Contact: Tom Surber
Media Information Manager
USA Track & Field
(317) 261-0500 x317
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.usatf.org
USATF News & Notes
Volume 3, Number 95 September 30, 2002
Browne wins marathon debut at Twin Cities
Longtime U.S. distance running standout Dan Browne picked Sunday’s USA Men’s
Marathon Championship, the Twin Cities Marathon, for his debut at that
distance. It was an inspired choice.
Browne won the 26.2-mile race from Minneapolis to St. Paul, Minn., in 2
hours, 11 minutes, 35 seconds. In winning the 10th national title of his
career, Browne also won the 2002 USA Running Circuit men’s title ($6,000)
and a winner’s check of $34,000. Browne’s time also makes him an “A”
standard qualifier for the 2004 Olympic Games.
The overall winner at Twin Cities, Browne’s strongest competition came from
Kenyan masters athletes Joshua Kipkemboi (2nd-2:11:45) and Jackson Kipngok
(3rd-2:11:51). Top finishing Americans included Brad Hauser in his first
career marathon (4th-2:14:15), David Morris (5th-2:15:27), Jim Jurcevich
(6th-2:16:18), Greg Jimmerson (7th-2:16:27) and Todd Reeser (8th-2:17:12).
Eddy Hellebuyck won the U.S. men’s masters title with his overall
ninth-place finish in 2:19:59.
A former sub-4:00 miler and the 2002 U.S. 20K champion, Browne used his
speed to break away from the field for the win. “The marathon is always
something I wanted to do,” said Browne. “People told me I couldn’t do it, I
was too much of a miler. They said ‘Dan, you’re too much on your toes.’ My
next big goal is to make the U.S. Olympic marathon team.”
In the women’s race, Jill Gaitenby won her first national title and set a
personal record by winning the USA Women’s Marathon Championship Sunday at
Twin Cities in 2:36:10. Gaitenby teamed with Susannah Beck for most of the
race, before breaking away from Beck in the final miles for the title and a
check of $29,000. Beck was the U.S. runner-up and third overall in 2:36:34.
Linda Somers Smith, a 1996 Olympic marathoner, won the USA women’s masters
title with her fifth-place overall finish of 2:39:26. Irina Bogacheva of
Kirghizstan led from start to finish in winning the women’s overall title in
2:29:39.
Top U.S. women’s finishers included Rosa Gutierrez (6th-2:39:40), Kelly
Flathers (7th-2:40:55), Katie Blackett (8th-2:45:01), Michelle Simonaitis
(9th-2:45:05) and Kelly Keeler (10th-2:45:13).
“I figured the U.S. Championship was anyone’s race,” said Gaitenby. “I
wanted to run 2:33 today, but when I saw the humidity I knew I had no
chance. I have a vocal chord dysfunction and humidity is the worst thing for
me. But I’m very happy.”
Gaitenby’s victory puts her in second place in the 2002 USARC women’s
standings with 30 points. Colleen De Reuck owns the top spot with 49 points.
Dunn, Armenta win race walk titles
Philip Dunn and Susan Armenta won the men’s and women’s national titles at
the 2002 USA 2-Hour/1-Hour Race Walk Championships Sunday on Long Island,
N.Y.
Dunn got off to a fast start in the men’s 2-hour race, but at the
five-kilometer mark a group led by Curt Clausen joined Dunn to form a lead
pack. The pack gradually fell away, until it was just Dunn and Clausen. Dunn
dropped Clausen for good at 19K and went on to cover 26,815 meters for the
win. Clausen was the runner-up with 26,655m, followed by Kevin Eastler
(3rd-26,415m), Tim Seaman (4th-24,612m) and Theron Kissinger (5th-24,299m).
Susan Armenta won her fourth national title of the year in winning the USA
women’s
1-hour crown by walking 12,195 meters. Armenta led from start to finish,
enjoying more than a half-mile winning margin over runner-up Cheryl
Rellinger with 11,236m. Other top finishers were Erin Taylor (3rd-10,611m),
Loretta Schuellein (4th-10,584m), Laura Feller (5th-10,572m) and Jennifer
Marlborough (6th-9,455m).
# # #
PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE: If you would like to respond, please
direct your e-mail to the "Contact" person listed at the top of the text of
this message. To be removed from this mailing list or to notify us of a
change in your e-mail address, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
