RUNNING USA – USA Outdoor Championship Distance Round-Up – By: USATF -Begley, Rupp, Fleshman, Lagat, Huling, Aguilera national champions

DES MOINES, Iowa – (June 24-27, 2010) – The 2010 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships were held at Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University and the following is the distance summary for the national championships.

On Thursday night, 2008 Olympian Amy Begley won her second straight U.S. 10,000m title over former Iowa State University standout, recent NCAA champion and local favorite Lisa Koll in a highly competitive race. The sixth-place finisher at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Germany, Begley, 32, broke away from Koll with one lap remaining before crossing the finish line in 32:06.45, which shattered the previous Drake Stadium record of 32:44.95 set by Koll in 2008. Koll finished as national runner-up in 32:11.72, with Desiree Davila third in 32:22.32 and 2008 Olympian Blake Russell fourth (32:46.73).

In the men’s 10,000, former University of Oregon great Galen Rupp also won his second consecutive title in a spirited battle with 2007 Pan Am Games 5000m gold medalist Ed Moran. Moran, who finished fourth in the 10,000m at the 2008 Olympic Trials and fifth last year at Nationals, held a slight lead over Rupp in the final three miles until Rupp, 24, turned on the afterburners with 600 meters to go before breaking the beam in 28:59.29. Rupp posted the fourth-fastest time in the world this year with his 27:10.74 clocking in Palo Alto, Calif. on May 1. Moran finished as the U.S. runner-up in 29:03.07, with Patrick Smyth third in 29:18.13 and Ryan Sheehan fourth (29:18.55).

On Friday evening, three-time NCAA champion Lauren Fleshman, who has returned from injury, won her second USA 5000m title in 15:28.70. Fleshman, 28, who first won this event in 2006 and has been ranked in the Top 10 in the U.S. every year from 2002 to 2008, held off runner-up and four-time Big East Outdoor champion Molly Huddle (15:30.89) for the „sweet“ win. 2008 Olympic Games and 2009 World Championships 3000m steeple finalist Jenny Barringer finished third in 15:33.33.

In the men’s 5000, a tactical race set the table perfectly for kicker supreme Bernard Lagat, who captured the fourth U.S. Outdoor 5000m title of his glorious career. With 70 meters remaining in the race, Lagat, 35, was in second place when the two-time Olympic 1500m medalist grabbed the lead. Tim Nelson, a 10,000m specialist, gave chase down the final straightaway but was unable to catch Lagat, who clocked 13:54.08. Nelson finished second in 13:54.80, with seven-time NCAA All-American Andrew Bumbalough of Georgetown, who placed third at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships, finishing third (13:55.16).

On Sunday afternoon, Daniel Huling (26) and Lisa Aguilera (30) won USA 3000m Steeplechase titles in 8:27.87 and 9:53.59 respectively. For Huling, it was his first national title and Aguilera’s second (also 2006), and Huling also set a Drake Stadium record.

2010 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships

Drake Stadium, Des Moines, IA

3000m Steeplechase – Sunday, June 27, 2010

MEN

1) Daniel Huling (OH), 8:27.87*

2) Ben Bruce (OR), 8:30.87

3) Steve Slattery (CO), 8:33.23

4) Joshua McAdams (UT), 8:34.43

5) Billy Nelson (OR), 8:35.17

*Drake Stadium record (previous record, 8:28.26, Kyle Alcorn (Arizona State) in 2008)

WOMEN

1) Lisa Aguilera (AZ), 9:53.59

2) Nicole Bush (MI), 9:56.08

3) Lindsay Allen (AZ), 9:59.19

4) Sarah Pease (IN), 10:07.34

5) Bridget Franek (PA), 10:07.49

5000m – Friday, June 25, 2010

MEN

1) Bernard Lagat (AZ), 13:54.08

2) Tim Nelson (OR), 13:54.80

3) Andrew Bumbalough (DC), 13:55.16

4) Aaron Braun (CO), 13:57.82

5) Brent Vaughn (CO), 14:00.01

WOMEN

1) Lauren Fleshman (OR), 15:28.70

2) Molly Huddle (RI), 15:30.89

3) Jenny Barringer (CO), 15:33.33

4) Jen Rhines (CA), 15:35.71

5) Angela Bizzarri (IL), 15:39.81

10,000m – Thursday, June 24, 2010

MEN

1) Galen Rupp (OR), 28:59.29

2) Ed Moran (VA), 29:03.07

3) Patrick Smyth (MN), 29:18.13

4) Ryan Sheehan (MI), 29:18.55

5) David Jankowski (NC), 29:18.99

WOMEN

1) Amy Begley (OR), 32:06.45*

2) Lisa Koll (IA), 32:11.72

3) Desiree Davila (MI), 32:22.32

4) Blake Russell (CA), 32:46.73

5) Amy Hastings (CA), 32:49.07

*Drake Stadium record (previous record, 32:44.95, Lisa Koll (Iowa State) in 2008)

Complete results, videos and more at: www.usatf.org/events/2010/USAOutdoorTFChampionships/

RUNNING USA