Keflezighi, Kennedy, Culpepper, Dryer, Browne, Abdirahman, McGregor Expected

PALO ALTO, CA - This is an Olympic year and time draws nearer for many elite athletes to achieve the Olympic "A" qualifying standards. At the Cardinal Invitational to be held on Friday, April 30, at Cobb Track & Angell Field, many college and elite level athletes will be primed and ready to do their best with the goal of competing at the Olympic Games this summer in Athens, Greece.

The Cardinal Invitational not only gives elite American and international athletes an excellent opportunity to achieve the Olympic "A" standard, but also gives many college athletes another opportunity to achieve the NCAA Regional qualifying standard.

One of the top events on the running calendar this year is the Kim McDonald men's and women's 10,000 meters. Over the years, Cobb Track and Angell Field has produced outstanding results including an American record of 30:50.32 by Deena Drossin (now Kastor) in 2002. In that same race, Yoko Shibui set a Japanese record of 30:48.89. A year earlier, Meb Keflezighi set an American record (27:13.98) in the men's 10,000 meters at the Cardinal Invitational, while race winner Abraham Chebii of Kenya ran the fastest 10,000 meters ever on American soil with a time of 27:04.20.

In this year's 10,000 meters, Keflezighi of Mammoth Lakes, Calif. returns to Stanford and is one of the featured competitors. In fact, seven of the top 10 ranked American 10,000 meter runners from 2004 are scheduled to compete. Keflezighi, a Team Running USA athlete, has already secured a spot on the U.S. Olympic team with a runner-up finish in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. At the recent USA 8K Championship, the former UCLA All-American ran a course and national championship record time only two weeks after finishing first at the USA 15K Championship. Also look for top performances from such notables as American 5000 meter record holder Bob Kennedy, 2000 Olympians Brad Hauser and Abdi Abdirahman, 2004 U.S. 10 mile champion Dan Browne and Stanford's Ian Dobson and Louis Luchini. From the international circuit are a group of sub-28:00 runners from Japan and Thomas Kiplitan of Kenya.

Sally Barsosio of Kenya heads a star-filled field in the women's 10,000 meters. Barsosio recently finished second at the Kenyan National Championships. From Britain comes a trio of runners with Olympic dreams in former NCAA champion and 2000 Olympian Kathy Butler, Natalie Harvey and Haley Yelling. Also in the field are Rosemary Ryan and Marie Davenport of Ireland, and from the United States, Katie McGregor of Team USA Minnesota, Katie and Laura O'Neill and Stanford's 2003 NCAA champion Alicia Craig.

The women's 5000 meters will feature Sonia O'Sullivan, the 2000 Olympic 5000m silver medalist and a multi-time world and European champion. Courtney Babcock is the Canadian national record holder while Australia's Georgie Clark jumps from the 1500 meters to the 5000 meters at the Cardinal Invitational. Clarke owns the fastest time in the 1500 meters in the world this year. The American contingent includes 2004 World Indoor 3000m bronze medalist Shayne Culpepper, Team USA Minnesota's Carrie Tollefson, Team Running USA's Elva Dryer and three-time NCAA 5000 meter champion from Stanford Lauren Fleshman. Culpepper and Dryer are also 2000 Olympians.

Steve Slattery, the 2003 U.S. 3000 meter steeplechase champion, headlines the men's 5000 meters. A pair of Arkansas All- Americans are also in the field, Daniel Lincoln and Alistair Cragg. Lincoln won the 2003 NCAA title in the 10,000 meters and the 3000 meter steeplechase. Luke Watson of Team USA Minnesota and Chad Johnson are also two of American's top Olympic hopefuls in the 5000 meters.

Stanford will have a strong contingent of present and former All-American runners. Michael Stember, a 2002 U.S. Olympian, will be a strong favorite in the 1500 meters along with Jason Lunn, the 2003 U.S. outdoor champion in this event. Current Stanford students Grant Robison and Donald Sage will be in this elite field. Robison won the NCAA 1500 meter title last year, while Sage captured the title in 2002. Former California standout Bolota Asmerom has Olympic goals for the United States. At the recent Stanford Invitational, Mexico's Juan Luis Barrios won the 1500 meters in a 3:39.28 and he is back to compete at the Cardinal Invitational.

In the women's 1500 meters, Nicole Teter of the United States and Canada's Malindi Elmore have developed a keen rivalry. Elmore, a 2003 Stanford graduate, defeated Teter at the recent Mt. SAC Relays with the second fastest time in the world this year at 4:09.73. Leah Pells, a two-time Canadian Olympian, is entered in the competition. The field is further strengthened with the addition of Australia's Emily Morris and Melissa Rollison and former Stanford All-American Sally Hauser. American record holder Brianna Shook leads the field in the women's 3000 meter steeplechase. Brigham Young University has a pair of outstanding runners entered in Kassi Anderson and Michaela Mannova, the 2003 and 2002 NCAA champions in the 3000 meter steeplechase. This field will be pushed with the addition of former American record holder Elizabeth Jackson.

The Cardinal Invitational
Friday, April 30, 2004
Cobb Track & Angell Field
3:00 p.m. - Field Events
4:00 p.m. - Running Events

For more meet information and when available, results, click:
Cardinal Invitational.