FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ryan Lamppa
Media Correspondent
USA Track & Field
(805) 696-6232
Ryan.Lamppa@usatf.org
Culpepper, Keflezighi, Browne Headline U.S. Men's Olympic Marathon Trials
Road to Athens starts in Birmingham on February 7
The 2004 Olympic Trials season opens on Saturday morning, February 7 as
Birmingham, Ala. hosts the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon. Over
80 of the best U.S. male distance runners are expected to vie for the three
coveted Olympic team spots to the Summer Games in Athens and $271,500 in
prize money.
With former marathon world record holder Khalid Khannouchi out with a foot
injury, 2000 Olympian Alan Culpepper who has the fastest qualifying time
(2:09:41) of those entered is a favorite, while Rod DeHaven, the 2000
Trials champion in Pittsburgh, will not defend his title also due to
injury.
2000 Olympian and U.S. 10,000 meter record holder Meb Keflezighi is also a
favorite and other top contenders include 2002 USA Marathon champion Dan
Browne, the defending USA Marathon champion Ryan Shay, Kevin Collins, Keith
Dowling, Clint Verran, Peter DeLaCerda, Todd Meyer (formerly Reeser), Teddy
Mitchell, Jim Jurcevich and local resident Scott Strand. And like past
Olympic Marathon Trials, there is likely to be a dark horse who "surprises"
the field as Mark Conover did in his stunning 1988 Trials victory.
Below find 2004 U.S. Men's Olympic Marathon Trials stats and fun facts:
2004 Trials race = 80th USA Men's Marathon Championship, the longest
continuously held national road championship
Prize money = $271,500
Trials champion = $60,000 plus $25,000 bonus for Olympic Marathon
participation
Qualified = 104 U.S. men
Entered = 91
Qualifier states = 30
Entrant states = 28
Average age = 30.2 years (31.9 in 2000 and 27.5 in 1984)
Average height = 5'-8.5"
Average weight = 140
Single (60) = 61%
Married (38) = 39%
College Degree = 94% (national percent - 24.4%)
97 of 103 responses
DEGREES
Bachelor's Degree = 97
Master's Degree = 12
MBA = 2
MD = 1
JD = 1
STATES WITH MOST QUALIFIERS AND ENTRANTS
California = 15/12
Michigan = 12/11
Colorado = 10/9
Oregon = 6/6
Virginia = 6/5
COLLEGE
Michigan State = 5
Stanford University = 4
Eastern Michigan University = 3
University of California, Berkeley = 3
University of Colorado = 3
MAJOR
History = 9
English = 7
Economics = 6
Education = 6
Business = 5
Finance = 5
OCCUPATION
Athlete = 31
Teacher/Professor = 16
Sales = 13
Coach = 10
Student = 5
MR. CONSISTENCY
As a five-time consecutive Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier
(1988/92/96/00/04), Darrell General, 38, of Mitchellville, MD
joins a select group which includes:
Doug Kurtis (MI), 1980/84/88/92/96
Ric Sayre (OR), 1980/84/88/92/96
Ed Eyestone (UT), 1984/88/92/96/00
Countries with the most Olympic Marathon medals - men:
USA = 9 (3 gold, 1 silver and 5 bronze)
Ethiopia = 6 (4/0/2)
Finland = 5 (2/0/3)
Great Britain = 5 (0/4/1)
Visit www.usatf.org
for the Men's OMT entry list (91) and other Trials
information.
For more information, also contact Ryan Lamppa at (805) 696-6232 or
Ryan.Lamppa@usatf.org
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