Posted: April 21, 2006

Athletics: Oregon Invitational Features Fast Fields

From David Monti

© 2006 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

Looking to duplicate their success with the invitational meets they created at Stanford, Vin Lananna and Mike Riley of the University of Oregon have put together solid fields for this weekend's Oregon Invitational. The two-day meet kicks off with a distance carnival tonight at Hayward Field in Eugene.

The men's 1500m includes Kenyan Cornelius Chirchir, the world junior record holder, with a 3:30.24 personal best. Compatriots Bernard Kiptum (3:34.03) and Justus Koech (1:44.16 at 800m) are also entered. Americans Bryan Lindsay, Stephen Pifer and Michael McGrath round out the field. The women's 1500m is led by Lindsey Gallo, with a 4:05.75 personal best.

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Dathan Ritzenhein leads the field for the men's 5000m, a race he will use as a tune-up for next weekend's 10,000m at the Cardinal Invitational in Palo Alto. "Ritz" ran his personal best 13:22.23 on this same track at the Oregon Twilight meet last May. He will be challenged by fellow Olympian Jonathon Riley, who has a 13:21.11 to his credit, Matt Tegenkamp (13:25.36), Jason Hartmann (13:53.53i), Chris Solinsky (13:37.55) and Chris Estwanik (13:42.03). Estwanik also ran 7:50.36 indoors this winter. The women's 5-K will feature Rosemary Ryan of Ireland with a 15:17.43 career best.

Marla Runyan will make her competitive comeback after giving birth to daughter Anna Lee last September. The two-time Olympian will run the 10,000m in Eugene, where she, and husband and coach Matt, reside. Runyan ran a low-key 10,000m in Salem, Ore., in May of 2004 (there were only three women in the race), but with a 14:59.20 5000m to her credit, her potential in the longer event is much greater. Kara Goucher will make her 10,000m debut, while her husband Adam will pace the men's 10,000m. Robert Cheseret, Fernando Cabada and Simon Bairu are the key athletes in that race.

The meet will continue on Saturday, and the McChesney invitational mile will be the featured event. Gabe Jennings, Dan Browne, Julius Achon, Shadrack Kiptoo and Galen Rupp all plan to take part.

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