Marathon fans I found this information on an older web page. I was originally trying to find 1996 Olympic Marathon Trials results and it actually led me to a complete history of the US Olympic Marathon Trials thought I would share the results with all the lets run.com community. Hope all the marathoners are feeling excited and ready about spring marathon season.
Good Luck,
September 18, 2007
Men's Marathon Trials: Complete History, 1968 Thru 2004
Photo of Bob Kempainen by Victah Sailer
Since 1968, the U.S. Olympic marathon team has been selected at a single Trials race. The top three finishers earned coveted spots on the team (in recent Olympics, provided Olympic "A" standards were met). Before 1968, the U.S. Olympic marathoners were selected based on a series of marathon races.
Among the most dramatic Trials races: In 1984, Pete Pfitzinger had the lead, lost the lead in the last mile and reclaimed the lead to win. At the 1988 Trials race, Mark Conover pulled a major upset with a stunning victory. In 1996, Bob Kempainen won the race and a berth on his second Olympic team despite throwing up several times in the latter stages of the race.
Other Marathon Trials/Olympic Marathon notes:
*** Tony Sandoval holds the Marathon Trials record, 2:10:19. He ran this performance on the Buffalo to Niagara Falls course that hosted both the 1980 and 1984 Trials. Sandoval's record came in 1980, when the U.S. boycotted the Moscow Olympic Games. Hence he never competed in an Olympic Marathon.
*** Frank Shorter is the only runner to win back-to-back Trials, 1972 and 1976. He actually started the 1968 Trials race in Alamosa CO, but dropped out with blisters. Shorter also won two Olympic medals, gold in 1972 and silver in 1976. In '76 he was beaten only by East Germany's Waldemar Cierpinski, who was part of the East-German drug-doping machine. However, the International Olympic Committee has never chosen to take action against East German athletes. The only other American to medal in the marathon since Shorter's day is Meb Keflezighi, second in the 2004 Athens Olympic Marathon.
*** Other two-time top 3 finishers in the Marathon Trials, and thus among the best U.S. marathoners of the last 40 years: Kenny Moore, 1968 and 1972; Peter Pfitzinger, 1984 and 1988; Ed Eyestone, 1988 and 1992; Bob Kempainen, 1992 and 1996; Mark Coogan, 1996 and 2000 (but Coogan didn't have an Olympic qualifying mark in 2000, and didn't go to the Games in Sydney).
*** Two runners have rebounded from a 4th place finish in one Trials to make the Olympics in the next. Tony Sandoval finished fourth (behind friend Don Kardong) in 1976, then won the 1980 Trials. Keith Brantly placed 4th in 1992, and made the Olympic Team with his third-place Trials finish in 1996.
The Marathon Trials since 1968:
1968: Alamosa, Colorado, August 18
129 Entrants (no qualifying time)
113 Starters, 60 Finishers, at altitude
1) George Young (AZ) 2:30:48
2) Kenny Moore (OR) 2:31:47
3) Ron Daws (MN) 2:33:09
4) Bob Deines (CA) 2:33:13
5) Steve Matthews (CO) 2:33:17
6) Ed Winrow (NY) 2:34:51
7) Nick Kitt (CA) 2:35:09
8) Doug Wiebe (CA) 2:35:31
9) Bill Clark (CA) 2:36:14
10) Jeff Reneau 2:38:46
1972: Eugene, Oregon, July 9
100 Starters, 66 Finishers
Time standard = 2:30:00
1) Kenny Moore (OR) 2:15:58 (tie)
1)Frank Shorter (CO) 2:15:58 (tie)
3) Jack Bacheler (FL) 2:20:30
4) Jeff Galloway (FL) 2:20:30
5) Greg Brock (CA) 2:22:30
6) Don Kardong (CA) 2:22:42
7) Mark Covert (CA) 2:23:35
8) Tom Hoffman (WI) 2:23:45
9) Norm Higgins (CT) 2:24:08
10) Skip Houk (NV) 2:24:41
1976: Eugene, Oregon, May 22
87 Qualifiers, 77 Starters, 49 Finishers
Time standard = 2:23:00
1) Frank Shorter (FL) 2:11:51
2) Bill Rodgers (MA) 2:11:58
3) Don Kardong (WA) 2:13:54
4) Tony Sandoval (CA) 2:14:58
5) Tom Fleming (NJ) 2:15:48
6) Bob Varsha (GA) 2:15:50
7) John Bramley (CT) 2:17:16
8) Kirk Pfeffer (CA) 2:17:58
9) Jeff Galloway (GA) 2:18:29
10) Amby Burfoot (CT) 2:18:56
11) Bob Busby (MO) 2:19:05
12) Carl Hatfield (WV) 2:19:18
13) Marty Sudzina (PA) 2:19:55
14) Perry Forrester (CA) 2:20:01
15) Ron Kurrle (CA) 2:20:18
1980: Buffalo, NY, May 24
269 Qualifiers, 192 Starters, 125 Finishers
Time standard = 2:21:54
1) Tony Sandoval (NM) 2:10:19 Trials Rec
2) Benji Durden (GA) 2:10:41
3) Kyle Heffner (TX) 2:10:55
4) Ron Tabb (TX) 2:12:39
5) Jeff Wells(TX) 2:13:16
6) Kevin McCarey (OR) 2:13:17
7) Randy Thomas (MA) 2:13:40
8) Gordon Minty (MI) 2:13:53
9) Frank Richardson (IA) 2:14:17
10) Dennis Rinde (CA) 2:14:22
11) Walt Saeger (OH) 2:14:38
12) Dave Smith (CA) 2:14:48
13) David Patterson (PA) 2:15:09
14) Chuck Hattersley (CO) 2:15:30
15) Jeff Foster (PA) 2:15:56
16) Dick Beardsley (MN) 2:16:01
17) John Dimick (VT) 2:16:08
18) Kim Burke (PA) 2:16:10
19) John Vitale (CT) 2:16:22
20) Ted Castaneda (CO) 2:16:38
21) Mike Pinocci (NV) 2:16:46
22) Gary Fanelli (PA) 2:16:49
23) Chuck Smead (CA) 2:16:58
24) Cliff Karthauser (NE) 2:16:58
25) Bill Glad (WA) 2:17:23
26) John Miley (OK) 2:17:23
27) Roy Kulikowski (SC) 2:17:26
28) Bruce Robinson (MD) 2:17:30
29) David Miley (OK) 2:17:40
30) Rick Callison (OH) 2:17:42
56 men under 2:20 - a Trials record
1984: Buffalo, New York, May 26
201 Qualifiers, 172 Starters, 108 Finishers
Time standard = 2:19:04
Pete Pfitzinger, a relative unknown, broke away from the field just past the halfway point and built a 150 meter lead. In the last mile, John Tuttle passed Pfitzinger and then Alberto Salazar passed both of them. In the final 400 meters, Pfitzinger found another gear and passed Tuttle and overcame Salazar, the race favorite, in the last meters. At the Olympics in Los Angeles, the Trials champion was the top American, 11th in 2:13:53.
1) Pete Pfitzinger (NY) 2:11:43
2) Alberto Salazar (OR) 2:11:44
3) John Tuttle (GA) 2:11:50
4) Dave Gordon (OR) 2:11:59
5) Dean Matthews (OR) 2:12:25
6) Tony Sandoval (NM) 2:12:41
7) Greg Meyer (MA) 2:13:29
8) Bill Rodgers (MA) 2:13:30
9) Sal Vega (NM) 2:14:18
10) Tom Raunig (MT) 2:16:02
11) Duncan MacDonald (HI) 2:16:56
12) David Hinz 2:17:18
13) Doug Avrit 2:17:45
14) Bill Weidenbach (WA) 2:17:45
15) Herb Wills (FL) 2:17:54
1988: Jersey City, New Jersey, April 24
132 Qualifiers, 115 Starters, 77 Finishers
Time standard = 2:20:00
Mark Conover surprised the field and the pundits with the win. Conover and Ed Eyestone took control of the race after 17 miles and worked together over the final miles. With a mile remaining, Conover who came into the Trials race with a 2:18:03 qualifier pulled away from Eyestone for the stunning victory. 1984 Trials winner Pete Pfitzinger surged late to earn the final Olympic spot.
1) Mark Conover (CA) 2:12:26 $50,000
2) Ed Eyestone (UT) 2:12:49 $25,000
3) Pete Pfitzinger (MA) 2:13:09 $20,000
4) Paul Gompers (MA) 2:14:20 $15,000
5) Mark Curp (MO) 2:14:40 $10,000
6) Don Norman (PA) 2:15:49 $8,000
7) Bob Hodge (MA) 2:16:56 $6,000
8) Greg Meyer (MA) 2:17:40 $4,500
9) Steve Spence (PA) 2:17:49 $3,000
10) Herb Wills (FL) 2:17:52 $2,000
11) Randy Thomas (MA) 2:18:10 $1,500
12) Chris Prior (OR) 2:18:34 $1,000
13) Ken Judson (PA) 2:18:38 $900
14) Brad Ingram (OH) 2:18:45 $800
15) Bill Weidenbach (WA) 2:19:21 $700
16) Danny Grimes (CA) 2:19:34 $600
17) Paul Pilkington (UT) 2:19:39 $400
18) Tom Ratcliffe (MA) 2:20:22 $300
19) Darrell General (MD) 2:20:31 $200
20) Ron Gee (CA) 2:20:58 $100
1992: Columbus, Ohio, April 11
108 Qualifiers, 102 Starters, 55 Finishers
Time standard = 2:20:00
Under warm, windy conditions, Bill Reifsnyder and Keith Brantly tried to run away with the Trials race, but near 22 miles, the trio of Steve Spence, Ed Eyestone and Bob Kempainen caught the duo. Spence, the 1991 World Championships marathon bronze medalist, used a 4:49 26th mile to win the race in 2:12:43, a trip to Barcelona, Spain and $58,000. Eyestone, a 1988 Olympic marathoner, secured his second Olympic berth with his second place performance (2:12:51), while Kempainen who overcame injury surprised the field by earning the third and final U.S. Olympic marathon team position.
1) Steve Spence (PA) 2:12:43 $58,000
2) Ed Eyestone (UT) 2:12:51 $48,000
3) Bob Kempainen (MN) 2:12:54 $38,000
4) Keith Brantly (FL) 2:14:16 $15,000
5) Bill Reifsnyder (NM) 2:15:45 $10,000
6) Steve Taylor (VA) 2:16:14 $8,000
7) Chris Fox (MD) 2:16:40 $7,000
8) Jim Hage (DC) 2:16:47 $6,000
9) Danny Gonzalez (CO) 2:17:53 $5,000
10) Mark Conover (CA) 2:18:17 $4,000
11) Joe Leuchtmann (MO) 2:19:01 $3,000
12) Don Johns (MI) 2:19:05 $2,500
13) Dan Held (WI) 2:19:23 $2,000
14) Chad Bennion (UT) 2:19:25 $1,750
15) Chris Prior (CO) 2:19:26 $1,500
16) Paul McGovern (MA) 2:19:35 $1,250
17) Tom Stevens (MD) 2:19:41 $1,000
18) Scott Bagley (NY) 2:21:05 $800
19) Matt Ebiner (CA) 2:21:13 $700
20) Dave Dunham (NH) 2:21:18 $500
1996: Charlotte, North Carolina, Feb. 17
Time standard = 2:20:00 (A); 2:22:00 (B)
135 Qualifiers, 116 Starters, 90 Finishers
At the 1996 Olympic Marathon Trials, Bob Kempainen, a 1992 Olympic marathoner, brought new meaning to the term "guts" with his performance. Just past 21 miles, as Kempainen pulled away from Mark Coogan and Keith Brantly, he began to vomit. His second eruption staggered him for a moment, but he calmly wiped his chin, gathered himself and incredibly increased his lead. Despite his distress, he ran the 23rd and 24th miles in 4:42 and 4:33 respectively which finally broke Coogan and Brantly. Kempainen, the fastest U.S. marathoner (2:08:47 at Boston in '94), maintained his lead and crossed the finish line in 2:12:45. Kempainen's gutsy effort earned him another trip to the Olympics, a record first place marathon prize ($100,000), a course record and his first marathon win in seven attempts.
With about 400 meters left, Coogan passed Brantly, the defending champion, to claim his trip to Atlanta and $40,000 with a 2:13:05, a personal record. Brantly, the 1995 USA Running Circuit champion, captured the final Olympic berth in 2:13:22 and $30,000. Perennial national contender, Steve Plasencia finished fourth (2:14:20), while Marco Ochoa (seeded #72) followed two seconds later in 2:14:22. Under cool conditions on a challenging course, nine runners set personal records (Coogan, Ochoa, Keith Dowling, Jon Warren, David Morris, Terrence Mahon, Craig Woshner, Tom Redding and Steve Wilson).
1) Bob Kempainen (MN) 2:12:45 $100,000
2) Mark Coogan (CO) 2:13:05 $40,000
3) Keith Brantly (FL) 2:13:22 $30,000
4) Steve Plasencia (MN) 2:14:20 $20,000
5) Marco Ochoa (CO) 2:14:22 $15,000
6) Keith Dowling (NM) 2:14:30 $10,000
7) Dan Held (WI) 2:14:53 $9,000
8) Jon Warren (TX) 2:15:59 $7,000
9) Jeff Jacobs (IL) 2:16:13 $5,000
10) David Morris (NM) 2:16:20 $4,000
11) Terrence Mahon (PA) 2:16:28 $3,000
12) Darrell General (MD) 2:16:30 $2,500
13) Ashley Johnson (AZ) 2:16:39 $2,000
14) Craig Woshner (VA) 2:16:41 $1,500
15) Ed Eyestone (UT) 2:16:51 $1,000
16) Budd Coates (PA) 2:17:26
17) Jose Iniguez (TX) 2:17:42
18) Kevin Collins (NY) 2:17:51
19) Dennis Simonaitis (UT) 2:17:57
20) John Dimoff (OR) 2:18:06
21) Howard Nippert (VA) 2:19:08
22) Joe LeMay (CT) 2:19:10
23) Tom Redding (OK) 2:19:54
24) Steve Wilson (FL) 2:19:58
25) Will Kimball (OR) 2:20:21
2000: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 7
Time standard = 2:20:00 (A); 2:22:00 (B)
114 Qualifiers, 99 Starters, 78 Finishers
Like the Women's Trials race in Columbia, the U.S. Men's Olympic Marathon Trials faced difficult weather conditions and a challenging course. At the start, the temperature was 61 degrees and the humidity 84 percent and as the day progressed it got worse. After several frontrunners, Peter DeLaCerda pushed the pace at 15 miles and went for a sub 2:14 time (the Olympic "A" standard). After 20 miles, Rod DeHaven began to gain on DeLaCerda as his lead shrunk to 23 seconds.
At mile 22, DeHaven cut DeLaCerda's lead to just 8 seconds. At 1:55:28 into the race, DeHaven took the lead from the Alamosa, Colo. resident who did not respond to the move. DeLaCerda, however, began a comeback during the 24th mile, running just 2 seconds behind the third fastest qualifier. DeHaven, 33, from Madison, Wisc. responded and picked up the pace with a 4:56 mile, stretching his lead to 13 seconds over DeLaCerda. The computer programmer continued to stretch his lead and won easily in 2:15:30. DeLaCerda finished second in 2:16:18, with 1996 Olympian Mark Coogan 3rd in 2:17:04. "It was a race of attrition, and that's the way it was. I'm ecstatic but in a sad way because I'm the only one (who qualified for the Olympics). It's a bittersweet feeling," said the South Dakota State graduate. Three men in the top 10 set personal records: DeLaCerda, Stolz and Campbell.
1) Rod DeHaven (WI) 2:15:30 $75,000*
2) Peter DeLaCerda (CO) 2:16:18 $25,000
3) Mark Coogan (MD) 2:17:04 $20,000
4) Scott Larson (CO) 2:17:15 $17,500
5) Eddy Hellebuyck (NM) 2:18:30 $15,000
6) Dave Scudamore (CA) 2:18:38 $10,000
7) Gary Stolz (CA) 2:18:46 $9,000
8) Jeff Campbell (CO) 2:19:18 $8,000
9) Danny Martinez (CA) 2:19:38 $7,000
10) Teddy Mitchell (CO) 2:20:33 $6,000
11) Clint Verran (MI) 2:20:45 $5,500
12) Kelly Mortenson (CO) 2:20:55 $5,000
13) Craig Lawson (UT) 2:21:01 $4,500
14) Fred Kieser (OH) 2:21:12 $4,000
15) Mike Dudley (CO) 2:21:27 $3,500
16) Jon Hume (CO) 2:21:53 $3,000
17) Jeff Jacobs (IL) 2:22:13 $2,500
18) Josh Cox (CA) 2:22:30 $2,000
19) Tom Jeffrey (VA) 2:22:41 $1,500
20) Greg Wenneborg (AZ) 2:22:47 $1,000
*Includes $35,000 Olympic Team Bonus
2004: Birmingham, Ala., Feb 7
104 Qualifiers, 85 Starters, 70 Finishers
Time standard = 2:20:00 (A); 2:22:00 (B)
Without a doubt, the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon in Birmingham
was an exciting competition with plenty of drama. Under gray skies, cold
temperatures and windy conditions, emerging star Brian Sell, 25, of
Rochester Hills, Mich. "made" the race with his bold front-running before
the chasing pack eventually caught him at 21 miles on the critierium
course's third loop. In the final stages, 2000 Olympians Alan Culpepper and
Meb Keflezighi pulled away to wage another memorable duel with Culpepper
prevailing by five seconds, 2:11:42 to 2:11:47. Dan Browne protected his
third position to claim the final coveted U.S. Olympic marathon team spot in
2:12:02, while relative unknown Trent Briney broke thru with his 2:12:35
fourth place finish.
With his impressive victory, Culpepper, 31, from Lafayette, Colo. produced
the second fastest winning Trials time behind Tony Sandoval's 2:10:19 at the
1980 Olympic Trials. Overall, Culpepper's time is the fourth fastest Trials
performance behind the second and third place finishers in 1980, Benji
Durden (2:10:41) and Kyle Heffner (2:10:55). In addition, Keflezighi's
second place time of 2:11:47 ranks #7 on the all-time Trials list, while
Briney's time (2:12:35) is the second fastest 4th place Trials performance
ever.
With numerous track and cross country national titles to his credit,
Culpepper won his first U.S. road title - the biggest and best road title of
them all, Olympic Trials champion.
Despite the less than ideal conditions, 13 of the 70 Trials finishers set
personal records with Briney improving his PR the most (an eye-popping 8
minutes and 35 seconds). In addition, Darrell General, 38, from Hyattsville,
MD, became the first male qualifier to complete five U.S. Olympic Marathon
Trials with the following times and places: 1988 - 2:20:31/19th; 1992 -
2:25:02/30th; 1996 - 2:16:30/12th; 2000 - 2:28:41/35th and 2004 -
2:33:20/67th).
1) Alan Culpepper (CO) 2:11:42 $64,000*
2) Meb Keflezighi (CA) 2:11:47 $38,000*
3) Dan Browne (OR) 2:12:02 $27,000*
4) Trent Briney (MI) 2:12:35 $16,000
5) Clint Verran (MI) 2:14:37 $13,000
6) Scott Larson (CO) 2:15:03 $10,000
7) Josh Cox (CA) 2:15:18 $7,500
8) Peter Gilmore (CA) 2:15:44 $7,000
9) Jason Lehmkuhle (MN) 2:16:27 $6,000
10) Keith Dowling (VA) 2:16:50 $5,000
11) Kevin Collins (NY) 2:17:00 $4,000
12) Brian Sell (MI) 2:17:20 $3,000
13) Fred Kieser (OH) 2:17:21 $2,000
14) Scott Strand (AL) 2:17:44 $1,000
15) Steven Moreno (CA) 2:17:48
16) Corey Creasey (CA) 2:17:58
17) Scott Nicholas (OR) 2:18:13
18) Conor Holt (OK) 2:18:17
19) Chris Banks (VA) 2:18:56
20) Ryan Meissen (WI) 2:19:02
21) Scott Goff (CO) 2:19:11
22) Ryan Shay (MI) 2:19:20 (Rest in Peace)
23) Matt Sandercock (PA) 2:20:23
24) Carl Rundell (MI) 2:21:08
25) John Dimoff (OR) 2:21:12
*Plus $25,000, $22,500 and $20,000 Olympic Team Bonus
Disqualified: failed drug test (r-EPO)
8) Eddy Hellebuyck (NM) 2:15:36
2008 Olympic Trials
Hall 1st, Ritz 2nd, Sell 3rd, Rest In Peace Ryan Shay.
1 Ryan Hall 25 Mammoth Lakes, CA 2:09:02 $80,000
2 Dathan Ritzenhein 24 Eugene, OR 2:11:07 $60,000
3 Brian Sell 29 Rochester Hills, MI 2:11:40 $50,000
4 Khalid Khannouchi 36 Ossining, NY 2:12:34 $20,000
5 Jason Lehmkuhle 30 Minneapolis, MN 2:12:54 $12,000
6 Daniel Browne 32 Beaverton, OR 2:13:23 $10,000
7 Nathaniel Jenkins 27 Lowell, MA 2:14:56 $8,000
8 Meb Keflezighi 32 San Diego, CA 2:15:09 $5,000
9 Josh Rohatinsky 25 Portland, OR 2:15:22 $3,000
10 Jason Hartmann 26 Boulder, CO 2:15:27 $2,000
11 Matthew Gonzales 26 Albuquerque, NM 2:16:14
12 Mike Morgan 27 Rochester Hills, MI 2:16:28
13 Fasil Bizuneh 27 Flagstaff, AZ 2:16:47
14 James Carney 29 Boulder, CO 2:16:54
15 Steve Sundell 25 Redwood City, CA 2:16:54
16 Christopher Raabe 28 Washington, DC 2:17:01
17 Nick Arciniaga 24 Rochester Hills, MI 2:17:08
18 Clint Verran 32 Rochester Hills, MI 2:17:10
19 Matt Pelletier 28 Warwick, RI 2:17:17
20 Chad Johnson 31 Rochester Hills, MI 2:17:58
21 Joshua Ordway 27 Dublin, OH 2:18:10
22 Jacob Frey 26 Oakton, VA 2:18:19
23 Joe Driscoll 28 Blowing Rock, NC 2:18:22
24 John Mentzer 31 Monterey, CA 2:18:23
25 Allen Wagner 27 San Diego, CA 2:18:25
26 Patrick Rizzo 24 Rochester Hills, MI 2:18:30
27 Sergio Reyes 26 Los Osos, CA 2:18:31
28 Patrick Moulton 25 Rochester Hills, MI 2:18:35
29 Mikhail Sayenko 23 Bellevue, WA 2:18:35
30 Donovan Fellows 28 Woodbury, MN 2:18:45
31 Miguel Nuci 28 Turlock, CA 2:18:47
32 Michael Reneau 29 Rochester Hills, MI 2:18:51
33 Macharia Yuot 25 Chester, PA 2:18:56
34 Dan Sutton 27 Madison, WI 2:18:59
35 Nicholas Cordes 28 Ashland, OH 2:19:01
36 Teren Jameson 30 Taylorsville, UT 2:19:05
37 Chris Lundstrom 31 Minneapolis, MN 2:19:21
38 Eric Post 28 Centreville, VA 2:19:25
39 Matthew Folk 31 Canfield, OH 2:19:47
40 James Lander 28 La Habra, CA 2:20:09
41 Michael Cox 32 Princeton, WV 2:20:12
42 Greg Costello 26 Chicago, IL 2:20:28
43 Luke Humphrey 26 Rochester, MI 2:20:34
44 John Lucas 27 Eugene, OR 2:20:48
45 John Service 27 San Jose, 2:21:12
46 Adam Tribble 27 Fayetteville, AR 2:21:21
47 Todd Snyder 30 Shelby Township, MI 2:21:30
48 Nick Schuetze 25 Portland, OR 2:21:36
49 Alan Horton 27 Knoxville, TN 2:22:03
50 James Nielsen 28 Palo Alto, CA 2:22:11