Air Force Staff Prepares for Olympic Trials
6/9/2008 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
June 9, 2008
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - A trio of Air Force volunteer coaches participated in meets this weekend (June 7-8) to gear up for the 2008 Olympic Trials. Cross country volunteer coach Lopez Lomong was the top American finisher in the Bowerman Mile at the Prefontaine Classic, while track and field volunteers 2Lt Dana Pounds and 2Lt Olivia Korte took part in the Georgia Trials Qualifier.
Lomong's time of 3:53.95 was the fastest of the five Americans in the race, including current U.S. record holder, Alan Webb. One of nine runners to clock a sub-four-minute mile at the prestigious meet at Hayward Field (home of the Olympic Trials), Lomong placed fifth overall.
The mile is not an Olympic sport, but each athlete's 1500-meter time was recorded. Lomong, who has already surpassed the "A" standard for the Olympic Trials in that event, recorded a time of 3:38.40 at the 1500-meter mark. That mark once again bests the "A" standard of 3:39.00.
The top three runners finished within 0.50 of one another. Kenya's Shedrack Kibet Korir won the race with a time of 3:50.49, while New Zealand's Nick Willis placed second in 3:50.66. Fellow Kenyan Daniel Kipchirchir Koman clocked a time of 3:50.95 to round out the top three.
Pounds prepared for the upcoming Olympic Trials by winning the javelin throw at the Spec Town Track in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, June 7. Pounds, who has already qualified for the Olympic Trials, won the meet with a throw of 165'0". She fouled off her first throw, before recording the winning mark of 165'0". With that mark, she passed on her final attempts.
Korte also competed at the qualifier in Georgia and finished fifth in the discus throw with a toss of 159'2". Korte is currently just one foot shy of the "B" standard for the trials.
The 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials begin on June 27. The qualifying flight of the women's javelin throw is scheduled to begin at 12:45 p.m. (PST), on June 28, with the finals slated for June 30, at 8:20 p.m. The 1500-meter event begins on Thursday, July 3, with the quarterfinals. Action in that event continues on Friday, July 4, with the finals currently scheduled for Sunday, July 6.
