Posted: June 24, 2005

Athletics: Abdirahman Edges Keflezighi for USA 10,000 Meter Title

Flanagan Dominates Women's 5000 Meters

By Basil Honikman, Running USA wire

CARSON, Calif. - (June 23, 2005) - For the last five years, Meb Keflezighi and Abdi Abdirahman have battled each other at almost every national track and cross country championship (and a few road ones). With Alan Culpepper (not running tonight), the trio have been America's very best and consistent male distance runners. So it was fitting that at the USA 10,000m Championship, the Team Running USA teammates who are friends and occasionally train together would pull away from the rest of the field after the first kilometer and run together for the next nine.

Their pace was a steady 66 to 68 seconds per lap under windy, humid conditions at the Home Depot Center track. Abdirahman, a two-time Olympian, led most of the laps as Keflezighi, coming back from a recent injury, seemed to be testing his fitness. At the nine kilometer mark, Abdi tried to surge away, but Meb, the defending 10,000 meter national champion, answered the challenge and led with 2 laps to go.

After 9500 meters, Abdirahman had a half a step on Keflezighi, the 2004 Olympic Marathon silver medalist. On the last curve, Keflezighi passed the Arizona grad, but could not drop him. With 50 meters to go, they were even and the race was undecided until the final 5 meters when Abdi surged once more and became the 2005 USA 10,000 meter champion in 28:10.38 with Meb second by a step and 19/100th of a second in 28:10.57.

"I was going to do whatever it takes to win this race. In the last lap, I was in a good position. I was comfortable with my kick. I was feeling great. My body was feeling very comfortable. I knew I had it won in the last 10 meters," said Abdirahman who also won the 2001 USA 10,000 meter title.

"I felt fine. You have to put it into perspective. This is my first track since the 2004 Trials. I thought I could beat Abdi. At the end of the day, he won it, but we're friends. We're good friends, we warm up together, talk together. I'm just glad both of us are going to the World Championships," commented Keflezighi who was a four-time NCAA champion at nearby UCLA.

Half a lap behind, Matt Downin earned third in 28:34.65 and a place on the U.S. World Championship team (if he can get an "A" world qualifier - 27:49) after waiting till the last 800 meters to make a move from the back of the second pack. After the race, he said, "I felt good, it was one of those nights. The race played into my hands. I did no work and hung at the back until I needed to go."

Earlier in the evening, the women's 5000 meters was The Shalane Flanagan Show. Content to run near the front as Amy Begley and others led the top flight field through the first two kilometers in 6:08, Flanagan, 23, a 2004 Olympian, immediately opened a 10 meter gap. Over the next few laps, she increased her lead to 13 seconds as most of the best American 5000 meter runners were resigned to compete for second.

Over the last kilometer, rising star Lauren Fleshman and veteran Amy Rudolph gave chase and closed the gap to just under 6 seconds, but the victory was never in doubt as Flanagan cruised to the tape in 15:10.96.

After the race, two-time Olympian Rudolph who finished third said, "When Shalane made her move my first reaction was to cover it. Then I thought it was more important to make the World Championship team so I dropped back into the pack. It (Shalane's) was a gutsy move."

USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships - World Championships Qualifier, Home Depot Center, Carson, CA, Thursday, June 23, 2005

Women's 5000 Meters
1) Shalane Flanagan (NC), 15:10.96, $4000
2) Lauren Fleshman (CA), 15:16.80, $3000
3) Amy Rudolph (RI), 15:18.92, $2000
4) Shayne Culpepper (CO), 15:23.31, $1000
5) Carrie Tollefson (MN), 15:24.13, $500
6) Sara Bei (CA), 15:24.74
7) Amy Begley (NM), 15:24.88
8) Sara Gorton (CO), 15:32.05
9) Nicole Aish (CO), 15:33.17
10) Renee Metivier (CO), 15:40.56

Men's 10,000 Meters
1) Abdi Abdirahman (AZ), 28:10.38, $4000
2) Meb Keflezighi (CA), 28:10.57, $3000
3) Matt Downin (NJ), 28:34.65, $2000
4) James Carney (CA), 28:35.95, $1000
5) Bret Schoolmeester (CO), 28:37.56, NCAA
6) Joe Driscoll (NC), 28:37.97, $500
7) Pat Gildea (TN), 28:39.49
8) Chris Graff (VA), 28:41.32
9) Ryan Kirkpatrick (CO), 28:43.44
10) Matt Lane (NY), 28:44.65

For full results and more, go to: USATF.org.