Posted: June 25, 2005

Athletics: Broe Defends USA 5000m Title, Sets Championship Record

McGregor Wins USA 10,000m Crown

By Basil Honikman, Running USA wire

CARSON, Calif. - (June 24, 2005) - With a 59 second final lap, 2004 Olympian Tim Broe broke the USA Championship 5000 meter record with his 13:12.76, the 6th best American performer ever and in the process, he three-peated as national champion.

After the triumph, the Alabama grad said, "I was ready for this. It's the first time since 2001 that I came in healthy and it took a lot of pressure off me. I was ready and on my best day I think I can run 13:05."

From the gun, Broe, 28, took the lead with a 60 second first lap that strung out the entire field. After a 4:15 first mile, only recent Stanford grads Ryan Hall and Ian Dobson stayed close to him. Then Hall boldly took the lead with a 63 second 6th lap as he and training partner Dobson took over the front of the race with Broe settling in third. No one else was in contention.

Broe, an Ann Arbor, Mich. resident, patiently waited and with 900 meters to go, he passed both Hall and Dobson covering the last 800 meters in 2:00 flat.

Dobson and Hall finished in 13:15.33 and 13:16.03 - also under the previous championship record of 13:16.42 by Doug Padilla in 1985 - easily achieving the 'A' standard for the World Championships in Helsinki, Finland this August.

Both were thrilled. As he hugged his fiancé, Hall said, "this was the most exciting race of my life, but looking back I was hurting pretty bad towards the end."

Dobson was also elated. "Ryan and I train hard every day together but I can't believe this is happening!"

Broe was impressed. "When Ryan made that big move, it surprised me. Those guys are not afraid and that's what we need for the World Championships"

Later, in the women's 10,000 meter, Katie McGregor of Team USA Minnesota had her long awaited breakthru national championship race to win her first USA title in 31:33.82 - against the deepest and fastest U.S. women's 10,000 championship field ever.

Blake Russell, 4th at the 2004 Olympic Marathon Trials, did most of the early work as she led a procession of America's female distance stars through six kilometers. Eventually only Russell, McGregor, Jen Rhines and Deena Kastor were left. The pace had been a steady 75-77 seconds per lap until McGregor, 27, accelerated to 73 seconds on the 23rd lap, a surge that propelled the Michigan grad to victory.

Russell was rewarded for her early pace pushing to finish second in 31:35.25, an impressive 36 second personal record, while Team Running USA's Jen Rhines was third (31:37.20), also a PR.

Like the men's 5000 meter team, all three women have the required 'A' qualifying time for the World Championships and will represent the USA in Helsinki.

"Things have been coming together for me recently," said a quietly delighted McGregor. "This was a great field and you do all the work, but it's hard to tell when to take it out or when not to."

It's worth noting the remarkable performance of Deena Kastor who had 'rolled' her ankle only 5 weeks before. An MRI indicated a significant injury. Training was impossible and competing at any level was unthinkable. After 3 weeks of inactivity, the defending 10,000m national champion was able to begin training only two weeks before the race. "I had a really good attitude going into the race. I'm going to concentrate on road races now. I'm not disappointed. I would have been if I hadn't been out there."

Nonetheless, the 2004 Olympic Marathon bronze medalist ran 31:45.08 to finish fourth and was in contention until the last 500 meters. Not all champions finish first.

USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships - World Championships Qualifier, Home Depot Center, Carson, CA, Friday, June 24, 2005

Men's 5000 Meters
1) Tim Broe (MI), 13:12.76*, $4000
2) Ian Dobson (CA), 13:15.33, $3000
3) Ryan Hall (CA), 13:16.03, $2000
4) Jorge Torres (CO), 13:25.00, $1000
5) Jonathon Riley, (CA), 13:25.04, $500
6) Matt Tegenkamp (WI), 13:25.36
7) Ed Moran (VA), 13:25.87
8) Adam Goucher (OR), 13:27.65
9) Matt Gonzales (NM), 13:36.85
10) Chris Solinsky (WI), 13:37.55
*Meet record; previous record 13:16.42, Doug Padilla, 1985

Women's 10,000 Meters
1) Katie McGregor (MN), 31:33.82, $4000
2) Blake Russell (CA), 31:35.25, $3000
3) Jen Rhines (PA), 31:37.20, $2000
4) Deena Kastor (CA), 31:45.08, $1000
5) Elva Dryer (NM), 32:00.91, $500
6) Laura O'Neill (CT), 32:15.70
7) Jenny Crain (WI), 33:07.43
8) Turena Johnson Lane (IN), 33:22.69
9) Casey Owens (MO), 33:32.51
10) Lindsey Scherf (NY), 33:35.91

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