Justyn Knight Outkicks Galen Rupp, Former NCAA Stars Greer, Fleet, Wheating, Soratos Come Up Short, Centro is Back and is Mary Cain as Well?
by LetsRun.com
June 23, 2016
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Stumptown Twilight Meet in Portland was the last realistic chance for a lot of distance athletes to qualify for the Olympic Trials or hit the Olympic qualifying time before the Trials as the qualifying window closes Sunday and there aren’t any major meets scheduled before then.
On the qualifying front, rain for most of the meet didn’t help, but all the stars came up short. Former NCAA champs Mac Fleet and Elijah Greer missed in the 800, and former NCAA champ and two-time Olympian Andrew Wheating missed in the 1500, as did 2015 NCAA runner-up in the indoor mile Cristian Soratos. Wheating likely will still make the Trials on the descending order list, but Fleet, Greer, and Soratos are out.
Men’s 5000: 19-Year-Old Justyn Knight Doesn’t Get the Olympic Standard But He Gets Galen Rupp’s Scalp
The shock of the night was saved for the final race.
Galen Rupp, the silver medallist at 10,000m in the Olympics, was the heavy, heavy favorite, running his second 5,000m in 10 days in his hometown of Portland.
Last week, Rupp was in the front at the bell and would crush the field the final lap. That is what most expected to happen here, but it didn’t.
Rupp was in a dogfight the final lap and on the final straight it was 19-year-old Justyn Knight of Syracuse pulling away from Rupp for the win in 13:26.36, just short of the Olympic standard of 13:25.00. Rupp was in contention to get second, but Woody Kincaid of the University of Portland nipped Rupp before the line.
QT #1: Who Says Upsets Don’t Happen: 9th and 10 Placers at NCAAs Beat Galen Rupp
At NCAAs, Knight blew up and finished 10th. Eight seconds and one spot ahead of him was Kincaid. Today they were 1-2 in front of Galen Rupp.
Both paid the proper respect to Rupp saying this wasn’t indicative of something bigger. For both, it was a little redemption for NCAAs.
Knight was full of smiles and said, “It feels fantastic coming off a very poor NCAAs. I know Galen wasn’t trying his hardest.”
Knight is a huge talent. He’s only 19 and runs only 55 miles a week and knows he has a big future. However, he was hoping to get the Olympic standard today and came up 1.36 seconds short. Knight still could do the Canadian champs and see if the standard can be hit there, but he may just take a break and get ready to help Syracuse try to defend its NCAA cross country title.
“I’m 19 years old, I should be more happy about it. But I had big goals this year and I feel like I let a couple of people down and most importantly I let myself down…Galen’s in a different league so I won’t mark that on my notepad yet.” he said.
QT #2: At Least for a Night, Woody Kincaid is #1 in Portland
Kincaid doesn’t even have an agent but he showed he can kick in a faster race.
Rupp did not speak to the media after the race. We did see him rip off a 56 quarter with Centrowitz in a post-race workout.
Talk about the race on our fan forum: FF: RUPP GOES HOME DEVASTATED – Loses 5k to some guy named Woody Kincaid,
Event 7 Men 5000 Meter Run High Performance
=======================================================================
13:25.00 O Olympic Standard
13:28.00 T US Trials Qualifier
Name Year School Finals Points
=======================================================================
Finals
1 Knight, Justyn Syracuse 13:26.36 T 10
2 Kincaid, Woody University o 13:27.32 T 8
3 Rupp, Galen Nike Oregon Project 13:27.34 T 6
4 Shrader, Brian Saucony 13:29.13 5
5 Erassa, Kirubel Atlanta Track Club 13:30.18 4
6 Alex, George Zap Fitness 13:30.35 3
7 Jenkins, Eric Nike Oregon Project 13:32.11 2
8 Marantz, Cameron adidas Garde 13:34.98 1
9 Bruchet, Luc Asics Canada 13:35.57
10 Brown, Mitchel Nike Btc 13:37.65
11 Keelan, Jack Stanford 13:40.72
12 Payne, Ben US Air Force 13:44.54
13 Buchanan, Reid Portland 13:52.13
14 Finan, Eric Team Run Eugene 13:53.43
15 Rosa, Jim Stanford 13:56.32
16 Keveren, Sean Ragged Mount 14:07.55
17 Raneri, John Unattached 14:07.96
18 Okello, Tonny Santa Monica 14:13.62
19 Williams, Matthew US Air Force 14:16.63
-- Walling, Ryan Unattached DNF
-- Thomson, Jacob Kentucky DNF
Women’s 1500: Colleen Quigley Wins Her First Race of 2016, Mary Cains Says the Future is Bright
Colleen Quigley was clearly best in this one the final straight. The 2015 NCAA steeple champion, who got 12th at the World Champs last year in the steeple, was racing her first race of the year as she comes back from injury.
The race was held in a strong rain and Mary Cain was the only one to go with the rabbits and really consider chasing the 4:07 Olympic standard the first lap. However, things slowed the second 400 (2:13 point). By the bell, a group was together and it was anyone’s race at 1200 (3:23). Lianne Farber of New Balance NorCal took the lead on the backstretch and was followed by her teammate Kim Conley. Farber led onto the homestretch, but Quigley had a ton in reserve and got a comfortable win over Brie Felnagle while Cain held her own after getting passed on the backstretch and ended up 3rd in 4:13.16.
QT #1: Mary Cain Sounds Like She’s on the Way Back
Cain later came back to run the 5000m where the plan was to run 3000m as a workout. She ended up running the entire race in 15:49, close to her 15:45 pr.
Afterwards we spoke to Cain and she was relaxed and confident about the future. She only turned 20 last month, but she has matured and been through a lot the last three years since she burst on the pro scene in 2013, running 4:04 and making the final at Worlds. Cain said about her 1500 today, “I felt really strong, really good. I actually was pretty satisfied with it for running as my mom said in a monsoon… I probably shouldn’t have gone right behind the pacers. I shouldn’t have let people pass me the last 250, but was happy I held on the last 100m and came back good.”
Cain wished her time was faster today but noted, “My attitude is if you’re gonna make the team you’re probably going to have to run the time at the Trials anyway… I feel like every week I’m improving a lot…. Every week I’ve felt a lot better.”
Cain said she suffered from low iron this winter and dropped her mileage and lost some of her base, but now is definitely on the right track. Mary Cain’s fans can get excited abou this quote, “The reason I’m relaxed is I’m finally in a place where I see it’s going to happen again. It didn’t happen today, and it didn’t happen last weekend. Will it happen the week after or come the Trials? I don’t really know. I have so much faith in the training and the changes we’ve made that long term I know it’s going to happen and I know it’s going to be better than 4:03.” (Note: We talked about 4:03 with Cain thinking that was her PR, but it actually is 4:04.62).
QT #2: Quigley is Healthy
Colleen Quigley had a tremendous 2015, winning NCAAs and making the final at Worlds, but she said she was running last summer with a hamstring problem that caused her a myriad of problems in the fall and winter. She’s been relatively healthy the last couple months and today was her first race of 2016. She said the pace seemed really, really fast at the beginning, but she was glad to have a kick and get the win.
Event 6 Women 1500 Meter Run High Performance
=======================================================================
Meet Record: R 4:21.24 7/2/2015 Amber Schultz, Unattached
4:07.00 O Olympic Standard
4:09.50 T US Trials Qualifier
Name Year School Finals Points
=======================================================================
Section 1
1 Quigley, Colleen Nike Bowerma 4:12.21R
2 Felnagle, Brie Adidas 4:12.85R
3 Cain, Mary Nike Oregon Project 4:13.16R
4 Lipari, Emily B.A.A 4:13.36R
5 Gollish, Sasha Oiselle/Toro 4:13.40R
6 Farber, Lianne New Balance NorCal 4:13.46R
7 Conley, Kim New Balance 4:13.95R
8 Pomfret, Kendra Unattached 4:14.00R
9 Brown, Stephanie Nike 4:17.16R
10 Moye, Megan Una-Ncsu 4:17.49R
11 Wallace, Lea Sra Elite 4:18.36R
12 Cash, Alli Unattached 4:18.46R
13 Vaughn, Sara BrooksID/Bou 4:26.00
-- Grunewald, Gabriel Brooks DNF
Section 2
1 Tsolis, Tori Unattached 4:16.82R
2 Mehra, Rebecca Stanford 4:17.04R
3 Maton, Ashley Unattached 4:17.64R
4 Rolland, Megan Oiselle 4:18.87R
5 Cazzola, Christy Atlanta Track Club 4:19.00R
6 Lawrence, Mel Oiselle 4:19.79R
7 Kouba, Paige Unattached 4:22.07
8 Hutchinson, Nicole Hershey Harr 4:26.70
9 Freeby, Michaela Team Run Eugene 4:28.75
10 Findley, Kristen High Performance 4:28.88
11 Summer, Madeleine Calgary Internat 4:43.58
Centro was way ahead at the fnish
Men’s 1500: Centro Crushes Field Over Final 100m
The rabbit took this one out quick in 55.8 with Craig Engels on the pace and then a gap to others with Edward Cheserek leading the rest. 800m was reached in 1:54.9 with Cheserek still up front. By 500 to go much more of the field was together and it was going to be a battle the final lap (2:43 at bell). It was still tight with 100m to go but that is when the class of the field, Matthew Centrowitz asserted himself. The reigning world indoor champion had run his first outdoor races of the season last week in Portland (1:47 and 3:41 as part of a workout) and for those of you doubting Centro’s fitness, he put on an exhibition the final 100m absolutely destroying the field. He won by an incredible 2.4 seconds in 3:37.81 with Andrew Wheating in second comfortably ahead of Cristian Soratos in 3rd, but the entire field except for Centrowitz was well short of the 3:38.00 Olympic Trials standard.
QT #1: Centro IS BACK… “I can’t have any excuse this year.”
Centro’s runs last week got some of you to say “CENTRO IS DONE”. He showed today he is perfectly situated heading into the Trials, crushing the field the final 100m. It’s very hard to put 2+ seconds on a field in that amount of time. Centro said, “I would say I’m almost as good as shape as I was indoors.” He had a problem with his leg that caused him to get an MRI this spring, but said that was “a little bit of a blessing. Last year I was a little too ready too early in Beijing… I can’t have any excuse this year.”
QT #2: Andrew Wheating is a “Racer not a chaser…Eight years ago I was just a boy, now I’m a man taking a different approach,”
Hard to believe there is an outside chance two-time Olympian Andrew Wheating may not make the Olympic Trials. (He’s 34th on the LetsRun.com list with a suggested field size of 30).
While Wheating was well short of the Olympic Trials standard (3:38) today, he made a point of not chasing after it. His plan was to focus on Matt Centrowitz and get back to racing.
“I’m not a chaser, I’m a racer… Today I came in with a race approach instead of the chasing one. I knew Matt was going to do something great because he always does. So I said, ‘Let’s just try and see if we can steal one from Matt Centrowitz.’ I was a fool to think I could, but I had a feeling I could potentially do it,” Wheating said, saying he never heard splits and just focused on the back of Centro’s head.
Wheating likely will get into the Trials and between now and the Trials he said, “Less is more. I’m not going to get much more fitness between now and Trials,” adding that the race today was very Trials-like.
We asked Wheating to reflect back on being at the Trials eight years ago as the young sensation and he said, “Eight years ago I was just a boy, now I’m a man taking a different approach, different mentality. I can’t go back to being what I was, I’ve got to create something new and that is what I’m doing.”
Wheating noted he’s got a couple seconds to make up on Centro but between him and Centro are Andrews, Manzano and others. “There’s work to be done” he said.
Talk about Wheating on our fan forum: FF: Wheating watching the trials from home??!? *Andrew Wheating: “Eight years ago I was just a boy, now I’m a man taking a different approach,” –
QT #2: Soratos Takes a Step in the Right Direction
Soratos was never an NCAA champ, but he was close. He has struggled this year, but this was a better performance.
Soratos has retuned to Montana to train with his college coach after doing a test run with the Big Bear Track Club.
Event 5 Men 1500 Meter Run High Performance
=======================================================================
Meet Record: R 3:35.82 7/2/2015 Robby Andrews, Adidas
3:36.20 O Olympic Standard
3:38.00 T US Trials Qualifier
Name Year School Finals Points
=======================================================================
Section 1
1 Centrowitz, Matthew Nike Oregon Project 3:37.81 T 10
2 Wheating, Andrew Nike Otc 3:40.22 8
3 Soratos, Cristian Adidas 3:40.73 5
4 Prakel, Sam Unattached 3:40.74 4
5 Bayer, Andrew Nike Bowerma 3:41.16 3
6 Avila, Eric Hoka One One 3:41.37 1
7 Cheserek, Edward Unattached 3:41.57
8 Thompson, Joshua Oklahoma State 3:42.30
9 Herrera, Daniel High Performance 3:43.78
10 Fisher, Grant Stanford 3:43.86
11 Huling, Dan Nike Btc 3:44.62
12 See, Jeff Asics/Furman Elite 3:47.88
13 Engels, Craig Unattached 3:48.85
14 Noelle, Chad unattached 3:50.37
15 Haney, Blake Unattached 3:50.84
16 Maton, Matthew Unattached 3:50.94
-- McNamara, Jordan Nike Otc DNF
Section 2
1 Palamar, Adam Syracuse 3:40.26 6
2 Strum, Weston Unattached 3:41.22 2
3 Burkstrand, Travis Brooks ID 3:41.38
4 Presson, Isaac Rebel Track Club 3:44.11
5 Vaziri, Shyan UC Santa Barbara 3:44.41
6 Edman, Ferdinand Unattached 3:44.84
7 Williams, Cole Georgetown 3:45.56
8 Wright, Josh Asics Sydney 3:46.76
9 Flores, DJ Team Run Eugene 3:47.47
10 Bartelsmeyer, Amos Georgetown 3:47.67
11 Roff, Jeremy Asics Sydney 3:47.85
12 Olson, Erik Jbac 3:48.59
13 Landry, Christo Mizuno 3:50.04
14 Castle, Daniel US Air Force 3:50.85
15 Clement, Tony One World Athletics 3:52.70
16 Grimble, Chriss Unattached 3:56.15
17 Benson, Doug Team Run Eugene 3:59.27
Women’s Steeple: Megan Patrignelli Gets the Standard
Megan Patrignelli of Team Run Eugene was the only person in the entire meet person who got the Olympic standard today.
Becky Wade did not and she may not be at the Trials unless USATF comes to its senses: MB: USATF does it again – They won’t allow steeple qualifying time that Becky Wade ran in nationally televised meet
Wade ran a qualifier a few weeks ago in Atlanta in a meet that was on national TV but didn’t have a rail and USATF has disallowed it. The rail not being there wasn’t Wade’s fault and USATF should let her run. Messageboard poster “Slowfastmaster” made a good point on our messageboard yesterday. He or she pointed out that the winner of the women’s 10,000 at Worlds in 2009 didn’t run the outside stagger on the first turn and yet the IAAF let the results stand.
Event 3 Women 3000 Meter Steeplechase High Performance
=======================================================================
9:45.00 O Olympic Standard
9:53.00 T US Trials Qualifier
Name Year School Finals Points
=======================================================================
Finals
1 Patrignelli, Megan Team Run Eugene 9:43.37 O
2 Teschuk, Erin Unattached 9:48.65 T
3 Nerud, Brianna Unattached 9:50.90 T
4 Schultz, Amber Brooks/ClubN 9:55.61
5 Olson, Mara Adidas Rme 10:02.37
6 Austin, Caroline Seattle Runn 10:05.04
7 Groenewoud, Chante Unattached 10:05.21
8 Blomquist, Bethany The Janes El 10:05.69
9 Wade, Becky Asics 10:08.35
10 Van Beek, Maddie Brooks 10:11.92
11 Beauchemin, Cather Caul 10:12.72
12 Bell, Rolanda New Balance NorCal 10:16.41
13 Webb, Julia Bowerman Tc/Hpw 10:17.46
14 Barnard, Jessica Oiselle LittleWing 10:23.80
15 Murphy, Joanna Brooks/Hudson Elite 11:00.01
-- Franek, Bridget Team Run Eugene DNF
-- Potratz-Lee, Allix Unattached DNF
-- Praught, Aisha Nike Otc DNF
-- Sorna, Rachel Unattached DNF
Men’s 800: No One Comes Within a Second of the Standard & Former NCAA Champs Elijah Greer and Mac Fleet Will Miss Trials
Hitting the standard wouldn’t have been easy to begin with but the rain made it even harder. Chris Low got the comfortable win as Elijah Greer came up well short of the 1:46.00 Olympic Trials standard. Four years ago, Greer was 6th at the Trials as a 21-year-old.
Event 1 Men 800 Meter Run High Performance
=======================================================================
Meet Record: R 1:48.04 7/2/2015 David Torrence, Hoka One One
1:46.00 O Olympic Standard
1:46.00 T US Trials Qualifier
Name Year School Finals Points
=======================================================================
Section 1
1 Low, Chris Unattached 1:47.14R
2 Abda, Harun Nike Otc 1:47.96R
3 Kemboi, Edward High Performance 1:48.52
4 Greer, Elijah Nike Otc 1:48.62
5 Jones, Richard Sra Elite 1:49.13
6 Fleet, Mac Nike Otc 1:50.01
Section 2
1 Eichberger, James Unattached 1:48.48
2 Mulder, Tyler Nike Otc 1:48.65
3 Emmen, Tetlo Unattached 1:49.32
4 Roelle, Hans Team Run Eugene 1:49.41
5 Primm, Cory Team Run Eugene 1:49.68
6 Sultessa, Badane Western Oregon 1:51.04
7 Grosvenor, Grant Unattached 1:51.42
-- Dillon, Shane Stride Ahead DNF
Section 3
1 Hazouri, Brandon Unattached 1:48.08
2 Bullard, Stephan Team Run Eugene 1:49.11
3 Obinwa, Sean Unattached 1:49.57
4 Porte, Jaden Unattached 1:51.92
5 Thornton, Nicholas Unattached 1:51.94
6 Palmer, Matthew Jacuzzi Boys 1:52.24
7 Smith, David Unattached 1:53.28
8 Barbosa, Nectaly Cascade Run Club 1:54.38
Women’s 800
Event 2 Women 800 Meter Run High Performance
=======================================================================
Meet Record: R 2:02.90 7/2/2015 Liga Velvere, Unattached
2:01.50 O Olympic Standard
2:03.00 T US Trials Qualifier
Name Year School Finals Points
=======================================================================
Section 1
1 Westaway, Jenna Brooks Canada 2:01.97RT
2 Storey, Lora Asics Sydney 2:02.62RT
3 Malasarte, Megan Brooks Beast TC 2:03.20
4 Velvere, Liga Unattached 2:03.23
5 Smith, BreAnna Unattached 2:03.40
6 Lambdin, Raquel Unattached 2:03.58
7 Iyevbele, Kenyetta Unattached 2:03.79
8 LeBlanc, Annie Unattached 2:04.38
9 Murphy, Samantha Unattached 2:05.76
Section 2
1 Brown, Alisha Unattached 2:03.26
2 Feldmeier, Brooke Unattached 2:04.97
3 Leufroy, Ena The Janes El 2:05.06
4 Limage, Junia Ats Track Club 2:06.91
5 Williams, Antonia Slo Middle Distance 2:07.66
6 Mania, Brigitte Atlanta Track Club 2:09.03
7 James, Merrecia Unattached 2:09.15
8 Wetzel, Rose Unattached 2:09.33
9 O'Neill, Kelly Unattached 2:10.31
10 Laxdal, Elecktra Unattached 2:13.84
Men’s Steeple: Tabor Stevens Wins and Preps for Trials
Stevens is already in the Trials at #9 on the LRC list.
Event 4 Men 3000 Meter Steeplechase High Performance
=======================================================================
8:30.00 O Olympic Standard
8:32.00 T US Trials Qualifier
Name Year School Finals Points
=======================================================================
Finals
1 Stevens, Tabor Asics 8:37.42
2 Bussing, Austin Rogue Athletic Club 8:38.04
3 Stones, Carl Unattached 8:38.15
4 Roth, Bailey Unattached 8:40.21
5 O'Neil, Austin Unattached Ucla 8:41.58
6 Hurt, Tripp Team Run Eugene 8:41.67
7 Updike, Lucas Team Run Eugene 8:41.77
8 Cleaver, Matt Unattached 8:52.90
9 Reeder, Troy Furman 8:58.31
10 Ibarra, Luis Unattached 8:58.57
11 Marquardt, William Dukes Track Club 8:58.71
12 Sees, Jonathan Sra Elite 9:02.51
13 Colyn, Nick Langley Mustangs 9:02.91
14 Jordan, Michael Nynj TC 9:04.59
-- Clifford, Deon Langley Mustangs DNF
Women’s 5000: Oliver Wins, Aisling Cuffe Still Improving
Lucy Oliver (formerly Lucy Van Dalen) of New Zealand crushed the field the final 400m for the win as four people including, Jordan Hasay, were in contention at the bell.
Aisling Cuffe of Stanford, 9th at NCAAs, ran a huge season’s best of 15:35.00 today (previous season’s best 16:08). Cuffe has run as fast as 15:11 (back in 2014) but said, “today was about getting a good solid 5k that represents the type of fitnesss I’m in.”
Event 8 Women 5000 Meter Run High Performance
=======================================================================
15:24.00 O Olympic Standard
15:25.00 T US Trials Qualifier
Name Year School Finals Points
=======================================================================
Finals
1 Oliver, Lucy New Balance/ 15:24.00 O
2 Welling, Tara Skechers/HPW 15:26.80
3 Cliff, Rachel Asics Canada 15:28.50
4 Hasay, Jordan Nike Oregon Project 15:29.70
5 Cuffe, Aisling Unattached 15:35.00
6 Silva, Samantha Nike Bowerma 15:35.80
7 Van Alstine, Amy Hoka Naz Elite 15:35.90
8 Cridebring, Alycia Sra Elite 15:36.40
9 Goldring, Katja Skechers Per 15:42.50
10 Olowora, Aminat nigeria 15:47.60
11 Cain, Mary Nike Oregon Project 15:49.20
12 Scherf, Lindsey Unattached 15:55.00
13 Beck, Anne Strava TC 15:56.30
14 Bruce, Stephanie Hoka Naz Elite 15:58.70
15 Smith, Kelsey Unattached 15:59.80
16 Metivier, Renee Mizuno 16:24.70
17 Ricardi, Jane Club Northwest 16:30.20
-- Rhode, Kristen High Performance DNF
*MB: CENTRO IS BACK!!!
*MB: RUPP GOES HOME DEVESTATED - Loses 5k to some guy named Woody Kincaid
*All Video interviews on one page