at Ichan Stadium where the separate men's and women's races will finish.