King’s road to Eugene begins
Posted May 27th, 2007 at 11:25 AM by thefinalsprint.com
Section: News & Results, Track & Field
Several hundred fans were on hand Saturday night as Max King won the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase at The Road to Eugene ‘08 at historic Hayward Field at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Ore.
The Road to Eugene ‘08 is a cooperative effort between the Local Organizing Committee for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, USA Track & Field, and the USATF Athletes Advisory Committee. The meet is a benefit for the Professional Athletics Association (PAA), a newly formed union of professional track and field athletes.
A former Cornell standout, Max King held off Brian Olinger to win the men’s 3,000m steeplechase in a personal best 8 minutes 31.26 seconds with Olinger second in 8:31.56, they are the second and third fastest performances by Americans so far this year. For their efforts, both King and Olinger achieved the Olympic Trials “A” standard.
The women’s 5,000m was won by three-time Olympian Adrian Fernandez Miranda of Mexico in 15:36.25. 2007 World Cross Country Team USA member Cack Ferrell was second in 15:42.92, a personal best by 22 seconds. Amy Yoder-Begley was third in 16:07.32.
Juan Luis Barrios of Mexico won the men’s 5,000m in 13:20.24. The pace was fierce from the beginning, as Barrios and two-time U.S. 5,000m champion Adam Goucher went through the halfway point in 6:39, 13:18 pace. Three-time U.S Indoor 3,000m champion Jonathan Riley had a strong kick to overtake Goucher and claim second in 13:32.64 and Goucher ended up third in 13:33.05.
2006 U.S. 5,000m champion Lauren Fleshman battled her way to the win in the women’s 1,500m, crossing the line in 4:12.91. Fleshman had hung on training partner Georgie Clark’s shoulder through 1,350m and then took off, leaving Clark behind. Clark, of Australia, was second in 4:13.19.
The Road to Eugene ‘08 continues tomorrow, starting at 2:00 p.m. PT.
Athlete Quotes
Max King - men’s 3,000m steeplechase winner
“I was 2 seconds of my p.r., I’m pretty happy with that. It’s definitely nice to get the “A” standard for the trials already. The goal was just to win the race. Because of the good field (in today’s race), I know it would be a fast time.”
Lauren Fleshman - women’s 1,500m winner
“I’ve been training with Georgie, we’ve been trying to help each other out. The results are coming, I just had a season best. It was real fun to win. Today was just to race and have fun.”
Jonathon Riley, men’s 5,000m runner-up
“I’m happy with my fitness right now. I didn’t think I was ready to give it a big shot at a fast time and wanted to be smart, so I’m ecstatic to run the way I did and run 13:22 - it’s good enough to get me into USA’s on the right foot. I’m healthy and looking forward to finishing top three at USA’s and making a World Championships team.”
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Tags: Adam Goucher, adrian fernandez miranda, amy yoder begley, Brian Olinger, cack ferrell, Eugene, georgie clark, hayward field, Jonathan Riley, Juan Luis Barrios, lauren fleshman, max king, oregon, road to eugene, Road to Eugene 08, university of oregon
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