Olympic Trials - Day 1

So here goes on my first post on the Olympic Trials, it will one of a 9 part series of posts. I will do one for each day and then a final recap. The format is going to be simple: intro, list of newly named Olympians from the days finals, 3 "highs" and 3 "lows." We will be in Eugene for the last 4 days so those posts will include (hopefully) pictures and other fun insights from our adventures. Without further ado...Day 1:

Recap:
Today was pretty short and simple. Lots of prelims, a few quarter/semi-finals, and the Women's 10k final.

Today's Olympians:
Womens 10k - Shalane Flanagan (yay Massachusetts!), Kara Goucher and Amy Begley

Highs:

3. Laura Roesler - Womens 800 Prelims - Heat 1 - 4th Place - 2:04.03
Ok so you look at it and say "why does he pick this totally random result as a top performer." How about we start with the fact that she has rarely raced outside of her home state of North Dakota so running in front of 20k+ at Hayward Field had to have shook her nerves. And why has she never raced much outside her home state...well that's because she is still in High School...a SOPHOMORE in High School! Unbelievable, this girl won the 100, 200, 400 AND 800 at her state meet the past 3 years, that's right ever since she was in 8th grade! Watch out for this girl come the 2012 Olympics, I am rooting for her to make the final.

2. Hyleas Fountain - Womens Heptathalon - Leader After Day 1
Again a bit random, but an amazing day for Hyleas. Most impressive was that she, please try and follow, broke the American record for the 100m Hurdles during a Heptathlon. Now that may seem like a little obscure but just remember that Jackie Joyner Kersey held the record...enough said. Hyleas is holding a 200+ point lead into Day 2 and is primed to make it to Beijing.

1. Amy Begley - Womens 10k - Final - 3rd Place - 31:43.60
So topping off my female only top 3 is Amy Begley who ran an AMAZING race to qualify for the Olympics by 1.4 seconds. Going in to the final Begley didn't have the necessary "A" standard of 31:45, so she had to place in the top 3 AND run the "A" standard. She pulled it off in almost unbelievable fashion. Going through the first 5k around 16:10 (32:20 pace, hard math I know) she proceeded to run a mere 10sec off her 5k PR for the second half of the race having run a 15:33 second 5k. Keep in mind with all of this that it was 80+ degrees and humid, not the conditions you expect someone to run fast. Truly a great performance.

Lows:

3. Khadevis Robinson - Mens 800 - Quarterfinal #1 - 6th Place - 1:48.04
Khadevis is not only an Olympic hopeful but is a long shot for a medal in Beijing. However, he ran a terrible race in the Quarterfinal and luckily qualified for the Semi-Finals on time. Khadevis is a great runner and it would be a huge disappointment if he didn't make the team, hopefully he can rebound...

2. Chanelle Price - Womens 800 - Quarterfinal #2 - 6th Place - 2:05.93
Chanelle is another High Schooler, but she had hoped to, at the very least, break the HS National Record this week. Well that is out the window along with her hopes to make her first Olympic Team. She was ranked 7th going in to the meet, however many thought she may have the fight to make it in a tactical final. We'll have to wait 4 years to see her in the Olympics, which she will make.

1. Katie McGregor - Womens 10k - Final - 4th Place - 32:29.82
So this has a little personal/professional meaning to it for me. Katie runs for Reebok and I have had the chance to spend a little time around her and feel a little connection there. She is probably one of the down-right coolest girls you will ever meet and a great competitor. It looked like she had the Olympic birth handed to her as the pace went out so slow and she was one of only 4 women with the "A" standard. All she had to do was hold off Molly Huddle, the other "A" qualifier, and she would be on the team. Everyone, including the TV announcers, discounted that anyone could hit the standard last night because of the mix of heat, humidity and slow early pace. However, Amy Begley ran the race of her life leaving Katie in 4th for the second straight Olympic Trials. I stood shocked at the end of the race for about 5 minutes not knowing what to think when I saw Katie missed it again by one place...again...she is resilient and I know she will give it one more shot in 2012.

Here is a video of Katie post-race, gotta respect her:

(video from Letsrun.com )