Posted: August 7, 2005

Athletics: Lincoln Advances to Steeplechase Final at World Championships

HELSINKI, Finland – Former four-time NCAA champion and reigning USA champion Daniel Lincoln will go on to represent the United States in the finals of the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the IAAF World Championships after he posted a time of 8:21.39 in the qualifying round. The Fayetteville, Ark., native ran a strong race in heat three and finished in fourth place. The winner of the third heat was Morocco’s Brahim Boulami with an 8:19.54.

As the only American to advance to the finals Lincoln’s performance was 14th among the 39 competitors and he will be one of 15 runners in the finals on Tuesday, Aug. 9. When he lines up for the finals he will be aiming to break the 20-year old American record of 8:09.17. Lincoln has run a top time of 8:12.65 in 2005 and believes the record is within his reach. In the finals of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece Lincoln found himself in a similar position, he was the only American and came in 11th place.

Tuesday will also be when former Hogs Omar Brown, Tyson Gay and Wallace Spearmon Jr., take to the track for the first and second qualifying rounds of the 200-meter dash. Spearmon is entering the race with the world’s fastest time (19.89) for 2005 and Gay is second with a clocking of 19.93. Brown’s best performance is 20.43.