JACOBS SETS AMERICAN RECORD IN ACHIEVING HISTORIC DOUBLE
by David Monti
(c) 2000 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
SACRAMENTO-- With a trip to Sydney already in her pocket after
winning the 1500m last Sunday, Regina Jacobs made it two-for-two with a
decisive victory in the 5000m. She circled the track 12½ times in 14:45.35,
demolishing her own U.S. record by some seven seconds and becoming the first
U.S. woman to win both the 1500m and 5000m at an Olympic Trials.
"I owe my American record to the lady sitting right next to me," said Jacobs
pointing to second place Deena Drossin at the post-race press conference.
Indeed, it was Drossin that set a fast pace, after the opening 200m went
quite slowly. Only 600m into the race, a group of five women were clear of
the field: Drossin, Jacobs, Amy Rudolph, Elva Dryer and Blake Russell. The
first kilometer went into the books in 2:57.89, and the leaders were clearly
headed for record territory.
Drossin and Jacobs soon broke away from the lead group, Rudolph and Dryer
worked together to fight for third place, while Russell found herself
running alone. She eventually drifted back and joined the chase pack.
Jacobs and Drossin cracked 2 km in 5:54.57, 3 km in 8:59.47, and 4 km in
12:00.42. Both athletes were running smoothly, and the anticipation
surrounding who would make the first move for victory was building. About
30 seconds later, Jacobs surged, and Drossin was unable to answer, appearing
to tie up, understandable after running both the 10,000m last Friday and her
5000m preliminary on Wednesday. Jacobs ran a startling 2:12 for the last
800m, cruising in for the victory and the record. Drossin had to fight off
a hard charging Dryer to hold onto second in 15:11.55. Dryer finished less
than a second back, clinching an Olympic team spot.
Despite her success in the 5000m, Jacobs said that she remained committed to
running only the 1500m in Sydney. "No, I'm still going to run the 1500m,"
she said shaking off a reporters statement that her husband and coach, Tom
Craig, had suggested that she rethink the situation. "I've got some
unfinished business in the 1500m. I want a medal and I want to get Mary
Slaney's (U.S.) record."
Drossin, who earned her second Olympic team berth at these trials, also
confirmed that she would only contest one event at Sydney. "I'm 90% sure
that I'll run the 10-K in Sydney," she said. "My training is more geared to
the ten. My victory in the 10,000m was very sweet. I will make my final
decision tomorrow."
If Jacobs and Drossin follow through on their intentions to abdicate, Amy
Rudolph and Anne Marie Lauck, who finished fourth and fifth, respectively,
will be elevated to the team. Prior to tonight's competition Lauck, who
rarely runs the 5000m, did not have the Olympic "A" standard of 15:35. Her
personal best at the distance was only 15:43.37 set back in 1994. In a
courageous effort, the 1996 Olympian in the marathon battled to finish fifth
in 15:23.71, lopping 20 seconds off of her career best time, and easily
making the Olympic "A" standard in the process.
Ironically, Lauck finished third in the 2000 Marathon Trials, but could not
get a team berth because both she and the winner, Christine Clark, did not
break the Olympic "A" standard in that event. She went into last Friday's
10,000m final as one of the favorites, but finished fourth. Had Drossin
abdicated in the 5000m, Lauck would have gotten a spot in the 10,000m instead.
Elva Dryer, who made her first Olympic team, wasn't taking any chances. "I
wanted to guarantee my place on the team and I was fighting for third," she
said. "I can't describe how excited I am."
* * * * * *
Adam Goucher came from behind to win the men's 5000m, despite fighting a hip
injury he incurred while shoveling rocks outside his Boulder home. The
former University of Colorado star had a strong closing lap to finish in
13:27.06, taking his second consecutive U.S. 5000m title. NCAA 5000m and
10,000m champion, Brad Hauser, finished second in 13:27.31, a personal best
time, while Nick Rogers --who led for most of the second half of the race--
hung on for third in 13:29.48.
Bob Kennedy, who set a fast pace in the first half of the race, faded to
sixth, the same position he finished in the 1996 Olympic 5000m final.
Kennedy, who lost several weeks of training due to an 08-May auto accident,
wasn't able to get back into top shape prior to the meet.
Rogers was only named provisionally to the team. He still needs to get an
Olympic "A" standard time; he missed getting it in tonight's race by less
than half a second. If he fails to make the time standard, fourth place
Matt Lane, who already had the standard, will go to Sydney.
Event 27 Women's 5,000 Meter Run
W World: 14:28.09 Bo Jiang, CHN 1997
A American: 14:52.49 Regina Jacobs 1998
T Trials: 15:28.18 Lynn Jennings 1996
Results - Finals - Friday 07/21/00
Compiled By Time
RANK COMP# ATHLETE NAME TEAM TIME
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 456 Regina Jacobs Nike A 14:45.35
2 260 Deena Drossin Reebok T 15:11.55
3 262 Elva Dryer Nike T 15:12.07
4 795 Amy Rudolph Unattached T 15:21.16
5 529 Anne Marie Lauck Nike T 15:23.71
6 904 Clare Taylor Asics 15:30.44
7 210 Shayne Culpepper adidas 15:31.49
8 977 Kara Wheeler Colorado 15:34.47
9 449 Kristin Ihle Nike 15:35.28
10 711 Annette Peters Asics 15:37.99
11 799 Blake Russell New Balance 15:48.12
12 554 Colette Liss Indiana Invaders 15:49.85
13 66 Kristin Beaney Reebok 15:55.14
14 200 Jennifer Crain adidas 16:00.85
15 921 Carrie Tollefson adidas 16:02.28
16 303 Kate Fonshell Asics 16:11.95
Runners in Red ran in the 2000 Freihofer Race
Runners in Green ran in the 1999 Freihofer Race
Runners in Pink ran in the 1998 Freihofer Race
Runners in Blue ran in the 1997 Freihofer Race
Event 7 Men's 5,000 Meter Run
W World: 12:39.36 Haile Gebrselassie, ETH 1998
A American: 12:58.21 Bob Kennedy 1996
T Trials: 13:22.81 Steve Prefontaine 1972
Results - Finals - Friday 07/21/00
Compiled By Time
RANK COMP# ATHLETE NAME TEAM TIME
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 339 Adam Goucher Fila 13:27.06
2 384 Brad Hauser Nike 13:27.31
3 785 Nick Rogers Nike 13:29.48
4 526 Matt Lane William and Mary 13:37.03
5 222 Marc Davis Nike 13:39.88
6 505 Bob Kennedy Nike 13:42.15
7 884 Jason Stewart U.S. Army 13:44.47
8 772 Jonathon Riley Stanford 13:46.24
9 209 Alan Culpepper adidas 13:48.75
10 340 Chris Graff Reebok 13:49.45
11 385 Brent Hauser Nike 13:57.71
12 46 Brian Baker New Balance 13:58.72
13 836 Peter Sherry Reebok 14:08.97
14 990 Andre Williams Reebok 14:13.85
15 257 Matt Downin Wisconsin 14:14.24
16 735 Phil Price Reebok 14:16.73
- 36 Bolota Asmerom Unattached DNF